Living Buddhist Statues in Early Medieval and Modern Japan

by Sarah J. Horton

A study of the surprising functions of Buddhist statues, which helped disseminate Buddhist beliefs among the populace in Tenth- and Eleventh-century Japan. Using ethnographic data drawn from present-day fieldwork and marshalling ancient textual evidence, Horton reveals the historical origins and development of modern Japanese beliefs and practices.

244 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2007

Reviews

[August Wierling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books explains nicely the concept of hidden Buddhas, i.e. statues in temples which are usually not shown to the public. We encountered many of these statues on our travels on the Saigoku pilgrims path.