The Weaving of Mantra (Paperback)

by Professor Ryûichi Abé (Author), Ryûichi Abé (Author) "Kukai stepped into history at a time when the nation was experiencing a great social upheaval..." (more)
Key Phrases: ten abiding stages, garbha mandala, annual ordinands, Esoteric Buddhism, Shingon School, Nara Buddhist (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
A groundbreaking book of tremendous significance for the study of Japanese Buddhism. -- David L. Gardiner

A groundbreaking book of tremendous significance for the study of Japanese Buddhism. -- Review

This is a splendid book...easily the best introduction to Kûkai and Esoteric Buddhism in Japan. -- Charles D. Orzech, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Review

"This is a remarkable book about one of the most remarkable figures in the history of Japanese Buddhism...Abe's book will certainly emerge and remain the primary examination of Kûkai's life and thought for many years to come. It is thus a crucial read for anyone interested in early Japanese religion and intellectual history... The Weaving of Mantra provides a very lengthy, detailed, and substantial intellectual historical analysis of Kûkai...[T]his book is a monumental achievement that will fascinate students of Japanese religion and stimulate much discussion among historians." -- Steven Heine, Journal of Asian Studies

"Abé has made a major contribution to our understanding of the figure of Kukai, of Esoteric Buddhism, of the political, intellectual and religious situation of the Nara and early Heian periods, and of our view of medieval Japanese Buddhism as a whole. He has command of an impressive range of sources, both classical and modern, and he has a sophisticated grasp of recent theoretical discussions.... Both in the new readings of early and medieval Japanese Buddhism that it advances and in the discussions that it will stimulate, this volume stands as a major addition to the field." -- Paul B. Watt, Journal of Asian History

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Product Details

• Paperback: 620 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (October 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231112874
• ISBN-13: 978-0231112871
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #644,644 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Breakthrough for the Study of Esoteric Buddhism, October 20, 1999

By	David B. Gray ([e-mail]) (Princeton, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Weaving of Mantra (Hardcover)

Dr. Abe has, with his THE WEAVING OF MANTRA, accomplished a rare feat. His book is an in-depth analysis of important era in the history of Buddhism and Japan, which surpasses all other works written on the topic, and which is nonetheless accessible to the non-specialist. Written in an engaging style which informs without resorting to pedantry, Dr. Abe introduces us to Kukai and his social and historical milieu. Focusing on Kukai's construction of Esoteric Buddhism as an innovative category in the field of Buddhist discourse and practice, he avoids the simplistic models of past studies and brings to his topic an analytic sophistication that is matched only by his eloquence.

This work is by far the best book on Kukai and Shingon Buddhism currently available in English, and it should also, hopefully, exert a powerful influence of the field of Buddhist Studies as a whole, for which it should serve as a model for excellent scholarship.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Standard for Esoteric Research, August 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Weaving of Mantra (Hardcover)

Fortunate enough to find this gem in a Kyoto bookstore recently, it was with the greatest pleasure that I savored this book. Abe has indeed set a new standard for true Esoteric Buddhist research, investing within "The Weaving of Mantra" original and insightful ideas concerning Kukai's creation of a new esoteric presentation of Buddhism. Abe brings together not only highly reputable sources here within the Japanese community but original introspection into a period within Japanese Buddhist history that has left its mark on Buddhism as a whole.

The serious student or researcher of Esoteric Buddhism will no doubt require this volume in his/her collection as it now represents the pinnacle of Mikkyo insight. A treasure not to be missed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definitive source for Early Japanese Buddhism, Shingon, February 21, 2007

By	Gerald Ford "pho_kin" (The Jack n' the Box at the corner) - See all my reviews

This book is not intended as an introduction to Shingon Buddhism, but rather, provides an in-depth, scholarly look at Nara and Heian-era Buddhism and the rise of Shingon Buddhism. This book is intended for serious scholars of Japanese Buddhism and reads like a college thesis. Professor Abe's research is immense, and he regularly cites the research done by previous Japanese scholars through the book. What I like best about this book is that Professor Abe debunks a lot of long-held beliefs in the academic world regarding Shingon and early Buddhism, such as the myth that Shingon appealed to the upper classes only.

Abe's research on the Mahavairocana and Vajrasekhara sutras also is very valuable as very few books in the West even explain what the sutras are about.

This work may not be your first source to learn about Shingon, but for Japanese historians, this book is a treasure of academic research.