Aspiring to Enlightenment: Pure Land Buddhism in Silla Korea (Pure Land Buddhist Studies)

Centered on the practice of seeking rebirth in the Pure Land paradise Sukhāvatī, the Amitābha cult has been the dominant form of Buddhism in Korea since the middle of the Silla period (ca. 300–935). In __Aspiring to Enlightenment,__ Richard McBride combines analyses of scriptural, exegetical, hagiographical, epigraphical, art historical, and literary materials to provide an episodic account of the cult in Silla times and its rise in an East Asian context through the mutually interconnected perspectives of doctrine and practice. McBride demonstrates that the Pure Land tradition emerging in Korea in the seventh and eighth centuries was vibrant and collaborative and that Silla monk-scholars actively participated in a shared, international Buddhist discourse. Monks such as the exegete par excellence Wŏnhyo and the Yogācāra proponent Kyŏnghŭng did not belong to a specific sect or school, but like their colleagues in China, they participated in a broadly inclusive doctrinal tradition. He examines scholarly debates surrounding the cults of Maitreya and Amitābha, the practice of __buddhānusmṛti__, the recollection of Amitābha, the “ten recollections” within the larger Mahāyāna context of the bodhisattva’s path of practice, the emerging Huayan intellectual tradition, and the influential interpretations of medieval Chinese Pure Land proponents Tanluan and Shandao. Finally, his work illuminates the legacy of the Silla Pure Land tradition, revealing how the writings of Silla monks continued to be of great value to Japanese monks for several centuries. With its fresh and comprehensive approach to the study of Pure Land Buddhism, __Aspiring to Enlightenment__ is important for not only students and scholars of Korean history and religion and East Asian Buddhism, but also those interested in the complex relationship between doctrinal writings and devotional practice “on the ground.” "Centered on the practice of seeking rebirth in the Pure Land paradise Sukhāvatī, the Amitābha cult has been the dominant form of Buddhism in Korea since the middle of the Silla period (ca. 300-935). In Aspiring to Enlightenment, Richard McBride combines analyses of scriptural, exegetical, hagiographical, epigraphical, art historical, and literary materials to provide an episodic account of the cult in Silla times and its rise in an East Asian context through the mutually interconnected perspectives of doctrine and practice. McBride demonstrates that the Pure Land tradition emerging in Korea in the seventh and eighth centuries was vibrant and collaborative and that Silla monk-scholars actively participated in a shared, international Buddhist discourse. Monks such as the exegete par excellence Wŏnhyo and the Yogācāra proponent Kyŏnghŭng did not belong to a specific sect or school, but like their colleagues in China, they participated in a broadly inclusive doctrinal tradition. He examines scholarly debates surrounding the cults of Maitreya and Amitābha, the practice of buddhānusmṛti, the recollection of Amitābha, the "ten recollections" within the larger Mahāyāna context of the bodhisattva's path of practice, the emerging Huayan intellectual tradition, and the influential interpretations of medieval Chinese Pure Land proponents Tanluan and Shandao. Finally, his work illuminates the legacy of the Silla Pure Land tradition, revealing how the writings of Silla monks continued to be of great value to Japanese monks for several centuries. With its fresh and comprehensive approach to the study of Pure Land Buddhism, Aspiring to Enlightenment is important for not only students and scholars of Korean history and religion and East Asian Buddhism, but also those interested in the complex relationship between doctrinal writings and devotional practice "on the ground""-- Provided by publisher

Centered on the practice of seeking rebirth in the Pure Landparadise Sukhāvatī, the Amitābha cult has been the dominant form ofBuddhism in Korea since the middle of the Silla period (ca.300-935). In Aspiring to Enlightenment, Richard McBride combinesanalyses of scriptural, exegetical, hagiographical, epigraphical,art historical, and literary materials to provide an episodicaccount of the cult in Silla times and its rise in an East Asiancontext through the mutually interconnected perspectives ofdoctrine and practice. McBride demonstrates that the Pure Landtradition emerging in Korea in the seventh and eighth centuries wasvibrant and collaborative and that Silla monk-scholars activelyparticipated in a shared, international Buddhist discourse. Monkssuch as the exegete par excellence Wŏnhyo and the Yogācāraproponent Kyŏnghŭng did not belong to a specific sect or school,but like their colleagues in China, they participated in a broadlyinclusive doctrinal tradition. He examines scholarly debatessurrounding the cults of Maitreya and Amitābha, the practice ofbuddhānusmṛti, the recollection of Amitābha, the "tenrecollections" within the larger Mahāyāna context of thebodhisattva's path of practice, the emerging Huayan intellectualtradition, and the influential interpretations of medieval ChinesePure Land proponents Tanluan and Shandao. Finally, his workilluminates the legacy of the Silla Pure Land tradition, revealinghow the writings of Silla monks continued to be of great value toJapanese monks for several centuries. With its fresh andcomprehensive approach to the study of Pure Land Buddhism, Aspiringto Enlightenment is important for not only students and scholars ofKorean history and religion and East Asian Buddhism, but also thoseinterested in the complex relationship between doctrinal writingsand devotional practice "on the ground."

In this highly insightful analysis of Western and Chinese concepts of efficacy, François Jullien subtly delves into the metaphysical preconceptions of the two civilizations to account for diverging patterns of action in warfare, politics, and diplomacy. He shows how Western and Chinese strategies work in several domains (the battlefield, for example) and analyzes two resulting acts of war. The Chinese strategist manipulates his own troops and the enemy to win a battle without waging war and to bring about victory effortlessly. Efficacity in China is thus conceived of in terms of transformation (as opposed to action) and manipulation, making it closer to what is understood as efficacy in the West.

Jullien's brilliant interpretations of an array of recondite texts are key to understanding our own conceptions of action, time, and reality in this foray into the world of Chinese thought. In its clear and penetrating characterization of two contrasting views of reality from a heretofore unexplored perspective, A Treatise on Efficacy will be of central importance in the intellectual debate between East and West.

Combines analyses of scriptural, exegetical, hagiographical, epigraphical, art historical, and literary materials to provide an episodic account of the Amitbha cult in Silla times (ca. 300-935) and its rise in an East Asian context through the mutually interconnected perspectives of doctrine and practice.