Includes bibliographical references and index.

Coronation at Koyasan : how one woman became king and learned about homeland security and national health care in ancient Japan / Pamela D. Winfield -- Buddhism through the lens : a study of the study of Buddhism through film / Lina Verchery -- Voice and gender in Vietnamese Buddhist practice / Alexander Soucy -- Feasting for the dead : Theravada Buddhist funerals / Rita Langer -- Buddha for our time : images of a Sri Lankan culture hero / John Clifford Holt -- Shifting signposts in Shikoku pilgrimage / John S. Harding -- From texts to people : developing new skills / Mavis L. Fenn -- Merit, gender, and Theravada Buddhist practices in times of crisis / Monica Lindberg Falk -- Encounters with jizo-san in an aging Japan / Jason A. Danely -- Amitabha's birthday and liberation of life / Paul Crowe -- Preaching as performance : notes on a secretive Shin Buddhist sermon / Clark Chilson -- The insides and outsides of a Tibetan Buddhist ritual on the outskirts of Sujata Village / James B. Apple -- Practicing the study of Buddhism : cross-cultural journeys and renewed humanism in the history of religions / William R. LaFleur.

This book introduces the rich realities of the Buddhist tradition and the academic approaches through which they are studied. Based on personal experiences of Buddhism on the ground, it provides a reflective context within which religious practices can be understood and appreciated. The engaging narratives cover a broad range of Buddhist countries and traditions, drawing on fieldwork to explore topics such as ordination, pilgrimage, funerals, gender roles, and film-making. All the entries provide valuable contextual discussion and are accompanied by photographs and suggestions for further reading.