Miraculous stories from the Japanese Buddhist tradition : the Nihon ryōiki of the monk Kyōkai
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Miraculous stories from the Japanese Buddhist tradition : the Nihon ryōiki of the monk Kyōkai
Curzon Press, c1997
- Other Title
-
日本霊異記
Available at 27 libraries
Note
Imprint varies: Abingdon : Routledge
Bibliography: p. 301-317
Includes index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
This is the first collection of Buddhist legends in Japan, and these stories form the repertoire of miraculous events and moral examples that later Buddhist priests used for preaching to the people. As Kyokai describes his own intentions, "By editing these stories of miraculous events I want to pull the people forward by the ears, offer my hand to lead them to good, and show them how to cleanse their feet of evil" (p.222).
Nakamura's book is actually two works in one: first an introduction to the Nihon ryoiki, and then an annotated translation. The introduction analyzes the life of the author and the influence of earlier writings, and provides a valuable synthesis of the world view reflected in the work.
The annotated translation renders the more than one hundred stories into English narrative, with copious notes. Difficult terms are identified in the text with the original Chinese characters, while historical matters and Buddhist technical terms are explained in the footnotes.
Table of Contents
Part One Introduction to the Nihon ryoiki Chapter I Background (I) Kyokai, the Author (2) Influence of Earlier Writings Chapter II World View Reflected (I) Cosmic Order (2) Man and Power (3) Miraculous World Part Two Annotated Translation of the Nihon ryoiki Volume I Tales 1-35 Volume II Tales 1-42 Volume III Tales 1-39
by "Nielsen BookData"