First edition. Ink name stamp on front endpaper. 1988 Hard Cover. xii, 446 pp. 8vo. The Three Jewels is a crucial text for understanding lay attitudes toward tenth-century Japanese Buddhism, especially toward the influential Tendai tradition. Through Kamens's carefully annotated translation of the text, the reader gains insight into how many members at court must have viewed the complex ceremonies and traditions of a religious tradition which was often exotic and alien because of its origins in India and China. A reading of The Three Jewels suggests some of the ways in which Buddhism was adapted to meet the needs of the Japanese nobility. Of particular interest is Kamens's introduction, which evokes the sad and moving tale of Sonshi, the very young nun for whom the text is written. Kamens's book will be useful for anyone interested in Japanese religion, literature, or the status of women during the Heian period.