A Study of Pre-Modern Japanese Yogacara through the Lens of Memory

The purpose of this project is to contribute to our understanding of the development of Yogacara (Jp. Hosso) thought in pre-modern Japan between Heian and Kamakura periods (794-1333). To do so, it examines the writings of the Hosso monk-scholar Jokei (1155-1213), a neglected yet important reformer who lived in an era marked by political instability and religious creativity. Concretely, the project will provide an English translation of the “Hossoshu shoshin ryakuyo” and its appendix, a primer in Hosso doctrine that reflects Jokei’s understanding and reformulation of Buddhist teachings. This would be the first ever complete English translation of any doctrinal work written by Jokei. Then, through the lens of collective memory studies, it will engage with the Hosso doctrinal concepts mentioned therein, advocating for the possibility of building a theoretically framework that bridges concepts from both traditions without distorting them.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mikael Bauer

Student:

Partner:

Hanazono University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education; Social Innovation; Other

University:

McGill University

Program: