A History of Japanese Buddhism

by Kenji Matsuo

This first comprehensive introductory study of the history of Japanese Buddhism from the sixth to the twentieth centuries by one of Japan's leading Buddhist Studies scholars is to be widely welcomed.
The main focus of the work is on the life, activities and role of the monk (o-bo-san) as the main agent of Buddhism, together with the historical processes by which monks have been at the centre of the development of Japanese Buddhism up to the present day, not least regarding the salvation of women and outcasts which in part informed a new Buddhist 'enlightenment' in Japan known as Kamakura New Buddhism, which the author claims established the foundations of the Japanese way of life and culture as we know it today.
Students and researchers will find A History of Japanese Buddhism an indispensable source of reference, as well as providing valuable key benchmarks for further research.

Genres: History

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very compact and dense read for a broad topic such as the history of Japanese Buddhism. It lacks the information load of a book like Kleine's Japanese Buddhism, but it delivers in succinct and precise explanations of the most important terms and events in the history of Japan's Buddhism. Recommended for someone who already has some background information on the topic and wants an edited version of Japanese Buddhism. Could have more Japanese characters here and there, but in general very useful and compact.