About the Author
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile / Koreaphile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the Internets a better place. Thanks for reading!
Category Archives: Tendai
Beginner Buddhism Part Eight: Example Home Service
Speaking of home services, I coincidentally uploaded another small video I made: This wasn’t what I originally planned for lesson eight, but decided to do this instead. Lesson nine will cover Buddhist deities. This was just a short, somewhat generic … Continue reading
Who’s Who in Buddhism, part 7: Amitabha Buddha
One of the most prominent figures in Mahayana Buddhism, especially East Asian Buddhism is Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. This Buddha is often called by names like Amida Nyorai (阿弥陀如来) in Japan or Amita Bul (아미타불) in Korean. … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Hosso, Jodo Shinshu, Jodo Shu, Religion, Shingon, Tendai
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An Example of Rinzai Buddhist Liturgy
In April readers will no doubt recall my trip to Japan and in particular Kyoto/Nara which I hadn’t seen in five years. Among the many sites there we saw the Silver Pavilion, which is technically a temple of the Rinzai … Continue reading
A Call to Charity, will Buddhists in the West Answer?
“Heedful at administering or working at one’s occupation, maintaining one’s life in tune, one protects one’s store of wealth. A person of conviction, consummate in virtue, magnanimous, free of selfishness, constantly clears the path to security in the lives to … Continue reading
Ennin Goes to China
I found this small article in the Asahi Shinbun newspaper recently, and thought it was pretty cool. This talks about a rock inscription in China’s Henan Province bearing the name of a famous Japanese Buddhist monk of the Tendai sect, … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, China, Tendai, Travel
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Hosso Yogacara Buddhism and the Five Natures Doctrine
Throughout the history of the Hossō Buddhist sect in Japan, descended from the Yogacara school of thought from India, no one doctrine has caused more controversy or sparked debate with other schools than the Five-Natures Doctrine, or goshō kakubetsu (五姓各別). … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Hosso, Tendai
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The Pure Land Buffet
Lately, another interesting book I have been reading is a biography of 13th century Buddhist monk, Myōe Kōben, and his advocacy of an esoteric practice called the the Mantra of Light, titled Shingon Refractions. Similar to the book I have … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Jodo Shinshu, Jodo Shu, Shingon, Tendai
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Part Three of my Tokyo Tour: Takahata Fudō Myōō
After taking a long lunch-break followed by coffee near Ueno Station in Tokyo, we were ready to make an extended trip out to a famous Shingon Buddhist temple: Takahata Fudō, more formally called Kongōji (金剛寺). It was here that I … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Jodo Shinshu, Photography, Shingon, Shinto, Tendai, Travel
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Part one of my Tokyo Tour: My visit to Yushima Tenmangu,
Recently, while on my whirlwind day-tour of Tokyo with reader and fellow E-Sangha alumni “JohnL”, our first stop by request was the famous Shinto shrine of Yushima Tenmangū located near the University of Tokyo. The Shrine is mostly dedicated mostly … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, JLPT, Photography, Religion, Shinto, Tendai, Travel
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Eisai: the underrated Zen master
Lately, I’ve been taking quite an interest in a Buddhist monk by the name of Eisai (栄西, sounds like “eh-sigh”):1 Eisai is the founder of the Japanese Rinzai Zen sect, but compared to his protoge, Dogen, or the Chinese master … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Tendai, Zen
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