MCB : 12010000005247

CONTENTS

Introduction                             1

The Tendai Denomination                13

The Shingon Denomination              23

The Jõdo Denomination                 33

The Ji Denomination                    43

The Yũzũ-Nembutsu Denomination 47

The Jõdo-Shin Denomination           53

The Rinzai Denomination              65

The Sõtõ Denomination                 73

The Nichiren Denomination              81

Chronological Table of Buddhism in Japan         89

Schematic Drawing of Buddhist Denomination in Japan        101

List of Buddhist Denominations and Schools in Japan 110

PREFACE

The BUKKYO DENDO KYOKAI (Buddhist Promoting Foundation) is a non-profit organization, surpassing Buddhist traditions, denominations and sects, which has strived to make known the Buddhist teachings to as many people of the world as possible.

One of its most important work is the distribution of the various language versions of its publication, The Teaching of Buddha, to hotel guest rooms both domestic and abroad. Nearly two million copies of the book have been placed.

The publication of the Japanese book titled “Japanese Buddhist Denominations and Schools” was planned as the realization of the Foundation’s goal to have better known the religion of Buddhism.

The Japanese text was asked to be written by special­ist scholars of each of the denominations and schools, and included material on the founder, history as well as a simple explanation on the doctrine of each. The texts were then taken under the responsibility of the Foundation’s Research Department and the format

throughout the various texts were standardized and the terminology simplified as much as possible, so as to be easily understood.

On this occasion to have the above publication translated into .English, the task was first requested to the Buddhist English Academy and the translation was undertaken separately by several of its researchers. The completed translation was then entirely proofread by Koshin Yamashita, a third generation Japanese- American. The translation is not a precise translation of the Japanese text, but more yet, rewritten 80 as to be easily understood by European and American readers not familiar with Buddhism.

We sincerely wish that even one additional person reading this book will further his understanding of Japanese Buddhism.

July 1984

Bukkyo Denko Kyokai Research Department