Fragments de l'imaginaire bouddhique
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into the complex spiritual world of Keizan Jokin, a thirteenth-century Soto Zen master whose inner life reveals fascinating contradictions within Buddhist practice. Bernard Faure employs contemporary critical analysis to examine how this influential patriarch navigated between rational Buddhist doctrine and a richly symbolic universe filled with visions, dreams, and supernatural elements.
Rather than presenting Keizan as a singular genius, Faure positions him as a representative figure whose experiences illuminate broader tensions within Soto Zen tradition. The master publicly advocated for reasonable, demythologized teachings, yet privately inhabited a psychological landscape as wonder-filled as that of his contemporary, Dante. Through careful examination of Keizan's own recorded dreams and visions, the book reveals how he strategically used these mystical experiences to establish his spiritual authority and institutional power.
Drawing from previously overlooked historical documents, including monastery chronicles and secret initiation texts, Faure reconstructs the ritual and visionary dimensions of medieval Zen practice. This investigation exposes the gap between official doctrine and lived spiritual experience, showing how even rational religious traditions accommodate the marvelous and mysterious.
For readers interested in the authentic complexity of spiritual life, this work offers valuable insights into how religious practitioners throughout history have balanced intellectual understanding with visionary experience, institutional responsibility with personal mystical encounters.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)
🕉️ Tradition: Buddhism
📄 Length: 329 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Nomenclature
- ✓ Explore Buddhist art
- ✓ Explore Sōtōshū
- ✓ Understand Buddhist philosophy and practice
- ✓ Explore Buddhist art and symbolism
- ✓ Explore Identification
- ✓ Explore Buddhism, japan
- ✓ Explore Medieval Civilization
