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Buddhism and/as Performance

Buddhism and/as Performance Japanese and Western scholars have long pointed out the influence of Buddhism—and in particular of Zen and Amidism—on the formation of Nō drama. Yet, in spite of the many important works published on the origins and evolution of the performing arts ( geinō 芸能), the influence of these arts on the formation and dissemination of Buddhist ideals, theories, practices, and mythologies has received surprisingly little attention. This lacuna, in turn, is reflective of broader scholarly trends in which the ritual or performative aspects of Buddhism have been neglected in favor of its doctrinal or philosophical dimension, while the religious aspects of the performing arts have taken a back seat to the aesthetic features of their most elitist representative, Nō, and the writings of its most famous advocate, Zeami 世阿弥 (ca. 1363-1443). The traditional focus of Buddhist scholarship on the Zen and Amidist traditions, coupled with the comparative neglect of the role of the aesthetic and performative aspects of medieval Japanese religious practice, has in turn led to an imbalanced and impoverished understanding of the development of esoteric Buddhist ( mikkyō 密教), Shintō 神道 and Shugendō 修験道 rituals and doctrines. It has also contributed to obscure the role of http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Religion in Japan Brill

Buddhism and/as Performance

Faure, Bernard
Journal of Religion in Japan , Volume 2 (2-3): 113 – Jan 1, 2013
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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
Subject
Introduction
ISSN
2211-8330
eISSN
2211-8349
DOI
10.1163/22118349-12341260
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Japanese and Western scholars have long pointed out the influence of Buddhism—and in particular of Zen and Amidism—on the formation of Nō drama. Yet, in spite of the many important works published on the origins and evolution of the performing arts ( geinō 芸能), the influence of these arts on the formation and dissemination of Buddhist ideals, theories, practices, and mythologies has received surprisingly little attention. This lacuna, in turn, is reflective of broader scholarly trends in which the ritual or performative aspects of Buddhism have been neglected in favor of its doctrinal or philosophical dimension, while the religious aspects of the performing arts have taken a back seat to the aesthetic features of their most elitist representative, Nō, and the writings of its most famous advocate, Zeami 世阿弥 (ca. 1363-1443). The traditional focus of Buddhist scholarship on the Zen and Amidist traditions, coupled with the comparative neglect of the role of the aesthetic and performative aspects of medieval Japanese religious practice, has in turn led to an imbalanced and impoverished understanding of the development of esoteric Buddhist ( mikkyō 密教), Shintō 神道 and Shugendō 修験道 rituals and doctrines. It has also contributed to obscure the role of

Journal

Journal of Religion in Japan – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 2013

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