Today, the Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in Japan. I previously did a #buddhistart thread on the Buddha's death. Let’s do a birthday one now. 1/ The birth of the Buddha is said to be miraculous. He was born from his mother’s right side, rather than vaginally. His birth can be seen in this image from the Cleveland Museum of Art from northeastern India. I love Indra catching him! 2/ clevelandart.org/art/1959.349

Today marks the commemoration of the Buddha's death, as celebrated in Japan and elsewhere. Images of the Buddha's death have long been a common theme in Japanese #BuddhistArt. While it would seem to be a serious subject, it has also been one of humor and parody. A 🧵. 1/ The above painting is a gorgeous 14th-century example from the Met. A closeup shows the absolute devastation of the mourners. The monk Myōe is said to have cried when describing this scene. These images had powerful emotive resonances with viewers. 2/ metmuseum.org/art/collection…

I’ve done a lot of Shinto/Japanese mythology threads over the past six months, especially tied to teaching. At the risk of regurgitating, it feels like it warrants a thread of threads just to keep it all in one place for easy reference. 1/10 This thread explains how the foundational mythological texts, Nihon Shoki and Kojiki cannot be considered a single Japanese mythology. Rather, plurality was the name of the game from the time of our earliest written texts. 2/10

https://twitter.com/bryandaniellowe/status/1359364255229870080

Textual sources for provincial Buddhism in 7th–8th c. Japan are hard to come by. Key exceptions are 2 of the 3 Kōzuke steles 上野三碑. These important inscribed stones are hardly known in English scholarship, but speak to the spread of Buddhism outside of the capital. 1/7 A great multi-lingual web site by Takasaki City on these steles, which date between 681–726, includes descriptions, 3D images, and videos. Take a look. Lots of the materials could be used for teaching about Buddhism in early Japan. 2/7 city.takasaki.gunma.jp/info/sanpi/en/…

Time for the latest and final installment of my transnational Shinto tweet threads. This time let’s look at what you could call the patron god of learning in Japan: Tenjin, the deified form of Sugawara no Michizane. 1/ Before diving in, let me say what I mean by calling Shinto transnational, since this has created some confusion (some sincere and understandable, some intentionally ignorant). I basically mean three things. 2/

Of course an exception doesn't prove a rule, but it does complicate it. But since you brought up Amaterasu as the "MAJOR" example, let's look at her. Perhaps you'd be surprised how transnational of a deity she is. An impromptu just out of bed 🧵+ citations.

https://twitter.com/Indologyteacher/status/1415209202323234816

First, Amaterasu in #JapaneseMythology:Como shows how her story draws from continental ideas of weaving deities, immortality, spirit-pacification, etc. and challenges nativist views of her origins, pointing out the role of Koraen immigrants in shaping her. uhpress.hawaii.edu/immigrant-gods…