Beschreibung
Contemporary Shin Buddhism is characterized by the simultaneous presence
of an almost radical aversion to a normative approach to ethics, a rich
and multifaceted debate on ethical issues, and an interesting amount of
social activism. Ethics and Society in Contemporary Shin Buddhism focuses
on such aspects of this influential tradition of Japanese Buddhism, which
can be traced back to the thought of Shinran (1173 – 1262), and on its
interplay with Japanese society over the last few decades, with particular
reference to its two major branches (Honganji-ha and Otani-ha). In
addition, the ethical implications of the responses being given by these
institutions and their followers to the ongoing process of globalization,
together with the contradictions embedded therein, are analysed and
compared with other reactions found in different religious traditions.
