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8 - Buddhism and War in Premodern Japan

from Part I - Classical Foundations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 May 2023

By
Brian A. Victoria
Edited by
Margo Kitts
Margo Kitts
Affiliation:
Hawai'i Pacific University, Honolulu
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Summary

This chapter surveys the intertwining of religion (both Buddhism and Shinto) and war in the history of Japan, including: Buddhism’s initial introduction and subservience to the state in the 6th century; the emergence of warrior-monks (J. sōhei) in the Heian era; and the role of Buddhism in the samurai-dominated medieval period. Of particular interest to Western readers will be the emphasis on samādhi-power, acquired through Zen meditation, which was cultivated among the samurai class prior to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, contributing to the fanaticism that emerged in the modern Japanese Empire.

Keywords

Buddhismwarrior-monks (J. sōhei)samuraisamādhi-power
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Companion to Religion and War , pp. 187 - 212
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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References

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