A groundbreaking monograph on Yuan dynasty Buddhism; Illusory Abiding offers a cultural history of Buddhism through a case study of the eminent Chan master Zhongfeng Mingben. Natasha Heller demonstrates that Mingben; and other monks of his stature; developed a range of cultural competencies through which they navigated social and intellectual relationships. They mastered repertoires internal to their tradition―for example; guidelines for monastic life―as well as those that allowed them to interact with broader elite audiences; such as the ability to compose verses on plum blossoms. These cultural exchanges took place within local; religious; and social networks―and at the same time; they comprised some of the very forces that formed these networks in the first place. This monograph contributes to a more robust account of Chinese Buddhism in late imperial China; and demonstrates the importance of situating monks as actors within broader sociocultural fields of practice and exchange.
#1399408 in Books 2014-03-31Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.35 x 5.75 x 1.15l; .92 #File Name: 0674281381352 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. There were no good choices just bad onesBy julia bojtaReading this book you feel lucky if you were born after the war. There were no good choices just bad ones.3 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Amazing story of a brave womnBy Evalyn F. SegalIt's hard to believe what Gertrude vanTyn was able to accomplish in her dedicated efforts to save European Jews. There are two tragedies in this story: the tragedy of the Final Solution; and the even more unfathomable tragedy of the refusal to provide sanctuary by the US and UK and Latin American countries as well as countries in Europe that had not yet been occupied; and from which escape might have been possible early on (France; Spain; Portugal; and Switzerland). That refusal of sanctuary; perhaps even more than Hitler's Final Solution; may account for the criminal behavior of Israel toward Palestinians.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I found her a perplexing character.By Sherwyn WarrenThe description of the world situation and the growth of anti-semitism were very well described although the title could have been a better choice.
