ABSTRACT
The current North American interests in Tibetan Buddhism perhaps would give SOlne currencies to Gerrard's assertion. We should note, however, Tantric Buddhism is not the only Buddhist tradition which has or had a vested interest in visual mode. For example, it is a celebrated historical fact that Hui-YUan's (334416) White Lotus Society took the visual mode of Pureland very seriously. In Japanese Kegon tradition, we have My6-e Sh6nin of Toganop-o (1173-1232), who not only risked his life for 'visualization' (kanbo), but also being guided by his dreams as he kept a vivid and minute record of them. 3 It is the time, we maintain, to take a second look at visual mode in Buddhist tradition, in order to engage in a dialogue with interrelated areas of research. In the hope of generating a lively discussion, this report falls into the following headings:
1. Tsongkhapa's visualization. 2. The Visualization of Avalokitesvara or Chenrazee
(spyan ras gzigs) and "Bum nga" ('bum Inga). 3. The Pure Land Tradition. 4. A Note on the Verse "lsshin yoku kenbutsu" ofthe Lotus-
sutra. 5. Visualization, A Modern Perspective.
