Dr. Mark Blum

Biography

Mark Blum is a Professor and the Shinjo Ito Distinguished Chair of Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds an M.A. in Japanese Literature from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies, which he completed in 1990 at UC Berkeley. His specialization lies in Pure Land Buddhism in East Asia, with a core focus on the Japanese medieval period. He engages with topics such as Japanese Buddhist responses to modernism, Buddhist conceptions of death in China and Japan, and the historical consciousness within Buddhist thought. His research also examines the impact of the Nirvana Sutra (Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra) on East Asian Buddhism. Professor Blum has authored significant works including 'Origins and Development of Pure Land Buddhism' (2002) and has co-edited volumes such as 'Rennyo and the Roots of Modern Japanese Buddhism' (2005) and 'Cultivating Spirituality' (2011). Currently, he is preparing a translation of the Chinese Nirvana Sutra, expected to be published by the end of 2025, and is also completing a book titled 'Think Buddha, Say Buddha,' which explores the history of nenbutsu thought, practice, and culture.

Research Interests