Facets of Buddhism

Facets of Buddhism is a collection of essays by one of Japan’s most prominent scholars in comparative religion and Buddhism. The ten essays are loosely linked together by the common themes of dependent co-origination (pratitya-samutpada), the effect of Madhyamika and Yogacara ideas on Japanese literature and culture, the tension and harmonies amongst different religious traditions and different Buddhist sects. This collection of essays will be of interest to scholars because it provides access to wide-ranging Japanese scholarly exchange and opinions, which was previously only available in Japanese. They will be particularly interested in the Chinese, Tibetan, and Japanese interpretations of key passages in classical Indian Buddhist texts, as well as the comparison of meditation techniques by Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan writers. Professor Iida draws on his long and distinguished career as an educator and scholar to provide valuable insights about the place of women in Buddhism, the convergence between folk beliefs and philosophical Buddhism within Japan, and through a comparison Buddhist, Christian, and sufiyogic practices and modern psychology, how the differences, similarities, and interdependence of different faiths are presented.