| Popis: |
Yosai has often been considered the founder of Japanese Zen. However, this received image is beset by at least two problems. Firstly, this received image of Yosai was in fact created approximately a hundred years after his death. And secondly, his early career as an esoteric Buddhist is not being taken into account. The aim of this study is to revisit the received view taking these two problems into account and thus provide a historical repositioning of Yosai. The dissertation is comprised of two parts; the first examines Yosai's life, and the second analyses his role in the context of the development of Japanese Buddhist thought and practice. These analyses succeed in presenting a new image of Yosai and in identifying the interpretation of the esoteric precepts as Yosai's central concern throughout his life. Further, the examination of the esoteric precepts suggests the need to reconsider our understanding of Japanese Buddhist precepts as a whole. |
