CALL FOR PAPERS by Serena Operetto
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Buddhism has a peculiar relationship with language: the transmission of the doctrines throughout ... more Buddhism has a peculiar relationship with language: the transmission of the doctrines throughout the centuries, starting from Sākyamuni’s original predication to today’s digital dimension of the spreading of the dharma has been inevitably dependent on language, either in its oral or textual form. At the same time, however, language has often been seen in Buddhist traditions as an insuficient tool to adequately transmit the truth and, sometimes, even as a direct obstacle on the path towards awakening. Thousands of texts were produced and translated in a myriad of languages in order to propagate the Buddhist teachings.
A variety of ancient sūtras, commentaries, treatises and so forth have been discovered in a wide geographical area going from Afghanistan to Japan. The analysis of these Buddhist texts from a linguistic perspective has thus been crucial for the study of a multitude of ancient languages, which in many cases are attested solely in writings of a Buddhist content. On the other hand, language has also been used in Buddhist sectarian circumstances as a tool to fold and unfold diverse meanings of the same text or to give prominence to certain doctrinal interpretations over others. In this context, the dynamics of intertextuality can reveal how a given religious system promoted certain beliefs and how its supporters shaped and re-shaped its authoritative texts. This workshop is designed to cast a light on language-related issues in the Buddhist context. We welcome contributions on any of the following topics (the list is not exhaustive): philosophical and doctrinal implications of the problem of “language” within Buddhist traditions, the use of Buddhist texts as a source for linguistic investigation and the category of “intertextuality” as a tool for the analysis of the development of Buddhist doctrines. This workshop will additionally facilitate fruitful exchanges between scholars of Buddhist Studies working on language-related issues in historical, linguistic, and regional manifestations. We encourage abstract submission from early career scholars, especially PhD students, but also from established scholars.
Papers by Serena Operetto
中世日本仏教における『一乗要決』の受容, 2021
This paper illustrates the influence and the reception of Genshin’s 源信 (942-1017) Ichijō yōketsu ... more This paper illustrates the influence and the reception of Genshin’s 源信 (942-1017) Ichijō yōketsu (一乗要決, Essentials of the One-vehicle) within medieval Japanese Buddhism.
Books by Serena Operetto
The Reception of Genshin's Ichijō yōketsu 一乗要決 in Japanese Medieval Buddhism - An Intertextual Analysis, 2023
Genshin (源信; 942–1017), also known as Eshin sōzu (恵心僧都) , is one of the most prominent masters of... more Genshin (源信; 942–1017), also known as Eshin sōzu (恵心僧都) , is one of the most prominent masters of Japanese Tendai Buddhism. This study focuses on one of his seminal works, the Ichijō yōketsu 一乗要決 (Determining the Essentials of the One-vehicle), and evaluates its influence on subsequent representatives of the tradition in the medieval period. It elucidates how Genshin and his most significant writings, i.e. the Ichijō yōketsu and the Ōjōyōshū 往生要集 (The Essentials of Birth in the Pure Land), were understood in the Buddhist milieu of the Japanese Middle Ages. By shedding light how the Ichijō yōketsu was quoted in connection to the sangoku mappō 三国末法 paradigm („decline of the dharma throughout the three countries“ of India, China, and Japan), the present book contributes original and relevant insights into Japanese Buddhism. It primarily takes an intertextual approach, which is carried out with the help of digital resources and tools. Yet another feature is the first English-language translation of the Genshin sōzu den 源信僧都伝 (Biography of the General Vicar Genshin), the oldest full-length biography of Genshin. While the work presents a wealth of new knowledge and hitherto unexplored angles, it does not intend to conclude its matter. Rather, it aims to inspire further interest in the study of Genshin and his many unexplored works.
Book Reviews by Serena Operetto
The Eastern Buddhist, 2024
BOOK REVIEW of "Precepts, Ordinations, and Practice in Medieval Japanese Tendai" by Paul Groner.
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CALL FOR PAPERS by Serena Operetto
A variety of ancient sūtras, commentaries, treatises and so forth have been discovered in a wide geographical area going from Afghanistan to Japan. The analysis of these Buddhist texts from a linguistic perspective has thus been crucial for the study of a multitude of ancient languages, which in many cases are attested solely in writings of a Buddhist content. On the other hand, language has also been used in Buddhist sectarian circumstances as a tool to fold and unfold diverse meanings of the same text or to give prominence to certain doctrinal interpretations over others. In this context, the dynamics of intertextuality can reveal how a given religious system promoted certain beliefs and how its supporters shaped and re-shaped its authoritative texts. This workshop is designed to cast a light on language-related issues in the Buddhist context. We welcome contributions on any of the following topics (the list is not exhaustive): philosophical and doctrinal implications of the problem of “language” within Buddhist traditions, the use of Buddhist texts as a source for linguistic investigation and the category of “intertextuality” as a tool for the analysis of the development of Buddhist doctrines. This workshop will additionally facilitate fruitful exchanges between scholars of Buddhist Studies working on language-related issues in historical, linguistic, and regional manifestations. We encourage abstract submission from early career scholars, especially PhD students, but also from established scholars.
Papers by Serena Operetto
Books by Serena Operetto
Book Reviews by Serena Operetto
A variety of ancient sūtras, commentaries, treatises and so forth have been discovered in a wide geographical area going from Afghanistan to Japan. The analysis of these Buddhist texts from a linguistic perspective has thus been crucial for the study of a multitude of ancient languages, which in many cases are attested solely in writings of a Buddhist content. On the other hand, language has also been used in Buddhist sectarian circumstances as a tool to fold and unfold diverse meanings of the same text or to give prominence to certain doctrinal interpretations over others. In this context, the dynamics of intertextuality can reveal how a given religious system promoted certain beliefs and how its supporters shaped and re-shaped its authoritative texts. This workshop is designed to cast a light on language-related issues in the Buddhist context. We welcome contributions on any of the following topics (the list is not exhaustive): philosophical and doctrinal implications of the problem of “language” within Buddhist traditions, the use of Buddhist texts as a source for linguistic investigation and the category of “intertextuality” as a tool for the analysis of the development of Buddhist doctrines. This workshop will additionally facilitate fruitful exchanges between scholars of Buddhist Studies working on language-related issues in historical, linguistic, and regional manifestations. We encourage abstract submission from early career scholars, especially PhD students, but also from established scholars.