Theravada Buddhism

Buddhist Thought 3 AbhidharmaBuddhism in India

Buddhist Thought 2: Analysis of Existence (Abhidharma)" - Why are Abhidharma and Kusha Theory important? What is their significance? Recommended commentary!

This book, "Buddhist Thought 2: Analysis of Existence (Abhidharma)" is the second volume in the "Buddhist Thought Series. This series has long been a favorite bestseller as an introduction to Buddhist thought, and my Buddhist studies professor recommends this series.

The theme of this book is Abhidharma, which is a huge obstacle not only for general readers but also for us monks. Although the image of "Abhidharma = difficult and complicated" has already been created, you will learn in this book how significant this Buddhist idea of Abhidharma is for the study of Mahayana Buddhism as well.
Mahayana Buddhism Sasaki KanBuddhism in India

Kan Sasaki, "Mahayana Buddhism: Where is Buddha's Teaching Headed?" - An important book for considering Japanese Buddhism in the first place!

I knew the term Mahayana Buddhism, and I knew that Japan was a Mahayana Buddhist country, but I had no idea what this Mahayana Buddhism was all about. But I had no idea what this Mahayana Buddhism was all about.
This is not only true for general readers, but in fact, many monks themselves may feel the same way.
As monks, we too learn the basics of Buddhism, but we tend to focus on studying the doctrines of our own sect.
Of course, I have learned what Mahayana Buddhism is and the characteristics of the major Japanese sects, but to be honest, it is difficult to go into the details of the process of its formation, scriptures, and doctrines.
In this aspect, this book is a very significant commentary for monks of all sects.
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.
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?
Kumagusu MinakataDiary of a Monk

Takamitsu Shimamoto, "Minakata Kumagusu, Cats and Islam" - Was the Conventional Image of Kumagusu Really Right? A stimulating book that questions the state of research on the great man!

This work, "Minakata Kumagusu, Cats, and Islam," is a departure from conventional reference books on Minakata Kumagusu.

Minakata Kumagusu is known as a "naturalist and folklorist with genius qualities" and is famous for his research on slime molds and plants.

Minakata Kumagusu's superhuman collection of materials and the scope of his research earned him the respect of later researchers. He was praised as a genius and a great man who was ahead of his time.

However, was this person, Minakata Kumagusu, really the great man he seemed to be? In this book, we will carefully examine whether the image of Minakata Kumagusu, filled with the praise of later researchers, was really correct.

It is a stimulating work that can be called a Minakata Kumagusu version of the now popular "Buddha, the Man" by Toshifumi Shimizu!
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?
Sri Lankan Sea VillageBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Fumiko Takakuwa, "Ethnic History of Sea Villages in Sri Lanka" - Reference book looking at the lives of people living on the sea from the perspective of political economy, civil war, and tsunami damage.

The book does not simply look at the lives of the people in the sea villages, but also relates the story to larger perspectives such as political economy, civil war, religion, and tsunami damage.

This was a particularly useful reference for me as I am studying Buddhism in Sri Lanka and the issue of religion in Kaimura was of great interest to me.

This book is also very stimulating to think about faith on a living level, which you cannot see just by reading doctrines or history books.

It is also a great opportunity to think about the tsunami damage, recovery from it, and the problems it caused. Sri Lanka is famous as a beach resort, but if you read this book, you will learn about a sea village that you had never imagined. I also live in Hakodate, a port town, so living with the sea is not something I am a stranger to. I believe that many people in Japan can relate to this feeling.