Nepal

Indian BuddhismThe Life of Buddha (Sakyamuni) as Seen in Local Photographs

(1) The birth of Prince Siddhartha in Lumbini, Nepal!

Starting with this article, I will give a brief account of the life of Gautama Buddha (Sakyamuni Buddha) with local photographs throughout the 25-part series. I traveled to the Buddhist sites in India from February to March 2024. In this series of articles, I will explain the life of Gautama Buddha with historical background while weaving together my unique local experiences.
Discovering Buddhism in BritainBuddhism in India

F. C. Almond's "The Discovery of Buddhism in England" - Buddhist Studies was born from a desk in England! The roots of Mahayana Buddhism criticism come from here.

In this work, a shocking fact is told. In "New Asian Buddhist History 02 India II: The Formation and Development of Buddhism," which was previously introduced in this blog, the problems of Western-derived Buddhist studies are discussed, and this book is truly a work that can be called a work in its own right.

Reading this book, it is easy to understand why critics say, "Go back to primitive Buddhism. It is easy to understand why some critics say, "Go back to primitive Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism is corrupt. I have never been able to understand the criticisms of Mahayana Buddhism until now, but now I can understand why some people say, "Oh, I see! I see! I see!" I am discovering more and more about the criticisms of Mahayana Buddhism that I had never been able to understand before. When you follow the background of these criticisms, you will discover some extraordinary facts. This is a very exciting book. It is a tremendous work. Please read it! I am sure you will be shocked.
The History of Indian Buddhism as a CultureBuddhism in India

Yasuaki Nara, "History of Indian Buddhism as 'Culture'" - A great book that I highly recommend to monks who are troubled by criticism of funeral Buddhism!

I highly recommend this book to "those who are struggling with how to be a monk".

It is clear that Buddhism is not only a doctrine written in literature, but has walked with the people who live there. I myself received a lot of courage from this book. I feel that Buddhism will surely lead to the power to live even today.

Even non-monks interested in the meaning of rituals in Buddhism will find much in this work.

This is a great book that I would highly recommend. It was a wonderful book that conveys the author's beliefs.
The Abyss of the Mahayana BuddhaBuddhism in India

Tomomichi Nitta, "The Abyss of the Buddha in the Mahayana" - There was no mythologizing of the Buddha! What is Gen Nakamura's Critique of the Historical View of Buddha? From "Series on Mahayana Buddhism, Volume 5: Buddha and Pure Land - Mahayana Buddhist Scriptures II

This work is very interesting to me as a Jodo Shinshu monk because it teaches about the Pure Land scriptures.

The second chapter, "The Abyss of Mahayana Buddhism" by Mr. Tomomichi Nitta, was particularly shocking. This is a paper that should be read by all students of Buddhism.

The "Series on Mahayana Buddhism" reflects the latest research as of the early 2010s. It was a first-hand experience of how the once mainstream understanding of Buddhism is no longer valid.

The Series Mahayana Buddhism Volume 5: Buddha and the Pure Land - Mahayana Buddhist Scriptures II, which contains the shocking treatise by Tomomichi Nitta, is a tremendous book that I recommend to all students of Buddhism. It is by far the most impressive work in this series.
Himalayan TemplesBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Masahiko Sato, "Temples of the Himalayas: Religious Architecture in Nepal, Northern India, and China" - Amazing work to learn more about Buddhist architecture in Kathmandu.

This book will be a work dedicated to religious architecture in Nepal. This is a rather geeky book. It is a book for those who want to learn more about Nepal's unique religious architecture.

Nepal's atmosphere and religious architecture are different from both India and China.

And the fact that a lot of wood is used may be familiar to Japanese people. I am planning to visit Nepal at some point in the future, so I would like to take a closer look at it then.

There are also plenty of photos to help you visualize the local area.

This is a rather geeky book, but I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Nepalese religion and architecture.
Nepalese BuddhismBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Kimiaki Tanaka/Kazumi Yoshizaki, "Nepalese Buddhism" - A country where wife-oriented Buddhism has taken root, just like in Japan! Recommended to learn about its teachings and history.

This book is a tremendously valuable gem.

For us Japanese, Nepal has a strong image of the Himalayas, but in reality, we know very little about the religion of this country. I myself knew almost nothing about this country until recently.

However, the more one learns about the religious situation in this country, the more interesting it becomes...!

First of all, although Hinduism is the main religion in this country, Buddhism is still alive and well. Moreover, some of the Buddhists in this country are wife-oriented, just like ours in Japan. This is interesting.

This book provides a unique history of Buddhism that is different from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, or China! Highly recommended!
Become a fatalist in Sri LankaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Yoshio Sugimoto, "Becoming a Fatalist in Sri Lanka: An Island of Buddhism and Caste" - recommended for learning about Theravada Buddhist funerals and local religion and life!

The author actually goes to the region and meets with the people there to see the local religion and lifestyle culture itself. The fascination of this book is that it allows the reader to see the subtle issues and ambiguous aspects of the region that cannot be seen in the literature alone.

It was especially interesting to hear about funerals, marriages, and other rituals in Sri Lanka.

It was very interesting to see from the perspective of fieldwork that Buddhism is deeply connected to the issue of "life and death" in Sri Lanka as well.

Another gratifying aspect of this book is that you can learn about Sri Lanka's religion and real life not only from a religious perspective, but also from a political and economic one. If you look at Sri Lanka only as "a devout Buddhist country," you will be mistaken. In fact, the background of Sri Lanka is quite complex. It is also fascinating to learn about the complexity of the society.
Introduction to Thai BuddhismBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Yoneo Ishii, "An Introduction to Thai Buddhism" - A recommended introduction to Buddhism in Thailand, where Theravada Buddhism still lives and breathes.

The appeal of this book is that it provides a realistic picture of Buddhism in Thailand, as only the author, who has spent a long time in the country and conducted research and surveys, can provide.

The book does not discuss esoteric philosophies and doctrines, but rather, as an introductory book, describes the daily lives of the local people and Buddhist monks.

You can also learn what Thai Buddhists consider salvation and why they are so devoutly devoted to Buddhism.

This book is a very exciting glimpse into a different Buddhism from Japanese Buddhism. We encourage you to pick up a copy.
Invitation to Theravada Buddhism in Southeast AsiaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Invitation to Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism" - Recommended to learn about Southeast Asian Buddhism, which is different from that of Japan!

Rather than taking a detailed look at the Buddhist doctrines of each Southeast Asian country, this book takes the form of a look at what the lives and faith practices of Buddhists in those countries are like.

Of course, the first chapter of this book provides an easy-to-understand explanation of what Theravada Buddhism is in the first place, making it friendly to those with no specialized knowledge. This work is extremely valuable because it explains the differences from Mahayana Buddhism in an easy-to-understand manner. Moreover, since it is taught in a narrative style that even beginners can read with ease and familiarity, it is highly recommended for those who want to learn not only about Buddhism but also about culture itself.

This book was very exciting to learn about Theravada Buddhism and what it is and what it is like at the level of the lives of the people living there. It was very interesting to read it while thinking about the differences and similarities with Japanese Buddhism.