Buddhist writings

Mahayana Buddhism in Sri LankaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Mori Sodo, "Mahayana Buddhism in Sri Lanka" - Mahayana took root in Sri Lanka, a country famous for Theravada Buddhism! And the transition of the statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

Sri Lanka is often taken for granted as a Theravada country, and the existence of Mahayana Buddhism has been largely neglected.

In fact, the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka itself ceased to exist in the late 12th century, but culture is an interesting thing, and it is possible for a culture to "officially cease to exist, but continue to exist in a different form.

As I mentioned in the title of this article, this phenomenon of the transition of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva has been integrated into Sri Lanka.

No - Sri Lanka is interesting! This book was also very inspiring. You should definitely pick up a copy.
Theravada Buddhism in Contemporary Sri LankaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Theravada Buddhism in Contemporary Sri Lanka" edited by Maeda Egaku - A great book for systematic study of contemporary Sri Lankan Buddhism!

Just as Japanese Buddhism is divided into various sects, each with completely different doctrines and manners, there are many differences in Sri Lankan Buddhism.

In this book, you can learn about each of these modern Sri Lankan sects and their origins in a systematic and easy-to-understand manner. This was a great help to me when I was confused.

This book is very valuable because it systematically summarizes the characteristics and doctrines of each sect in Sri Lanka, as well as Buddhism at the level of daily life of the people of Sri Lanka. It is very interesting to read it while comparing it with Buddhism in Japan, as it also explains in detail about funerals and daily prayers.
The Life of BuddhaBuddhism in India

Akira Hirakawa, "The Life of the Buddha: Reading the 'Buddha's Praises'" - Recommended introductory book that looks at the life of the superhuman Buddha based on the Chinese translation of the Buddha's biography.

In our previous article, we introduced the Buddhacharita, a Buddhist epic by Ashvaghosa, who was active around the 2nd century.

This "Buddhacharita" was translated into Chinese around A.D. 430 as "Buddhacharita" (仏所行讃) by Cloudy I-Ching. It was introduced to Japan and passed down to Japanese Buddhists. Saicho, Kukai, Honen, and Shinran must have read this Buddhist biography and thought about Buddha.

This book is an introduction to Buddhism in which the life of the Buddha is explained in an easy-to-understand manner while reading a transcript of this Chinese translation of the Buddha's Praises for the Practice of Buddhism.
manu codeIndian thought, culture and history

The "Code of Manu" - The cornerstone of Indian Hindu society. Scriptures expounded on a grand scale from the creation of the world to the laws of human reason.

The Code of Manu is more than just a law book. The first thing that surprises you when you start reading "The Code of Manu" is that the scripture suddenly begins with the story of creation. It begins with a magnificent cosmology and worldview centering on the Creator, Brahman, and from there, it tells us how we should live and what should be the norms and rules for our lives.

In reading the Code of Manu, I strongly feel that Hindu practices and ideas are incorporated into every aspect of life. Furthermore, I found that not only that, but also detailed regulations are set forth in the rites of passage from birth to death. I strongly felt that the Hindu view of the world is carried through from birth to death, and even to the afterlife.

The Code of Manu is a very significant scripture in the study of Buddhism.
Hinduism and the EpicIndian thought, culture and history

Hinduism and Epic Poetry, Volume 30 of Gen Nakamura's Selected Works - A masterpiece that also provides insight into the connections with Buddhism and Japan! Experience the depth of Indian thought

Dr. Gen Nakamura does not look at religion merely as an idea or theory, but considers it in conjunction with the social conditions of the time. To understand religion in India, one must also consider India itself in perspective.

Why did Hinduism flourish and Buddhism decline in India? This is what this book looks at. It is not only the ideological aspect, but also a larger social factor that is involved.

The book also provides a detailed look at India's two greatest epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, as the book title suggests. It was very interesting to listen to the lectures on Indian mythology as expounded from the unique perspective of Buddhist scholar Dr. Gen Nakamura.
New Asian Buddhist History 04Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

New Asian Buddhist History 04: Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia: Buddhism in Stillness and Motion" - A reference book with useful information for visiting sacred sites in Sri Lanka.

The book provides information on the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and the local situation. It also talks about the Buddhist holy places in Sri Lanka, so it is a useful book for those who actually visit Sri Lanka. I found it very useful as I am also planning to visit Sri Lanka soon.

Of course, this is a reference book that looks not only at Buddhism in Sri Lanka, but also at Buddhism in other regions, so it can be read according to the interests of each.

It is rare to find a book that offers a comprehensive study of Southeast Asian Buddhism in a single volume. Although this work is not an easy introduction to Buddhism, it is a recommended book for those who want to learn more about Southeast Asian Buddhism.
Buddhist orthodoxy and heresyBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Baba Noritoshi, "Buddhist Orthodoxy and Heresy: The Establishment of the Pali Cosmopolis" - An exciting book to learn about Sri Lankan Buddhism and its relationship with India and its history!

This book is extremely interesting! It seems unlikely that there has been a look at Buddhism in India and Sri Lanka from the perspective of international and domestic politics.

I was also planning to visit Sri Lanka this year, so this was an extremely gratifying book. What I have described in this article is only a small part of the contents of this book. It is just a lot of exciting content. The beginning of the book is a bit complicated, and for a beginner of Buddhism, it can be tough to read, but in the middle of the book, it becomes easier to read as it goes into the history of Sri Lanka.

I would highly, highly recommend this book. Well, it was an interesting book! You should definitely pick up a copy.
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.
Mahayana Buddhism in AsiaBuddhism in India

Mahayana Buddhism Series, Volume 10: Mahayana Buddhism in Asia" - Indian Buddhism also practiced funerary Buddhist bone worship, bone storage, and memorial services.

This work is a unique collection of essays that looks at Mahayana Buddhism through its connections with Hinduism, Islam, and Chinese culture.

And in the book, the following points are made

Roughly speaking, it is known that funerary Buddhist elements have been strongly at work in actual Buddhism since India. It has often been claimed that the original Buddhism of India taught a better way of life for the living and not for the dead, a discourse that has been used to denigrate Japanese funeral Buddhism, but it has been shown unequivocally that this is not the case at all."

This is a recommended reference book for reading these stimulating papers by Schopen. We encourage you to pick up a copy.