Religions of Asia in Practice

by Lopez, Donald S., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9780691090610
• ISBN10: 0691090610
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-25
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

The acclaimed volumes ofPrinceton Readings in Religionspresent the remarkable range of all that is encompassed in the practice of religions, across the centuries and across the world. Religions of Asia in Practice: An Anthologybrings together into a single volume the most important and fascinating selections from the volumes on Buddhism, India, China, Tibet, and Japan to give an overview of how religions have been lived by both ordinary and extraordinary people throughout the continent of Asia. These materials--many of which had never before been translated into any Western language--include ritual manuals, hagiographical and autobiographical writings, popular commentaries, instructions to children, poetry, and folktales. Each is preceded by a substantial introduction in which the translator discusses the text's history and influence and guides the reader through points of potential difficulty and particular interest. The volume includes, in addition, clear and compelling introductions to each of the major traditions. Religions of Asia in Practice: An Anthologyoffers a fascinating look at the spectrum of religious practices in Asia over almost three millennia. As such, it is ideally suited for use as a textbook in courses on world or Eastern religions as well as for the general reader.

Table of Contents

Princeton Readings in Religion	v
Contributors	xi
Religions of India in Practice
Introduction: A Brief History of Religions in India	3	(48)
Richard H. Davis
Bengali Songs to Kali	51	(22)
Rachel Fell McDermott
Women's Celebration of Muhammad's Birth	73	(6)
Marcia Hermansen
Encountering the Smallpox Goddess: The Auspicious Song of Sitala	79	(9)
Tony K. Stewart
Jain Stories Inspiring Renunciation	88	(6)
Phyllis Granoff
Mother Ten's Stories	94	(15)
Ann Grodzins Gold
The Life of Guru Nanak	109	(13)
Hew McLeod
Ascetic Withdrawal or Social Engagement	122	(14)
Patrich Olivelle
The Exemplary Devotion of the ``Servant of Hari''	136	(14)
Tony K. Stewart
The Origin of Linga Worship	150	(47)
Richard H. Davis
Buddhism in Practice
Introduction	165	(32)
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Consecrating the Buddha	197	(9)
Donald K. Swearer
Sutra on the Merit of Bathing the Buddha	206	(10)
Daniel Boucher
The Whole Universe as a Sutra	216	(6)
Luis O. Gomez
The Book of Resolving Doubts Concerning the Semblance Dharma	222	(15)
Kyoko Tokuno
Auspicious Things	237	(15)
Charles Hallisey
Daily Life in the Assembly	252	(18)
T. Griffith Foulk
Awakening Stories of Zen Buddhist Women	270	(12)
Sallie B. King
Death-Bed Testimonials of the Pure Land Faithful	282	(48)
Daniel B. Stevenson
Religions of China in Practice
Introduction: The Spirits of Chinese Religion	295	(35)
Stephen F. Teiser
Laozi: Ancient Philosopher, Master of Immortality, and God	330	(12)
Livia Kohn
The Lives and Teachings of the Divine Lord of Zitong	342	(8)
Terry F. Kleeman
A Sutra Promoting the White-robed Guanyin as Giver of Sons	350	(9)
Chun-fang Yu
Body Gods and Inner Vision: The Scripture of the Yellow Court	359	(7)
Paul W. Kroll
Teachings of a Spirit Medium	366	(10)
Jean DeBernardi
Spellbinding	376	(10)
Donald Harper
Record of the Feng and Shan Sacrifices	386	(10)
Stephen Bokenkamp
The Law of the Spirits	396	(9)
Valerie Hansen
Shrines to Local Former Worthies	405	(13)
Ellen Neshar
The Scripture in Forty-two Sections	418	(12)
Robert H. Sharf
The Scripture on Perfect Wisdom for Humane Kings Who Wish to Protect Their States	430	(9)
Charles Orzech
Stories from an Illustrated Explanation of the Tract of the Most Exalted on Action and Response	439	(43)
Catherine Bell
Religions of Tibet in Practice
Introduction	451	(31)
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
The Royal Way of Supreme Compassion	482	(8)
Matthew Kapstein
Guidebook to Lapchi	490	(15)
Toni Huber
The Yogin Lorepa's Retreat at Lake Namtso	505	(12)
Nalanda Translation Committee
A Fasting Ritual	517	(22)
Roger Jackson
The Regulations of a Monastery	539	(17)
Jose Ignacio Cabezon
A Prayer for Deliverance from Rebirth	556	(16)
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Turning Back Gossip	572	(11)
Matthew Kapstein
A Prayer Flag for Tara	583	(30)
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Religions of Japan in Practice
Introduction	591	(22)
George J. Tanabe, Jr.
Kaibara Ekken's Precepts on the Family	613	(16)
Mary Evelyn Tucker
A Refutation of Clerical Marriage	629	(9)
Richard Jaffe
The Contemplation of Suchness	638	(11)
Jacqueline I. Stone
Chido's Dreams of Buddhism	649	(11)
William M. Bodiford
The Confucian Monarchy of Nara Japan	660	(6)
Charles Holcombe
Nationalistic Shinto: A Child's Guide to Yasukuni Shrine	666	(6)
Richard Gardner
The Founding of Mount Koya and Kukai's Eternal Meditation	672	(6)
George J. Tanabe, Jr.
Motoori Norinaga on the Two Shrines at Ise	678	(16)
Mark Teeuwen
Sasaki Shoten: Toward a Postmodern Shinshu Theology	694	(19)
Jan Van Bragt
Contemporary Zen Buddhist Tracts for the Laity: Grassroots Buddhism in Japan	713	(12)
Ian Reader
Index	725