Journal of the Asia Ethno-Forms Association

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Volume 20 (2024) Pages 59-67
Shinran and Prince Shotoku faith About a bad man becoming the Buddha
Ikuo Watanabe

【Abstract】I carry out the reading which led the “account of the future” of the “Shitenno-ji luck” from Shinran’s Wasan. If doing it so, “the account of the future” of the “Shitenno-ji luck” will turn into “an account of the future” of Prince Shotoku and Moriya. Furthermore, it becomes “the account of the future” of Prince Shotoku and Shinran. Next, it becomes Shinran’s own “account of the future.” Next, it becomes Prince Shotoku’s own “account of the future.” Next, it becomes “the account of the future” of a person with a bad man’s consciousness. It is becoming our own “account of the future.” Thus, “the account of the future” understands all people. There are some which cause it and it is work of this Primal Vow. I make it such and consider the relation between Shinran’s Prince Shotoku faith and faith of a Pure Land. I consider the compatibility of how to treat Shinran’s bad man by it. In that case, I carry out the reading which led the “account of the future” of the “Shitenno-ji luck” from Shinran’s Wasan. I could say that I am compatible by it.
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Volume 20 (2024) Pages 44-58
Wooden seated Jizo Bodhisattva statue at Otokuji Temple in Mobara City
Tokujun Hamana

Abstract】As part of the compilation of the Mobara City History, a comprehensive survey of Buddhist statues in Mobara City has been underway since July 2019. During the survey conducted on July 15, 2020, we were able to examine the seated Jizo Bodhisattva statue (hereinafter referred to as the Otokuji statue) of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism at Otokuji Temple in Hayano, Mobara City. As has been known for some time, the Otokuji statue is a typical statue with hanging robes, and its style suggests that it was created in the 14th century, which could be considered the heyday of the statue. The refined form should be highly evaluated as an indication of the skill of the Kamakura Buddhist sculptors of the time, but the fact that it has never undergone any major repairs since its creation and that it has retained its original appearance, including parts of the pedestal, makes it a valuable art history resource. Furthermore, it is interesting that the loose joints make it possible to remove the head and legs, allowing the structure of the statue, including the body, to be clearly observed. Here, I will examine the Otokuji statue in detail, point out that it is a statue made by a workshop known as the Takuma school2, and explore the background of its making while considering its relationship with other hanging-robe statues.
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Volume 20 (2024) Pages 32-43
Introduction and Spread of the Classical Indian Culture in Indonesia
Toru Nomura

【Abstract】Ever since early centuries, most of the regions of Southeast Asia had been exposed to the classical Indian civilization and the local peoples have adopted it and established their own style of states. This phenomenon is known as Indianization. In Java and Bali, Indonesia, the local culture known as Hindu-Javanese culture has been formed based on the Indian prototype and peculiar syncretic culture had flourished until it was replaced by the Islamic power in the 15th century. Hindu-Javanese culture has been transplanted into Bali by the Javanese refugees. This paper depicts the major events of Hindu-Javanese period throughout its history.
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Volume 20 (2024) Pages 3-31
Symbolism of birds and snakes
Etsuo Yamamoto

【Abstract】In my research on Garuda, I found that Birds symbolize the sky and the sun, and snakes symbolize the two opposing elements of the universe, earth and water. The symbolism that makes birds and snakes oppose concepts in the universe was born in Mesopotamia. I hypothesized that this way of thinking hid in people’s subconscious, spread throughout the Eurasian continent, and became deeply ingrained in the basic culture of society.
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Volume 18 (2022) Issue 01 Pages 3-11
Environmental Education and Gender in Nepal
Manita Shrestha

When we discuss endogenous development of developing countries, environmental education based on livelihood aspects and gender perspectives are decisive factors. In rural villages of developing countries such as Nepal, people are heavily dependent on the forest for daily life. The forest is the most important source of resources vital to the household economy. Women are responsible for forest conservation. In their hands lie many decisions about the use of natural resources. Despite that, the roles of women are not recognized properly because of the lower social status and domination of women. However, the current environmental education model in developing countries mainly focuses on the natural environment and lacks a particular focus on livelihood aspects and gender perspectives. There is a limitation to solve the environmental problems and social problems that affect development of the country. Therefore, this research incorporates environmental education focus on gender perspectives in Nepal, which helps to assume the important factor of endogenous development.
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Volume 18 (2022) Issue 01 Pages 12-20
A CASE STUDY OF CULTURAL FESTIVAL SAMYAK MAHADAN FESTIVAL AT NAGBAHAL, PATAN, NEPAL
NEHA BHANDARI, Manita Shrestha

＜Introduction＞ One Newar tradition related festival of the monastery is the Itilhane Samyak Mahadana, which is also known as Dipankara Parva, observed once in every five years. This festival is an outstanding practice of charity. During the festival large images of Buddhist goddess (Dipankara Buddha, Avalokitesvra, Basundhara, Arya tara) display at Nagbahal, and offerings are made to goddess by Shakya and Bajracharya monks as per the Newar tradition, which is the main attraction of the festival. The festival brings across widespread Newar people with any occupation and races together to celebrate being one. Literally, Samyak means to perform the art of charity in an unconditional manner with a clear mind. There is mention of three types of Bodhijnana in Buddhist text that is Sravaka Bodhi, Pratyeka Bodhi and Samyak Bodhi. Among these, “Samyak” represents absoluteness and “Bodhi” characterizes the supreme knowledge of Buddhist. Hence, the festival is a path of a Bodhisattva that leads toward the attainment of Samyak Sambodhi.
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Volume 18 (2022) Issue 01 Pages 21-43
Twelve Heavenly Generals of Tomyoji in Futtsu City and Inugami Reikentan tale of Samurai Hojo Yoshitoki
Tokujun Hamana

The twelve wooden statues of Tomyoji in Futtsu City are a typical example of the twelve heavenly generals called “Okura Yakushidostyle” which was spread around Kamakura area. “Okura Yakushido-style” was inevented at Okura Yakushido, which was founded by Hojo Yoshitoki (the seconde regent of Kamakura Shogunate), to illustrate the tale called “Inugami Reikentan (miraculous effect of Dog God)” written in “Azuma Kagami”. Considering the time when “Inugami Reikentan” tale was established and comparing with other examples of the twelve statues of “Okura Yakushido-style”, it can be estimated that the statues of Tomyoji is the earliest existing statues, created in the middle to the latter half of the 13th century. The sponsor of statues is seems to be Samurai Amou family belongs to samurai group of the Kazusa family who ruled the area from the latter half of the Heian era. The twelve heavenly generals are worship as a god in India but those statues are even more prosperous in practice with the Zodiac in Japan. “Okura Yakushido-style”, who focused on dog, should be called one of the last version of the faith of Twelve heavenly generals who widely spread in eastern Asia.
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Volume 19 (2023) Issue 01 Pages 11-17
“Life-based” environmental education for Nepal’s endogenous development
Manita Shrestha

【Abstract】 In Nepal, forests are a source of livelihood fuel, especially in rural areas. Dependence on forest resources, unsustainable use, illegal firewood harvesting, and policy issues are some of the most serious environmental problems. To solve these problems, improvement of local people knowledge on surrounding environment as well as environmental education which aims behavior change, improvement of the situation, transformation of values is important. Currently, especially in Nepal, stakeholders such as the government, NGOs, and NPOs are actively carrying out various enlightenment activities to solve local environmental problems and gender issues. One of them is the introduction of biogas. However, gender issues due to gender discrimination still exist, and not much effort has been put to improving women’s knowledge. Also, when environmental issues are addressed, they often do not consider women’s issues. Under these circumstances, for the solution of environmental problems in Nepal and endogenous develop the region, it is necessary to conduct environmental education including the gender perspective, such as improvement of women’s livelihood, women empowerment, etc. that means necessary of “Livelihood Based Environmental Education.” In this study, we take up the Chitwan region of Nepal as a typical example of an area where biogas is introduced to conserve forests and improve the lives of women who use firewood and discuss about the meaning of “Livelihood Based Environmental Education.”
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Volume 19 (2023) Issue 01 Pages 3-10
Shinran and Prince Shotoku Faith
Ikuo Watanabe

【Abstract】　Although Shinran had the Amitabha faith as a Buddhist invocation person, Shinran was also an owner of the Prince Shotoku faith. It seems that there was Shinran’s Prince Shotoku faith before going into the Honen disciple. It was greatly related also when going into the Honen disciple. Shinran has borne a sense of longing strong against Prince Shotoku. It continued throughout life till Shinran’s later years. It seems that Shinran’s Prince Shotoku faith had the Prince Shotoku faith in Shitenno-ji, and a close relation. The document handed down by Shitenno-ji, and the Buddha statue of the principal image of Shitenno-ji are considered to be greatly related to Shinran’s Prince Shotoku faith. Shinran’s Prince Shotokufaith has taken the form which is included in the Amitabha faith and also is included by the thought of the Primal Vow. It seems that it had led Shinran itself throughout life.
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Volume 19 (2023) Issue 01 Pages 18-22
Thinking about the roots of ethnic formation and population issues
Takashi Nameshida

【Abstract: Indicators for the near future ― Ethnic formation and population】 Ethnic formation is supported by the power of human collectives. Demographics are the basis for the expression of diverse values of each ethnic group and serve as an index for understanding the state of human society in the near future from a macroscopic point of view. For this reason, changes in the world population have been grasped solely in relation between the food supply and demand and the spread of poverty. When predicting how the shaping power of various ethnic groups will change, the population problem is an extremely important keyword, and it is deeply connected to global environmental problems. On the other hand, Japan’s population problem is recognized as a social problem such as declining birthrate, aging population, declining labor force, and increasing medical expenses. Exploring the possibility of the emergence of new formative power in that direction is an urgent task entrusted to us by the next generation. (Nameshida Takashi) 1,
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