MetaFilter posts tagged with buddhism and japan

The Feminine side of Buddhism

desjardins — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:54:48 -0800

As in most religions, Buddhism's pantheon of deities and saints has been male dominated. The preeminent exception to this is Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion, also called Guan Yin or Kannon. She is the female form of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, who underwent a gender shift after being popularized in China. She has inspired amazing forms of worship. Female Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Female deities in Buddhism

The Zen Mind

homunculus — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:08:29 -0800

The Zen Mind - An Introduction. A Day in the Life of a Zen Monk. Zazen - A Guide to Sitting. Interview with a Zen Buddhist Priest (previously). Happy Rohatsu!

It takes lot of practice to sit that still in meditation

Burhanistan — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:17:12 -0800

Sokushinbutsu - The self-made mummies.

Silk Roads

tellurian — Mon, 01 May 2006 20:57:08 -0800

The Digital Silk Roads Project continues to grow apace with more additions from the Toyo Bunko rare books archive. Now available online, among others, are Les grottes de Touen-Houang, The Thousand Buddhas and several German books, including Chotscho. Unfortunately, all of the high resolution images are greyscale. [related]

Manabu Yamanaka Photograph

hama7 — Fri, 09 Apr 2004 16:56:54 -0800

Manabu Yamanaka Photographs. [view with caution]

Echoes of Incense: A Pilgrimage in Japan

plep — Sat, 20 Dec 2003 07:15:13 -0800

Echoes of Incense: A Pilgrimage in Japan. 'The route of the eighty-eight temples of Shikoku is the classic Japanese Buddhist pilgrimage. Its 1300 kilometers test the body and spirit and open the mind to an experience of its true nature. For over a thousand years, only Japanese followed the path to the remote places of the Japanese island of Shikoku. In the winter and spring of 1993, I walked this path. Afterwards, I wrote Echoes of Incense to record what I experienced in words and pictures. '
Related :- Experiencing the Shikoku Pilgrimage, from the Asian Wall Street Journal, 1977.

Gods of Japan

plep — Wed, 23 Apr 2003 02:49:58 -0800

Gods of Japan. A photo-dictionary. 'This photo library and dictionary is a labor of love. After moving to Kamakura in 1993, I became intrigued by the many deities and faces of Buddhism and Shintoism. There are over 650 photos in this library ... '
Related :- Quirky Japan. This site is just fabulous. 'Are you tired of shrines and temples, reconstructed ferro-concrete castles and tea ceremonies? Do you like to get off the beaten track? Would you like to meet Japanese people who do not meet the conformist stereotype? Japan, behind the conservative grey suits and formal bows, is a country quirkier than you can ever imagine. The Quirky Japan Homepage provides information about oddities such as the The Meguro Parasitalogical Museum, the Thousand Person Bathtub, Love Hotels, temple lodging, and the Yakiimo man (the ice cream man's evil twin). '
Related interest :- Lost Japan. Here's an interesting interview with the author, Alex Kerr; and here's a piece about his wonderful house.