“Auerback has produced an entirely original history of Japanese Buddhism . . . a major contribution to the field. This book is exemplary.” —D. Max Moerman, author of The Japanese Buddhist World Map Since its arrival in Japan in the sixth century, Buddhism has played a central role in Japanese culture. But the historical figure of the Buddha, the prince of ancient Indian descent who abandoned his wealth and power to become an awakened being, has repeatedly disappeared and reappeared, emerging each time in a different form and to different ends. A Storied Sage traces this transformation of concepts of the Buddha, from Japan’s ancient period in the eighth century to the end of the Meiji period in the early twentieth century. Micah L. Auerback follows the changing fortune of the Buddha through the novel uses for the Buddha’s story in high and low culture alike, often outside of the confines of the Buddhist establishment. Auerback argues for the Buddha’s continuing relevance during Japan’s early modern period and links the later Buddhist tradition in Japan to its roots on the Asian continent. Additionally, he examines the afterlife of the Buddha in hagiographic literature, demonstrating that the late Japanese Buddha, far from fading into a ghost of his former self, instead underwent an important reincarnation. Challenging many established assumptions about Buddhism and its evolution in Japan, A Storied Sage is a vital contribution to the larger discussion of religion and secularization in modernity. “The point where this study blossoms with voluminous detail is when developments in historiography made biographies of the Buddha controversial in the early modern era . . . Auerback’s coverage of these debates is exceedingly thorough.” —Journal of Japanese Studies

This study traces the modern transformation of Japanese Buddhist concepts across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, specifically the notion of the historical Buddhai.e., the prince of ancient Indian descent who abandoned his wealth and power to become an awakened being. Since Buddhism arrived in Japan in the sixth century, the historical figure of the Buddha has repeatedly disappeared from view and returned, always in different forms and to different ends. Micah Auerback offers the first account of the changing fortunes of the Japanese Buddha, following the course of early modern and modern producers and consumers of both high and low culture, who found novel uses for the Buddha s story outside the confines of the Buddhist establishment. Auerback challenges the still-prevalent concept that Buddhism had grown ossified and irrelevant during Japan s early modernity, and complicates the image of Japanese Buddhism as a sui generis tradition within the Asian Buddhist world. Auerback also links the later Buddhist tradition in Japan to its roots on the Continent, and argues for the relevance of attention to narrative and the historical imagination in the study of Buddhist Asia more broadly conceived. And, Auerback engages the question of secularization by examining the after life of the Buddha in the hagiographic literature, demonstrating that the late Japanese Buddha did not, as is widely thought, fade into a ghost of its former self, but rather underwent a complete transformation and reincarnation. The book thus joins the larger discussion of secularization in modernity beyond Buddhism, Japanese religions, and the Asian continent."

Zen Rising is a special collection of the most beloved teaching stories in the Zen tradition. They all trace back to the classical time when Sage and Seeker sat together and reflected on the inner truths these stories embodied. As the Quest for Awakening is intrinsic to the human experience, these tales are just as vibrant today as when they were first told. For this book, the author selected the stories he uses in his teachings. Each of us is part Sage and part Seeker, part Scholar and part Fool. We find these aspects of ourselves mired in confusion, struggling with paradox, and ecstatic with flashes of enlightenment as page-by-page we take this Journey of Life.

Sage: a venerable, wise man, judicious; and aromatic plant with grayish-green leaves used as seasoning; the healing plant; the herb of happiness. Lenny and her sister were as close as two sisters could be. Their mother died when Lenny was fourteen, and Lenny took on the role of caretaker, tending her eight-year-old sister and the herb garden their mother left behind. The garden was just about the only thing that brought joy to the desolate farm until a handsome stranger rode through on his way to Missouri. The mysterious man stayed a while to help their pa rebuild the storm-damaged barn, and his presence on the farm led to an event that changed all their lives. Thirty-three years later, Lenny's younger sister receives a mysterious package. When she opens the green velveteen hatbox, the smell of sage overwhelms her. But what's more, she realizes the box contains the missing pieces of her puzzled life. Soon she finds answers and learns that things were not always as they appeared as Lenny's story unfolds before her eyes. Will these discoveries bring closure after all these years? Can sage truly bring the sisters healing and happiness? Set in the beautiful Ozark mountains of Missouri, Sage is a historical novel highlighted by the mighty men and women who forged a wilderness. These early settlers demonstrated courage only surpassed by their determination when faced with a war between the states and the lifelong wars that raged within. Debora Clark and her husband, Jim, enjoy the nature and beauty of the rugged hills, the scenic Ozarks, from their porch swing in Alton, Missouri. They are thankful for their many blessings. Sage is the first book in Debora's series, In the Rugged Hills.

Jonathan Schofer offers the first theoretically framed examination of rabbinic ethics in several decades. Centering on one large and influential anthology, The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan, Jonathan Schofer situates that text within a broader spectrum of rabbinic thought, while at the same time bringing rabbinic thought into dialogue with current scholarship on the self, ethics, theology, and the history of religions. Notable Selection, Jordan Schnitzer Book Award for Philosophy and Jewish Thought, Association for Jewish Studies

"On their road trip from Seattle to Eastern Washington's desert, Riley Stemple asks her mom to tell a story, the family story Kayla avoided for twenty years..." - Back cover.