Ash Buddhas
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Issue Date
2006-11-08Author
Hacker, Randi
Willis, Sheree
Tsutsui, William
Publisher
Center for East Asian Studies, University of Kansas
Type
Recording, oral
Is part of series
Postcards from Asia;0051
Published Version
https://audioboom.com/posts/825415-0050-ash-buddhasMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Broadcast Transcript: In at least one Buddhist temple in Japan, ancestor worship is way more substantive than you might imagine. The temple is called Isshinji and it is in Osaka which is located in the western part of Honshu. The Isshinji temple is the home of okotsubutsu, that is, statues of Buddha that are made entirely out of the ashes of the dearly departed. You heard that right. Since 1887, the cremated remains of many an ancestor have been formed into larger-than-life sized statues of Buddha that are described in the temple's brochure as "easily felt to be friendly" . Leave it to the Japanese, a culture that was into reuse long before it became eco-chic, to come up with this, the ultimate form of recycling. #ceas #hacker #japan #tsutsui
Description
This is one of hundreds of 60-second radio spots created by the Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) for Kansas Public Radio (KPR). The purpose of this outreach program is to introduce the people of Kansas to the culture and current issues of East Asia.
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