Spatial Recognition of Calm death (Ōjō) in Japan: The Zoku Shūi Ōjō-den in three volumes

Abstract

At the time of death, beings seek liberation not by looking at the Buddha himself, but by gazing on a “Buddha image,” constructed to serve that function. Such images are not intended as miraculous the Buddha images. This paper investigates the creation and contemplation of the Buddha images in Japan as a part of daily life.