Living Buddhist Statues in Early Medieval and Modern Japan

By Sarah J. Horton

Book Overview

Large numbers of Buddhist believers regarded Buddhist statues in surprising ways in late- tenth and early eleventh century Japan. Examination of such questions of functionality contributes to a broader view of Buddhist practice at a time when Buddhism was rapidly spreading among many levels of Japanese society. This book focuses particularly on the function of the following types of images: "secret Buddhas" (hibutsu), which are rarely if ever displayed; Buddhas who exchange bodies with sufferers (migawari butsu); and masks of bodhisattvas used in a ritual called mukaeko. Primary sources for these topics include collections of popular tales (setsuwa), poetry, ritual texts, and temple histories (engi).

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1403964203
• ISBN13: 9781403964205
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.4" x 8.3"