Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of JapanPraying for practical benefits (genze riyaku) is a common religious activity in Japan. Despite its widespread nature and the vast numbers of people who pray and purchase amulets and talismans for everything from traffic safety and education success to business prosperity and protection from disease, the practice has been virtually ignored in academic studies or relegated to the margins as a uh_product of superstition or an aberration from the true dynamics of religion. Basing their work on a fusion of textual, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary studies, the authors of this volume demonstrate the fallacy of such views, showing that, far from being marginal, the concepts and practices surrounding genze riyaku lie at the very heart of the Japanese religious world. They thrive not only as popular religious expression but are supported by the doctrinal structures of most Buddhist sects, are ordained in religious scriptures, and are promoted by monastic training centers, shrines, and temples. |
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... , the acquisition of amulets and talismans , and the seeking , through petitioning of deities , of worldly benefits . We treat religion as a mat- explain the king's lack of a higher understanding and thereby Introduction 5.
... seeking practical benefits , is actually closer to being an afterword : it is the centrality of practical benefits to Buddhism that creates the need for the doctrine of skillful means for those who in- voke it rather than the doctrine ...
... seeking blessings , good luck , and protection from misfortune . Deities such as Inari are called upon to support a good harvest , bless new business ventures , or assist in their particular spheres of influence . Tenjin , the god of ...
... seeking their protection and favor in this life , and ancestors are regarded as a potential source of benefits , while faith in postdeath salvation is an important element in the de- velopment of this - worldly peace of mind ) , one ...
... seeking this - worldly bene- fits should not be seen as simply or even primarily materialistic . As we shall see , a ... seek benefits that are intangible ( health , safety ) or seek to protect the supplicant from misfortune . Neverthe ...
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Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader,George J. Tanabe No preview available - 1998 |