REL 444 Notes & Guiding Questions - Week 4
I. Myoe Koben (1173-1232)
Myoe is a monk whose work and life calls into question the presumed
distinction between "old" and "new" Kamakura Buddhism.
Like many of the "new reformers" such as the Zen master Dogen and Pure Land
(Shin) figure Shinran, Myoe lamented the corruption of monks and Buddhism
during his time, referring to the period as mappo, the final age
of the corrupt Dharma.
However, unlike the new "founders," he believed in reviving the established
schools, in particular those he was ordained in: Shingon and Kegon. For this
course, we look at aspects of his Shingon Practice, especially the Mantra of
Light, which became one of the most widespread practices in Shingon Buddhism
and beyond.
Guiding Questions:
1. In addition to the above, in what ways does his Buddhism reflect
the "old" order, and in what ways the "new" order.
2. What are some of the conceptions of karma at work in his practice of
Shingon Buddhism
3. What is the relation between "Buddhism" and "Shinto" in his religious
thought and life, and what does honji suijaku have to do with
this?
4. What is the role of the Fujiwara in Myoe's work, and how do
state-religion relations play out in his Buddhism?
5. What are the roles of the feminine and the women depicted in his life and
times?
II. The Nuns of Hokkeji
In the chapter from Lori Meek's book, she examines new ground in the
understanding of Buddhist nuns during the Kamakura Period.
She calls into question previous scholarship regarding the life and
significance of these nuns by pointing to different aspects of their lives
including religious roles, religious significance, and their influence on
the Buddhist culture at the time.
Guiding Questions:
1. In what ways do the life and work of the nuns she discusses resonate
with the women depicted in Myoe's life? In what ways do they differ?
2. What are the advances in scholarship that bring these nuns of Hokkeji
into a renewed understanding?
3. How might we understand their role in the "old" versus "new" paradigm
of Kamakura Buddhism?