Ryogen and Mount Hiei focuses on the transformation of the Tendai School from a small and impoverished group of monks in the early ninth century to its emergence as the most powerful and influential school of Japanese Buddhism in the last half of the tenth century—a position it would maintain throughout the medieval period. This is the first study in a Western language of the institutional factors that lay behind the school's success. At its core is a biography of a major figure behind this transformation, Ryogen (912–985). The discussion, however, extends well beyond a simple biography as Ryogen's activities are placed in their historical and institutional context. Unlike the recluses and eccentrics that have so often attracted Western readers of Buddhism, Ryogen was a consummate politician and builder. Because he lost his major monastic sponsor at an early age, he was forced to find ways to advance his career with little support. His activities reveal much about the path to success for monks during the tenth century. Skill in debate, the performance of Esoteric Buddhist ritual, and strategic alliances with powerful lay and monastic figures were important to his advance. In 966 Ryogen was appointed head of the Tendai School and served until his death nineteen years later. He has been vilified at times for his loyalty to his own faction within Tendai at the expense of other groups. Careful analysis of the political and social factors behind his attitudes, however, places his activities in their appropriate context. The study concludes with a discussion of the ordinations and roles of nuns during the early Heian period. An examination of Ryogen's close relation with his mother helps define the ambiguities of a school that prohibited women from the precincts of its temple yet performed rituals to insure safe childbirth and frequently attracted their patronage. A number of primary sources are translated in the appendices.

This work focuses on the transformation of the Tendai School from a small and impoverished group of monks in the early ninth century to its emergence as the most powerful and influential school in Japanese Buddhism in the last half of the tenth century.

The first three centuries of the Heian period (794-1086) saw some of its most fertile innovations and epochal achievements in Japanese literature and the arts. This work examines the early Heian from a variety of multidisciplinary perspectives.

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This book contains thirty numbers of the renowned Bodhi Leaves Publication series, dealing with various aspects of the Buddha’s teaching. 31 Meditation—First Steps to Control of the Senses—P. M. Rao 32 The Threefold Division of the Noble Eightfold Path—Piyadassi Thera 33 Extinction Without Remainder—Buddhadasa Bhikkhu 34 Protection Through Satipatthana—Nyanaponika Thera 35 The Four Cankers (Asava)—T. H. Perera 36 Renunciation—T. Prince 37 The Preparatory Path—John D. Ireland 38 The Advantages of Merit—Bhikkhu Khantipalo 39 The Supreme Conqueror—Francis Story 40 Right Understanding—Bhikkhu Silabhadra 41 Applications of Dhamma—Siri Buddhasukh 42 Buddhism: A Method of Mind Training—Leonard Bullen 43 The Relevance of Buddhism in the Modern World—Princess Poon Pismai Diskul 44 Three Mental Faculties and Guarding the Doors of the Senses—Dr. Elizabeth Ashby 45 This Self Business and Other Essays—M. O’C. Walshe/Natasha Jackson/Dr. Elizabeth Ashby 46 The Way to Happiness—H. L. B. Ellegala 47 Women in Ancient India—C. D. Weerasinghe 48 Buddhist Observances and Practices—Piyadassi Thera 49 Saísara and The Way of Dispassion—Francis Story 50 Buddhist Ideas in English Poetry—Cyril Moore 51 Meditation: The Inward Journey—John Andrew Storey 52 Mindfulness: An All-Time Necessity—C. F. Knight and Reg McAuliffe 53 Why Buddhism? Why Theravada? Theravada, Mahayana, Hinayana—M. O'C. Walshe 54 Rebirth—John Andrew Storey 55 The Scientific Approach to Buddhism and The Appeal of Buddhism—Francis Story 56 Three Buddhist Tales—Various Authors 57 The Story of the Mahinda, Sanghamitta and the Sri Maha-Bodhi—Piyadassi Thera 58 An Actual Religion—Bhikkhu Silacara 59 Buddhist Lay Ethics—Francis Story 60 Mindfulness and Awareness—Nyanavira Thera

Collected Bodhi Leaves Publications Volume I (includes Bodhi Leaves 31-60) This book contains 30 of the Bodhi Leaves Publication series, dealing with various aspects of the Buddha's teaching. BL31: Meditation - First Steps to Control of the Senses P.M. Rao BL32: The Threefold Division of the Noble Eightfold Path Piyadassi Thera BL33: Extinction Without Remainder Buddhadasa Bhikkhu BL34: Protection through Satipatthana Nyanaponika Thera BL35: The Four Cankers (Asava) T.H. Perera BL36: Renunciation T. Prince BL37: The Preparatory path John D. Ireland BL38: The Advantages of Merit Bhikkhu Khantipalo BL39: The Supreme Conquerer Francis Story BL40: Right Understanding Bhikkhu Silabhadra BL41: Application of Dhamma Siri Buddhasukh BL42: Buddhism: A Method of Mind Training Leaornard Bullen BL43: The Relevance of Buddhism the in Modern World Princess Poon Pismai Diskul BL44: Three Mental Faculties and Guarding the Doors of the Senses Dr. Elizabeth Ashby BL45: This Self Business and Other Essays M. O'C. Walshe/ Natasha jackson/ Dr. Elizabeth Ashby BL46: The Way to Happiness H.L.B. Ellegala BL47: Woman in Ancient India C.C. Weerasinghe BL48: Buddhist Observances and Practices Piyadassi Thera BL49: Samsara and The Way of Dispassion Francis Story BL50: Buddhist Ideas in English Poetry BL51: Meditation: The Inward Journey John Andrew Storey BL52: Mindfulness - An All-Time Necessity C.C. Knight and Reg McAuliffe BL53: Why Buddhism? Why Theravada? Theravada, Mahayana, Hinayana M.O'C. Walshe BL54: Rebirth John Andrew Storey BL55: The Scientific Approach to Buddhim and the Appeal of Buddhism Francis Story BL56: Three Buddhist Tales various authors BL57: The Story of the Mahinda, Sanghamitta and the Sri Maha-Bodhi Piyadassi Thera BL58: An Actual Religion Bhikkhu Silacara BL59: Buddhist Lay Ethics Francis Story BL60: Mindfulness and Awareness Nanavira Thera

This masterful six-volume encyclopedia provides comprehensive, global coverage of religion, emphasizing larger religious communities without neglecting the world's smaller religious outposts. Religions of the World, Second Edition: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices is an extraordinary work, bringing together the scholarship of some 225 experts from around the globe. The encyclopedia's six volumes offer entries on every country of the world, with particular emphasis on the larger nations, as well as Indonesia and the Latin American countries that are traditionally given little attention in English-language reference works. Entries include profiles on religion in the world's smallest countries (the Vatican and San Marino), profiles on religion in recently established or disputed countries (Kosovo and Nagorno-Karabakh), as well as profiles on religion in some of the world's most remote places (Antarctica and Easter Island). Religions of the World is unique in that it is based in religion "on the ground," tracing the development of each of the 16 major world religious traditions through its institutional expressions in the modern world, its major geographical sites, and its major celebrations. Unlike other works, the encyclopedia also covers the world of religious unbelief as expressed in atheism, humanism, and other traditions.

"Buddhism in medieval Korea is characterized as “State Protection Buddhism,” a religion whose primary purpose was to rally support (supernatural and popular) for and legitimate the state. In this view, the state used Buddhism to engender compliance with its goals. A closer look, however, reveals that Buddhism was a canvas on which people projected many religious and secular concerns and desires. This study is an attempt to specify Buddhism’s place in Koryo and to ascertain to what extent and in what areas Buddhism functioned as a state religion. Was state support the main reason for Buddhism’s dominance in Koryo? How actively did the state seek to promote religious ideals? What was the strength of Buddhism as an institution and the nature of its relationship to the state? What role did Confucianism, the other state ideology, play in Koryo? This study argues that Buddhism provided most of the symbols and rituals, and some of the beliefs, that constructed an aura of legitimacy, but that there was no single ideological system underlying the Koryo dynasty’s legitimating strategies."

From the 10th to the mid-17th century, religious organisations played an important part in the social, political and military life in Japan. Known as sohei ('monk warriors') or yamabushi ('mountain warriors'), the warrior monks were anything but peaceful and meditative, and were a formidable enemy, armed with their distinctive, long-bladed naginata. The fortified cathedrals of the Ikko-ikki rivalled Samurai castles, and withstood long sieges. This title follows the daily life, training, motivation and combat experiences of the warrior monks from their first mention in AD 949 through to their suppression by the Shogunate in the years following the Sengoku-jidai period.

A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism offers a comprehensive, nuanced, and chronological account of the evolution of Buddhist religion in Japan from the sixth century to the present day. Traces each period of Japanese history to reveal the complex and often controversial histories of Japanese Buddhists and their unfolding narratives Examines relevant social, political, and transcultural contexts, and places an emphasis on Japanese Buddhist discourses and material culture Addresses the increasing competition between Buddhist, Shinto, and Neo-Confucian world-views through to the mid-nineteenth century Informed by the most recent research, including the latest Japanese and Western scholarship Illustrates the richness and complexity of Japanese Buddhism as a lived religion, offering readers a glimpse into the development of this complex and often misunderstood tradition