In the article, Desire and Disgust, Meditations on the Impure Body in Medieval Japanese Narrative, by RAJYASHREE PANDEY, the aspects of Buddhist religion with respect to desire and hope re well elaborated. The author claims that the actions of the past has a direct impact on our lives. It is also stated all bodies are subject to destruction. The rebirths are as a result of the past activities performed by individuals while the good births are associated with blessings. Buddhism provides that desire plays an important role in causing suffering in the lives of individuals. Desire leads to the aspects of attachment certain things and situations in life. Buddhism criticizes desire in the sense that it is responsible it is a result of the mind and body complications. It is clear that both the body and mind are involved fully information of desires towards certain things in life. Mindful awareness is emphasized heavily in Buddhism since it relates to activities like breathing, sitting, standing and eating as well as resting that are also the functions of the body. This creates a link between the body and mind in facilitating various things like desires in life. The body is considered a potential site of impurity, lack of permanency, as well as the nature of attachment and desire. The impure nature of the human body is also determined through foul smell of the corpses. The meditation process helps in showing how impure the human body is. The body of women is viewed as beautiful outwards but in the real sense it is bad for men. The love and sexual desires are also shown to be detrimental to the lives of the people.
In the article, Black Hair and Red Trousers: Gendering the Flesh in Medieval Japan, By HITOMI TONOMURA, shows the role of sexuality in relation to gender in the Japanese society and history. The cultural aspects relating to male dominance are elaborated clearly in this article. The way in which women are viewed in the Japanese culture is also elaborated with an example of a woman taken hostage leading to her death at night. Gender relations and cases of sexuality are elaborated in this article, in relation to the cultural values of the Japanese. Attitude towards sex and gender is a factor influencing the nature of beliefs in the Japanese cultural issues. Sexuality and women are portrayed as a great hindrance to the success of men in the society. It is also evident that the action of marriage in Japan was not given recognition as shown by the fact that it has no any name attached to it. This made the concept of sexuality a matter of contradictory perceptions. The aspect of virginity in some cultures in Japan has got o meaning.
In the article, Marriage and Female Inheritance in Medieval Japan, By Noriko Kurushima, shows how marriage and the aspects of female inheritance are perceived in the Medieval Japan. The issue of marriage and inheritance is of the essence in showing the status of women in the society with respect to various roles and tasks. The status of women in Medieval Japan was subject to various customary laws. The legal status of women is elaborated in relation to the aspect of inheritance of property in the society. The issues related to occupation of the family are responsible for the deterioration of the status of women in the society. Marriage in Medieval Japan followed various rankings in the society. The aspects of marriage and inheritance are interlinked making it difficult to separate them during the cultural analysis.
