English Language Material on Shingon?

M.G.
Posts: 443
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:56 am

English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by M.G. »

Would anyone be able to recommend good English language material on Shingon Buddhism? Thanks so much!
User avatar
Kim O'Hara
Former staff member
Posts: 7047
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:09 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Kim O'Hara »

Nothing in depth - sorry - but here (and following the links from it) is some introductory history: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4900.html

:coffee:
Kim
Matylda
Posts: 1057
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Matylda »

M.G. wrote:Would anyone be able to recommend good English language material on Shingon Buddhism? Thanks so much!
shingon japanese esoteric buddhism https://www.amazon.com/Shingon-Japanese ... 0877734437

Kukai: Major Works https://www.amazon.com/Kukai-Major-Works/dp/0231059337

mahavairocana tantra/sutra https://web.archive.org/web/20130210115 ... a_2005.pdf

sutra and tantra in Japanese cannon are written with same character, therefore sometimes you find in translation 'sutra' and in other places 'tantra' but it means the same text..
M.G.
Posts: 443
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:56 am

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by M.G. »

Matylda wrote:
M.G. wrote:Would anyone be able to recommend good English language material on Shingon Buddhism? Thanks so much!
shingon japanese esoteric buddhism https://www.amazon.com/Shingon-Japanese ... 0877734437

Kukai: Major Works https://www.amazon.com/Kukai-Major-Works/dp/0231059337

mahavairocana tantra/sutra https://web.archive.org/web/20130210115 ... a_2005.pdf

sutra and tantra in Japanese cannon are written with same character, therefore sometimes you find in translation 'sutra' and in other places 'tantra' but it means the same text..
:thanks:
narhwal90
Global Moderator
Posts: 3504
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:10 am
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by narhwal90 »

I bought the 1st of the books listed by matylda, it has quite a lot of material. Though it does present an overview of Shingon history it doesn't go into a lot of the history between Tendai & Shingon which is unfortunate but it does introduce some of the Shingon practice which I very much appreciate learning about.
GDPR_Anonymized001
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

M.G. wrote:Would anyone be able to recommend good English language material on Shingon Buddhism? Thanks so much!
It is strongly suggested to start with the first 100 pages of Kukai: Major Works and then to switch to Kukai on the Philosophy of Language. Kukai on the Philosophy of Language is available from the publisher (Keio University Press), Amazon Japan or resellers, like me, who import them in bulk and distribute in the US/Europe. I have copies of both books available.

Best,

Jake
GDPR_Anonymized001
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

narhwal90 wrote:I bought the 1st of the books listed by matylda, it has quite a lot of material. Though it does present an overview of Shingon history it doesn't go into a lot of the history between Tendai & Shingon which is unfortunate but it does introduce some of the Shingon practice which I very much appreciate learning about.
Have you already read the article by Abe, "Saicho and Kukai: A Conflict of Interpretations"?
https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/2562

Abstract:
This article reappraises the interaction between Saicho (767-822) and
Kukai (774-835), founders, respectively, of the Japanese Tendai and
Shingon schools of Buddhism. This new appraisal is based on the historical
conditions in which these two men sought to introduce new types of
Buddhism at the close of the age of Nara Buddhism, rather than on the
conventional, idealized characterizations of the two figures as the founding
fathers of their respective schools. What emerges is the unbridgeable difference
between Saicho and Kukai in their interpretive strategies for delineating
the role of esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyd) in establishing a new order in
the early Heian Buddhist community, a difference that presented itself as a
persistent tension that underlay saicho ys alliance with Kukai from the very
outset of their relationship.
narhwal90
Global Moderator
Posts: 3504
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:10 am
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by narhwal90 »

Fascinating, thanks! I've not run across that article yet. Saved in my to-be-read folder which is growing faster than I can read it...
Nicholas Weeks
Posts: 4209
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:21 am
Location: California

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

M.G. wrote:Would anyone be able to recommend good English language material on Shingon Buddhism? Thanks so much!

Published by BDK:

http://www.bdkamerica.org/book/shingon-texts
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
GDPR_Anonymized001
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

Nicholas Weeks wrote: Published by BDK:

http://www.bdkamerica.org/book/shingon-texts
BDK has a lot of really excellent works but I think the Takagi and Dreitlein translations found in Kukai on the Philosophy of Language are much more usable and have superior notations, plus the glossary is a real gem. FWIW
Matylda
Posts: 1057
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Matylda »

jake wrote:
Nicholas Weeks wrote: Published by BDK:

http://www.bdkamerica.org/book/shingon-texts
BDK has a lot of really excellent works but I think the Takagi and Dreitlein translations found in Kukai on the Philosophy of Language are much more usable and have superior notations, plus the glossary is a real gem. FWIW
Indeed. BDK has published a few root texts belonging to Shingon tradition or rather texts used by Shingon. However those are root tets and it is difficult to figure out on their basis what Shingon tradition actually is, or how it is practiced. Anyway they are recomended for those who are already engaged in Shingon.
tingdzin
Posts: 1933
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2013 7:19 am

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by tingdzin »

The 2011 book edited by Orzech, Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia, has a lot of interesting scholarly material.
Phyllobius
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:09 am

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Phyllobius »

M.G. wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2017 5:51 am Would anyone be able to recommend good English language material on Shingon Buddhism? Thanks so much!
What is the aspect of Shingon Shû which is interresting for you?
Phyllobius
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:09 am

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Phyllobius »

The books by Taiko Yamasaki are a great introduction to practice.
GDPR_Anonymized001
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

Phyllobius wrote: Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:54 am The books by Taiko Yamasaki are a great introduction to practice.
I understand the English version is much more adaptation than translation.
Phyllobius
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:09 am

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by Phyllobius »

jake wrote: Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:04 pm
Phyllobius wrote: Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:54 am The books by Taiko Yamasaki are a great introduction to practice.
I understand the English version is much more adaptation than translation.
If i remember correctly it's the concatenation of two books. However it doesn't disparage with my undestanding of Shingon Shû and more importantly with my Master's one.
crazy-man
Posts: 506
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 2:22 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by crazy-man »

RITUAL AND ICONOGRAPHY IN THE JAPANESE ESOTERIC BUDDHIST TRADITION:
THE NINETEEN VISUALIZATIONS OF FUDO MYOO
https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/bitstream ... lltext.pdf
crazy-man
Posts: 506
Joined: Wed Aug 26, 2015 2:22 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by crazy-man »

Tendai and Shingon Bibliographie
www.pitaka.ch/unil/japheian.pdf

Si-do-in-dzou, gestes de l'officiant dans les cérémonies mystiques des sectes Tendaî et Singon, d'après le commentaire de M. Horiou Toki / traduit du japonais par S. Kawamoura ; avec introduction et annotations par L. de Milloué
https://archive.org/details/sidoindzoug ... ri/page/n9

GDPR_Anonymized001
Posts: 1678
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: English Language Material on Shingon?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

crazy-man wrote: Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:50 am Tendai and Shingon Bibliographie
www.pitaka.ch/unil/japheian.pdf
Thanks for the link. It's a nice bibliography. I only wish it had the Takagi and Dreitlein Kukai on the Philosophy of Language. Keio University Press (I have a few copies I can send out, PM me).
Post Reply

Return to “Shingon”