Beyond Hagiography: Re-telling the Lives of Japan’s Buddhist Founders in Unexpected Places

This panel explores the diverse ways hagiography functions in Japanese Buddhism, challenging approaches that privilege hagiographies resembling the literary archetype of the saint’s life prevalent in Euro-Christian contexts. Focusing on the retelling of stories about iconic Buddhist founders such as Dōgen, Shinran, and Nichiren, the panel's papers examine how these narratives have been adapted across different media, from medieval Zen initiation documents to modern visual arts and public debates. Through a transsectarian comparison, the panel reveals how Japanese Buddhist communities have reinvented their founders' lives to reflect changing doctrinal and political landscapes, while also addressing broader issues in the study of hagiography. By drawing on examples from both premodern and modern contexts, as well as across a wide range of media, the panel promotes a broader understanding of Japanese Buddhist hagiography that transcends traditional boundaries, and invites comparative dialogue across cultural and religious contexts.