Experimental Buddhism: Innovation and Activism in Contemporary Japan. By John K. Nelson. University of Hawaii Press, November 30, 2013. 320 pages. ISBN-10: 082483898X ISBN-13: 978-0824838980
摘要
Nelson astutely begins his examination of so‐called “experimental Buddhism” in contemporary Japan by imploring us to shift our thinking from how Buddhism shapes society to how society shapes Buddhism. His notion of “experimental Buddhism” comes from a rational choice perspective and centers on new, and generally novel, approaches to religious practice, community engagement, and volunteerism coming from a grassroots level, being initiated mostly by individual temples or priests. His highly readable account provides detailed historical background, a series of compelling narratives from the field, and a thoughtful and reasonable analysis of the present‐day situation. Indeed, Chapter Two is an excellent stand‐alone introduction to contemporary Japanese Buddhism. Field narratives include examples that are intriguingly Japanese, such as high‐rise reliquaries and bars design to promote the Dharma. The only topic that shows some deficiency is that of tech‐enabled Buddhist outreach, an area of considerable effort and innovation. Nonetheless, Nelson successfully sheds light on a surprisingly neglected research area, and his willingness to employ an entire quiver of methodological tools, e.g. the economic, the historical, and the political, remind us of the flexible beauty of religious studies as a discipline.
