1034 thierry robouam
most interesting loci for understanding the subtle differences in the
way Taimitsu and Shingon Tōmitsu affect contemporary Japa-
nese society is to be found in the publication in the last decade of the
twentieth century of several anthologies of sermons given by Tendai
and Shingon priests during important events such as funerals. The
edited volumes give hundreds of examples of short sermons (from one
to five minutes) and reveal how the different traditions invite devotees
to go through joyful or difficult moments in life.
The studies introduced above are just a few of the works that are
critical for understanding the role of esoteric Buddhism in contem-
porary Japan. Such works offer contemporary scholarly research fresh
insights into the ways in which new patterns are woven into the Japa-
nese cultural fabric. These insights may offer a corrective to contem-
porary studies on esoteric Buddhism that remain limited by sectarian
and linguistic compartmentalization. Such studies and reflections on
the more apparent expressions of esoteric Buddhism presented at the
beginning of this article converge to show that the influence of esoteric
traditions in contemporary Japan is fluid and has spread beyond the
limits of temples and sects.