Nanzan Library of Asian Religion & Culture: Rude Awakenings

James W. Heisig & John C. Maraldo, eds.

Rude Awakenings
ZEN, THE KYOTO SCHOOL, AND THE QUESTION OF NATIONALISM

Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1995. $40 cloth / $20 paper

What role did D. T. Suzuki and other Zen figures play in the Japanese nationalism that fueled World War II? What are we to make of nationalist elements in the thought of Nishida Kitarō, Tanabe Hajime, Nishitani Keiji, and other philosophers of the Kyoto school? Fifteen Japanese and Western scholars take up these and other questions about the political responsibility of Japanese Buddhist intellectuals, offering a variety of critical perspectives and a wealth of information for those interested in prewar and wartime history, Zen, Japanese philosophy, and the problem of nationalism today.

"Ultimately, this exceptional collection challenges us to reconsider basic questions concerning intellectuals and society in the cauldron of war."
— John W. Dower
"With its superb translations and meticulous editing, this collection sets a sterling standard for future anthologies."
— Graham Parkes
"Students will find the text quite readable and scholars will find the sixty-five pages of endnotes and appendix a rich resource of information."
—Choice

John MARALDO is Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Florida.

James HEISIG is a permanent fellow of the Nanzan Institute for Religion & Culture.

VOL.1

NANZAN LIBRARY
OF ASIAN RELIGION
AND CULTURE

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