A survey of Buddhism in Japan from roughly the time of its introduction into the mid-ninth century. The following topics are covered:
The Introduction of Buddhism to Japan – Transmission Myths – The Myth of Prince Shōtoku – The Myth of a Buddhist-Shintō Rivalry – Temples in and around the Capital – Provincial Temples – The Order of Nuns – Female…[Read more]

Syllabus for 2022 version of my course: Zen Buddhism.

Syllabus for Japanese Mythology Spring 2021

My contribution to the Immanent Frame project on “Pandemic, Religion, and Public Life.” It’s a story on disease, divine protection, and penance ritual. What can early Japanese Buddhism teach us about our present moment?

This is a story of the possibilities created by connection but also of the inherent fragility of movement within a network. It uses a case study of roads in ancient Japan (defined as late seventh through early ninth centuries) to show how networks not only amplify interaction but also isolation. This article explores the religious implications of…[Read more]

Syllabus for a graduate reading course on secondary scholarship on Japanese Buddhism

Syllabus for graduate seminar on premodern Japanese Buddhist texts from fall of 2019

Syllabus for Religion in Japanese Culture from the fall of 2020.

Syllabus for my course on Zen Buddhism from spring 2020.