Product Description
liturgy of buddhism ... Read more

Product Description
This second volume in the Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin series includes two of his most important essays--the "Rissho Ankoku Ron" (On Securing the Peace for the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism) and "Kaimoku Sho" (The Opening of the Eyes)--as well as fifteen letters to individual believers. The Gosho in this volume are chronologically arranged. ... Read more

Product Description
15 ceremonies of this form of Buddhism are described in detail in this book. Illustrated. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free.This is an OCR edition with typos.Excerpt from book:and devotion upon the sole key of Buddhist truths, as promulgated by the two great masters — that is, upon the Lotus of Truth, especially in Kumarajlva's version.The book, Lotus, was acknowledged by nearly all Buddhists to be sermons delivered by Buddha in the last stage of his ministry, and, as such, called forth the highest tributes from most Buddhists of all ages. Critical study of Buddhist literature will doubtless throw more light on the formation and date of the compilation; but even apart from minute analysis, we can safely characterize the book as occupying the place taken in Christian literature by the Johannine writings, including the Gospel, the Apocalypse, and the Epistles. The chief arm of the Lotus, both according to the old commentators and to modern criticism, consists in revealing the true and eternal entity of Buddhahood in the person of the Lord Sakya, who appeared among mankind for their salvation. In other words, the main object is to exalt the historic manifestation of Buddha and identify his person with the cosmic Truth (Dharma), the universal foundation of all existences.This main thesis of the book is illustrated, supported, and exalted in manifold ways, and there are many side-issues and episodes. Similes and parables, visions and prophecies, warnings and assurances, doctrinal analysis and moral injunctions — all these ramify from the central strand or are woven into it. The whole composition is a symphony in which the chief motive is the identifying of Buddha and Dharma, but the melodies, the instruments, the movements, and even the key-notes vary from part to part; and, naturally, the inspirations imparted by the book varied from time to time, in accordance with the temperaments, the needs and aims, of different ages and persons. Thus, in descri... ... Read more

Product Description

Written as a companion to Eliot's 3-volume Hinduism and Buddhism this text begins with an overview of Buddhism as practiced in India and China before presenting an in depth account of the history of Buddhism in Japan. It follows the development of the Buddhist movement in Japan from its official introduction in AD 552, through the Nara, Heian and Tokugawa periods, detailing the rises of the various Buddhist sects in Japan, including Nichiren and Zen. Thoroughly researched and well-written, it was the last work published by Eliot, one of the great scholars of Eastern religion and philosophy at the time.

Customer Reviews (1)

A compelling look at the origins of Japanese Buddhism
To come to the point right at the beginning of my review, let it be said that "Japanese Buddhism" is an exciting and immensely rewarding book. The author, Sir Charles Eliot, served as British ambassador to Japan from 1920 to 1925 and both his knowledge of Japanese thought and culture as well as the fact that as a scholar he had dedicated his life to the study of Asian religions may have made him the one non-Japanese expert of his time best qualified to write on the subject. Sadly, Sir Charles did not live to see his work published as he died - shortly before its completion - in 1931, but thanks to the efforts of his publishers and of George B. Sansom, an eminent Japanologist who wrote the last chapter, the book was finally printed in 1935.

Apparently, "Japanese Buddhism" is complementary to an earlier work by Sir Charles on Hinduism and Buddhism. Nevertheless, he does well to again describe Buddhism as it originated in India and how it made its way to China and finally reached Japan during the sixth century, as the evolution of Buddhism in Japan cannot be completely grasped without knowing Buddhism's history in India and China. The book thus is divided into three parts: As mentioned above, the first part deals with the characteristics of Buddhism as it was (and still is) practised in India and China, the second part is dedicated to a general history of Japanese Buddhism from the sixth century till the end of the Tokugawa period (mid-19th century) whereas the third part explains in considerable detail those "sects" - or "schools", as they are most often called today - that arguably played a decisive role in shaping the particularly Japanese interpretation of the original Buddhist tenets, namely the schools of Tendai, Shingon and Zen Buddhism as well as the schools of Amidism and the one founded by the charismatic Nichiren.

What is remarkable about Sir Charles' book is that it has withstood expert criticism and continues to be an excellent portrayal of Japanese Buddhism in spite of the 65 years that have elapsed since it was first published. True, the book offers no information whatsoever on the development after 1868 and thus no mention is made of the disestablishing of countless Buddhist temples after the Meiji Restauration - let alone the so-called "new religions" (shinshukyo) that were organized as lay Buddhist movements and which appeared only after Sir Charles' death - but anyone interested in the pristine forms of Japanese Buddhism may confidently turn to Sir Charles' book. The only reason why I do not rate "Japanese Buddhism" a 5-star-book is that in my opinion the Jodo school - which evolved side by side with Zen Buddhism and the Nichiren school - is not given the attention it deserves. Apart from this minor weakness, however, this is a rather comprehensive book on the origins of Japanese Buddhism and offers fascinating reading for everybody interested in the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! S?ka Gakkai ("Value-Creation Society") is a new religious movement, more precisely a modern Japanese ?new religion? derived from Nichiren Buddhism. It was formed in 1930 and is closely associated with the New Komeito, an influential Japanese political party.S?ka Gakkai InternationalInsert title (SGI), the umbrella organization, was founded in 1975 and characterizes its organization as both a support network for practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism and as a global movement for peace education and cultural exchange. ... Read more