ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the study of lay Zen in contemporary Japan. It begins by presenting the author’s motivations and the study’s potential contributions to understanding Japanese Buddhism. The chapter then introduces the Ningen Zen association and discusses the rationale behind choosing this organization as the primary case study. The chapter goes on to present tradition and interpretation as the central theoretical framework applied in this study. This framework is deemed more appropriate as it moves beyond the binary typology of old versus new religions. Furthermore, the chapter considers some of the significant methodological issues related to this study, which combines fieldwork and textual analysis, introducing several points that the author considers crucial while conducting fieldwork in Japan. Finally, the chapter outlines the book’s structure and briefly describes each chapter.
