I leave LA in eight days to begin a new chapter in the library world. I wanted to share a few thoughts on finishing my PhD in Buddhist Studies and why I consider this new job an extension of—rather than a departure from—my own work on Japanese Buddhism: 🧵 1/20 Broadly, one of the primary concerns in my research has been access to religious knowledge. In my study of a medieval kōshiki delivered during the Edo period, I’ve attempted to show how the complementarity of liturgical forms (kōshiki, wasan, raimon) widened the scope 2/20

Just arrived! Missing vol. 1 but I’m very grateful to have this.

In sets, especially, dictionaries tend to travel down scholarly lineages much more than individual books, and I’d like to acknowledge the life and work of the donor, below: E. Dale Saunders (1919–1995) was an American scholar of Romance languages and literature, Japanese Buddhism, classical Japanese literature, and East Asian civilization.

Saunders obtained an A.B. degree from Western Reserve University in 1941 and an M.A. in Romance Philology

I have a meager following so I’d appreciate a signal boost if you can help.

Any interest in a network (model TBD) for scholars working specifically between and across East Asian Buddhist and literary/vernacular cultures? (More below) Buddhist Studies and EA literary folks are often in close research orbit of one another, especially in conference work and special issues of journals. I know of a few individuals who’d be interested in a more formal forum for exchanging ideas and seeking advice across these areas

So I (finally) watched The Lighthouse last night and I’m still reeling. Below is probably one of the most stirring monologues delivered in recent memory for me (Willem Dafoe as Thomas Wake): “Damn ye! Let Neptune strike ye dead, Winslow! Hark! Hark, Triton. Hark! Bellow, bid our father, the sea king, rise from the depths, full foul in his fury, black waves teeming with salt-foam, to smother this young mouth with pungent slime, to choke ye, engorging your organs

The Buddha and his Buick (1930s):

Really into these late-30s, sciencey maxims on Jodo shinshu faith:

Just got out of #midsommar and I have some spoiler-free thoughts on the academic elements of the film [THREAD]: 1) I was surprised that the antagonists are all PhD students in anthropology doing research abroad. Academics (almost always STEM) are usually cast as either too aloof or too "smart" to be swept up in emotional crises. Here, they're critical, investigative, even territorial about

This looks like a compelling quantitative study that explores how religious engagement can contribute to prosperity and productivity:

city-journal.org/how-faith-moti… From the Amazon description:

The Wealth of Religions addresses the effects of religious beliefs on character traits such as work ethic, thrift, and honesty; the Protestant Reformation and its long-term effects on education and religious competition; Communism’s suppression of...