Dharma Breeze: Essays on Shin Buddhism

Dharma Breeze: Essays on Shin Buddhism

From the author’s Preface: Shin Buddhism and Zen Buddhism are the two major Buddhist traditions in Japan. Although many people in the United States know about Zen Buddhism, not many people know about Shin Buddhism, the teachings of Shinran (1173–1262). Even many of those who call themselves Shin Buddhists are uncertain as to what their religion is all about. Ever since I came to this country from Japan, I have been surprised by Shin Buddhists’ different understandings of their religion. Some understand it as an ethno-cultural teaching or an ethical teaching. Some regard it as a mystical teaching. Others interpret it as a religion similar to Christianity that talks about the salvation of the wicked by a loving savior.One of the basic reasons Shin Buddhism has not been adequately appreciated even by its followers is that its key concepts have not been explained in English in a comprehensive manner. Thus in this book I have attempted to give definitions and explanations of the basic concepts of Shin Buddhism. If my readers find them useful, I will be happy.This book consists of nineteen essays that I wrote for The Dharma Breeze, the newsletter of the Maida Center of Buddhism. I have rather arbitrarily organized them into four divisions. The first division (essays 1 through 4) explains Amida Buddha or the spirit of Dharmakara, the most important basic concept of Shin Buddhism. The second division (essays 5 through 8) deals with the Pure Land and birth in the Pure Land. The third division (essays 9 through 12) deals with “listening,” the true practice in Shin Buddhism. The last division (essays 13 through 19) deals with general topics such as the definitions of “Buddhist” and “happiness.”