History of Japanese Religion: With Special Reference to the Social and Moral Life of the Nation (Routledge Revivals)

History of Japanese Religion: With Special Reference to the Social and Moral Life of the Nation (Routledge Revivals)
by: Masaharu Anesaki (Author)
Publisher: Routledge
Edition: 1st
Publication Date: 31 Jan. 2024
Language: English
Print Length: 444 pages
ISBN-10: 1032641576
ISBN-13: 9781032641577
Book Description
First Published in 1930, History of Japanese Religion shows the interaction of various forces which manifested their vitality more in combination than in opposition. A saying ascribed to Prince Shotoku, the founder of Japanese civilization, compares the three religious and moral systems found in Japan to the root, the stem and branches, and the flowers and fruits of a tree. Shinto is the root embedded in the soil of the people’s character and national traditions; Confucianism is seen in the stem and branches of legal institutions, ethical codes, and educational systems; Buddhism made the flowers of religious sentiment bloom and gave the fruits of spiritual life. These sentences outlines the scheme of the work and achievement that has long maintained a high reputation among students and scholars. This important and frequently cited book has been out of print for many decades and thus increasingly difficult to access. It is therefore a privilege as well as a pleasure to make it available once again in a complete and unabridged reprint of the original. This is a must read for students of religion, Japanese culture and Japanese history.