Japanese Religion

  Japanese Religion Order Description Instructions: Write an answer to both the essay questions in Section 1 and Section 2. The answers should not be less than 500 words. Section 1: Essay (50 points) In the Kamakura period there was a proliferation of so called “New Buddhist Schools.” a) Were these Schools authentically “new” compare to the “old” Buddhist Schools of the Heian period (Tendai School and Shingon School)? Describe the type of ‘exclusive practices’ adopted by: b) H?nen in the Pure Land School (J?do-sh?); c) Shinran in the New Pure Land School (J?do- shinsh?); d) Eisai and D?gen in the two Zen Schools (Rinzai-sh? and S?t?- sh?); e) Ippen Sh?nin in the Ippen School (Ji-sh?); f) and Nichiren in the Nichiren School (Nichirensh?). g) What was the doctrinal relationship between these ‘exclusive practices’ and the notion of mapp?? Section 2: Essay (50 points) The religious meanings attributed to the practitioner’s body/mind play a pivotal role in Esoteric Buddhism (Tendai and Shingon Schools), and Shugend?. In the first part of the essay, describe the doctrinal discourses associated to the human body according to: a) the four types of sam?dhi; b) the three mysteries (san mitsu); c) the ideal of sokushin j?butsu; and d) the mountain-entry ritual of Aki no mine. Close your essay with an explanation of the idea of e) kami-asobi in relation to the pilgrimage during the Edo period. If you also integrate and explain the meaning of these three topics in your second essay, you will have extra credits: f) The Aum Shinri-ky?’s notion of “salvation by killing”. g) How Christianity was understood in relation with other Buddhist Schools. h) How Christian missionaries understood Japanese religions in relation with Christianity.