Buddhist Books Database

What is ordination?Buddhism in India

Kan Sasaki, "What is an ordained priest?" - What is a priest in the first place? Recommended reference book for thinking about Japanese Buddhism and precepts.

As the title of this book suggests, "What is ordination? Some may get the impression from the introduction that this book sounds difficult, but rest assured, it is not. The narrative of Dr. Kan Sasaki is very easy to understand and read.

The book also discusses the uniqueness of such Japanese Buddhism. After all, it is only by comparing the two that we can see what we can see. The book is also very stimulating because it provides a detailed look at the actual conditions of life in early Buddhism in India and Sri Lanka.
From Ruins to "Sacred Sites"-Buddhist Sacred Sites Living in GlobalizationBuddhism in India

Noriko Maejima, "From Ruins to 'Sacred Sites': Buddhist Sacred Sites for Living with Globalization" - The Shocking Facts about Buddha's Sacred Site of Enlightenment, Buddhagaya

This book is a work that lets you know the shocking facts about Bodh Gaya, a sacred Buddhist site in India.

Bodh Gaya is a world-famous holy site where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

But what if this sacred place has been forgotten for a long time and was only recently discovered?

Frankly, what is written in this book may be quite shocking to Japanese people.

I believe that it is never a waste of time to know what was happening here. However inconvenient that may be to me as a Buddhist...
The Wonder of Sri Lanka's Giant BuddhaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Kayoko Kusumoto, "The Wonder of Sri Lanka's Giant Buddhas" - What is the fascination of Sri Lankan Buddhist statues from a sculptor's point of view? A recommended guide to learn from a new perspective!

The author of this book is a sculptor, not a Buddhist expert.

It was extremely stimulating for me to see what the sculptors would think if they saw Buddhist art in Sri Lanka.

This book introduces a number of great works of art in Sri Lanka, from the famous Buddha images to the maniacal ones. It is also an excellent guidebook for visiting Sri Lanka, as it is richly illustrated with photographs and maps.

This was an interesting book. It is an exciting book to look at Sri Lankan Buddhist images from a new perspective.
Sri LankaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Teruji Ito, "Introduction to Sri Lankan Buddhist Art" - Many photos! A useful guidebook for touring Buddhist monuments in Sri Lanka!

This book will look at major Buddhist sites such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy, as well as other distinctive Buddhist sites.

This book, in any case, contains a large number of photographs, which make it easy to visualize the local situation. In addition, the explanations are written in an easy-to-understand manner for beginners, making this a very welcome introductory work.

I highly recommend this work to anyone who is going to Sri Lanka or is interested in Sri Lankan Buddhism. This book can be a guidebook for sightseeing. Why not pick up a copy?
Sri LankaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Akiko Ishino, "Fun with the Senses! To Sri Lanka, the Island of Splendor" - A guidebook recommended for learning about Sri Lanka as a tourist destination full of attractions!

This book, "Enjoy Sri Lanka with All Your Senses! Sri Lanka, the Island of Splendor" is a recommended guidebook to learn about Sri Lanka as a tourist destination. This book will definitely make you want to visit Sri Lanka. You will enjoy seeing the sights and gourmet food of Sri Lanka, which is full of charm.

The photographs in this book are amazing! Not only are the photos good, but you can also feel the love for Sri Lanka. The layout is beautiful and easy to read.

This is a guidebook that I would highly, highly recommend.
South IndiaIndian thought, culture and history

World History Travels in South India" edited by Noboru Karashima and Teiji Sakata - Full of photos! Recommended for learning about the unique architecture and culture of Chennai and other places in India that differ from northern India!

This work, "World History Journey: South India," is a recommended guidebook for South India, which has a different culture from North India.

The most unique feature of this book is that it is full of photographs. As you look at the wonderful photographs and trace the history of South India, you will definitely want to visit the country yourself.

When we think of India, we tend to think of one India, but India is huge! (lol)

Just as the Kanto and Kansai regions have different cultures in Japan, India has its own culture in the north and south, or even in all directions.

This book will give you a feel of South India. It is a good guidebook for an introduction to South India, as it is full of photographs.
Brahmins and Hymns of Modern and Contemporary South IndiaIndian thought, culture and history

Jun Koo, "Brahmins and Hymns of Modern and Contemporary South India" - Tamils and Bhakti Faith. Recommended for learning about South Indian culture.

While there are numerous books on Indian religion and culture, a book written specifically on South Indian music is rare. This is the first time I have thought about Indian culture from this perspective, so I was able to read this book with a very fresh mind.

I myself recently heard Hindu prayer music in the holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh on the upper Ganges River.

That melody still lingers in my ears. For some reason, it was an unforgettable melody. Even I, who heard it for the first time, could not help but think how attached it must have been to the Indian people.

This book is quite geeky as it talks about the musicians of the time and their music, but it is an interesting work that gives an atmosphere unique to South India, which is different from North India.
Tomorrow won't be so dark.Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

E. Saratchandra, "Tomorrow Is Not So Dark" Synopsis and Comments - A novel about Sri Lanka in 1971, the year of the armed uprising by Marxist students.

I cannot help but feel a sense of connection with this novel and its timing. I strongly feel that I had to read this novel before going to Sri Lanka.

This work is also a very important insight into the student conflict in Japan.

As a novel, it is very easy to read and I read through it in one sitting. He is indeed a leading Sri Lankan writer.

It was a great piece that gave me another new perspective on Sri Lanka.

I would highly recommend this work.
the deceasedBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

E. Saratchandra's "The Deceased" Synopsis and Impressions - Comparable to that Oshin! A novel diptych set in Japan that became immensely popular in Sri Lanka!

I was surprised that there was a Sri Lankan novel that had more influence than that "Oshin" novel.

The author, Saratchandra, actually visited Japan in 1955, and it is evident that the intense experience he had there has strongly influenced this book.

In particular, in the first part, "The Deceased," the narrative is primarily directed at Dewendra, a Sri Lankan painter. The story vividly depicts what Japan was like at that time as seen from his gentile perspective. As the above commentary has already given a glimpse of, Sri Lankans at that time imagined the country of Japan from reading this novel.

I picked up this book thinking that this work must be valuable in understanding how Sri Lankans viewed Japan at that time.
Festivals and Social ChangeBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Toshio Shibuya, "Festivals and Social Change: Ritual Drama and Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka" - Recommended for learning about the background of traditional culture and conflict in Sri Lanka.

In this book we will look at people's lives in a rural village. The discussion of ritual drama, which is also the title of this book, is particularly valuable. You will be amazed at the deep significance of these seemingly unscientific traditional rituals and the complex social conditions they reveal in Sri Lanka.

For more information on these traditional rituals, I also recommend Noriyuki Ueda's "Sri Lanka's Exorcisms," which I have previously introduced in this blog. Reading the two books as a set will surely deepen your understanding.

Why not pick one up?