The variety of Buddhist paths in Konjaku Monogatari-shū

Abstract

The article summarizes the results of the religious-studies and historical-philosophical research based on the Konjaku monogatari-shū (1120s). This largest set of didactic setsuwa tales provides an encyclopedic picture of Buddhism as it was known in Japan at the beginning of the 12^th century. The history of the Buddha Law, shown in the series of stories, is traced through the centuries, from the very beginning until recently, spanning India and China and continuing in Japan; the same issues that are important for the Buddhist community are covered from different angles in all three parts of the collection. From the perspective of the Konjaku narrator, people can follow Buddha in different ways: a monk in a community, a hermit monk, a righteous layperson, and a sinner layperson - all of them move in their own ways towards liberation, and for all of them the main thing is compassionate concern for others. All kinds of rituals based on the veneration of sacred books, repeating the names of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, presenting gifts to the community, etc. serve not only to establish connections with higher powers, but also to strengthen good ties between people and get rid of bad ties. Many worldly habits, seemingly far from Buddhist piety, lead to the same thing: one can move towards liberation along the path of ruler, courtier, warrior, rich man, and poor man. Any event, from common to miraculous, can be interpreted in terms of the doctrine of retribution and thus one can find an instructive meaning in it.