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 Sensitive intro to Japanese Pure Land Buddhism
In a series of five transcribed lectures delivered at the American Buddhist Academy in New York in 1958, Zen teacher and scholar D.T. Suzuki presents a concise, non-sectarian introduction to the theology and ethics of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. Those looking for a history of Pure Land (or Shin Buddhism, as it's known in Japan) or descriptions of its different schools may want to look elsewhere.
A Buddhist reformation of sorts, Shin Buddhism was an effort to cut to the core of Buddhist faith, to do away with ecclesiastic privilege by providing the laity with a simple and inexpensive route to salvation. It is ironic that it is explicated here by a Zen monk, who finds Shin Buddhism more difficult to explain and to practice than Zen. It requires, Suzuki says, more than just the simple recitation of the name Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Light. It requires more importantly that one give up spiritual pretense, abandon striving, put aside ideas of meaning, and live simply in the moment, as one is, with what is - to live in purposelessness. It is only then, he argues, that we are born in the Pure Land, a place that is experienced in the here and now, a place that "we are carrying with us all the time . . . , [that] is surrounding us everywhere."
Suzuki read widely in philosophy and theology and to assist his Western audience he makes frequent comparisons in these lectures of Pure Land to Christianity, concluding that though Amida Buddha is mythical and Jesus of Nazareth historical, their real meaning and significance is found only at the level of individual experience. Both are born in our hearts, or our souls, out of the silence and the release of self, in which the only thing that exists is the one, embodied in the names Amida and Christ.
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 Great introduction to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism
Ever since the first Englishman translated the final words of the Buddha as "work out your own salvations with diligence," the English-speaking West has associated Buddhism almost exclusively with the cool, detached path of self-power and the attainment of enlightenment through the individual cultivation of wisdom, ethics, and meditation. Perhaps it is due to this limited understanding of the Buddhadharma, perhaps it is because so many Westerners have come to Buddhism in order to escape from a theistically oriented religion; whatever the reason, out of the millions of Westerners who now find themselves attracted to the Buddhadharma, few are familiar with the Buddhist path of Other-power, a path which finds its clearest expression in the Jodo Shinshu Buddhism of Japan.
Thankfully the folks at Shambhala Publications have decided to fill this gap in knowledge by updating and republishing a classic work by D.T. Suzuki, perhaps most well known in the West for his work on the Zen traditions of Japanese Buddhism. The result is this short, clearly written work which attempts to explain the essential teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism (aka Shin Buddhism) in a way that situates them squarely within a more familiar Buddhist worldview.
Suzuki admits up front that his presentation of Shin Buddhism, stripped of what he calls "accretions," will go directly against more traditional interpretations, and so obviously this book is not an exhaustive treatment of its subject. Instead the book sketches the basic premise of Shin Buddhism (i.e., Amida Buddha has vowed that anyone who calls out to him with sincere faith will be reborn in the Pure Land, a stainless realm whence anyone can attain enlightenment) and discusses its essential practice of reciting the *nembutsu* ("Namu-Amida-Butsu") in the context of standard Buddhist philosophical concepts (e.g., selflessness, emptiness, compassion, etc.).
So for Suzuki, the practice of reciting the nembutsu is not about calling out to a god for salvation, although that is certainly how it first appears. Instead "Namu" symbolizes self-power, "Amida Butsu" Other-power, and the conjunction of the two in the nembutsu is emblematic of the essential nonduality of oneself and the enlightened mind of the Buddha. Likewise, Suzuki explains that we cannot practice the sincerity necessary to call out to Amida because sincerity is the "perfect forgetting of oneself." In other words, what initially seems "too easy" is seen on closer analysis to be nigh impossible. This is why Shinran's modification of existing Pure Land Buddhist doctrines was, and is, so radical; for him, the nembutsu isn't a prayer or mantra to be put into practice (after all, what good would such practice be given our hopeless self-centeredness?) but an expression of gratitude for having already been swept up into the Pure Land through the absolute grace of Amida's compassion. For Shinran, the Pure Land itself is not merely understood as a post-mortem destination but is a radical re-envisioning and sanctification of the present moment. The strict separation between what is self and what is not-self, between what is samsara and what is nirvana, blurs; "When sincerity and insincerity are transcended, then Amida comes into our inner self and identifies himself with this inner self. Or, we can say, this self find itself in Amida. And when we find this self in Amida, we are in the Pure Land" (p. 41).
This is a great introduction to an often-overlooked school of Buddhist thought and practice.
A fine addition to a Shin Buddhism library
D.T.Suzuki is well known in the West for his discussions on Zen Buddhism, but many are not aware that he has a strong background in Shin Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) as well. His mother was a follower of Shin Buddhism, and has had a big influence on his life. This book is a good explanation of Shin Buddhism from the outside perspective of someone who isn't deeply involved in the more orthodox Hongwanji Branch of Shin Buddhism, but is nevertheless very familiar with it.
While many Shin Buddhism books explain what Shin Buddhism is, most are not well-suited Westerners who look at Shin Buddhism and have their doubts about Other-Power, the efficacy of the nembutsu, and so on. Suzuki nicely addresses these issues, and other concerns Westerners would have.
The book is short, but helps fill in gaps other Shin books leave wanting. This should be part of anyone's library if they're exploring Shin Buddhism, or wanting to take their knowledge further.
Namo Amida Butsu
Necessary for Shin Buddhism Studies!
This book is one of the classics for Teaching of Shin buddhism.
I felt that it had a bit of modernization to it, possibly due to translation Etc... and with the mention of Science and Metaphysics, even Voltaire which you don't hear about very often in a Shin guide.
I found it quick and to the point but it did skip around too much for my small one track mind.
Wow! Were's the Zen, Mama?
Just kidding!
This is an excellent primer in Shin Buddhism, written by a man who I actually thought was only a practitioner/teacher of Japanese Zen. It's really cool how Suzuki, as well as a few others, can convey the Shin tradition in a way that resonates with those of us who have practiced Zen.
While this IS a great introduction and interpretation of Jodo Shinshu, this really isn't the best introduction to Buddhism as a whole. If you want to know more about basic Mahayana Buddhism, then I recommend you buy a few books by Thich Naht Han. If you want to learn about the Theravada, then read Kornfield. But by all means, look into this Shin Buddhist practice, because the more I study it, the more I am pursuaded that it might very well be the best form of Buddhism for those of us who have to work for a living and then take care of our familes, as opposed to those who "hide out" in the tranquility of Zen Centers, Dharma Retreats, and Kai Kans (damn things!).
Have fun!
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