Jodo Shinshu Buddhism for everyone
By Tanya Kato
As a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist and someone who’s interested in different religious traditions, I decided to participate in a Catholic Ignatian retreat. Held last November in South Pasadena, California, it started light and fun, but became deeper and more contemplative. Continue reading “Lay Voices: Buddhist at a Catholic Retreat”
Among the most innovative—even radical—Jodo Shinshu teachers who emerged during the 20th Century was Rijin Yasuda. Continue reading “Rijin Yasuda: Debunking Jodo Shinshu”
To our overseas Higashi Honganji districts and all of you, I extend my New Year’s greetings for year 2022. I also express my deep appreciation for your understanding and continued support of our Sangha. Continue reading “Greetings from new Chief Administrator Wataru Kigoshi”
To fellow seekers in our overseas Higashi Honganji districts, I wish you “Happy New Year.” Continue reading “2022 Greeting: Overseas District Abbot Yul Ōtani”
By Rev. Miki Nakura
(Renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh passed away this month in Vietnam at age 95.)
I once visited Thich Nhat Hanh’s Blue Cliff Monastery in upstate New York. When I was about to leave, a friend gave me a calligraphy written by the famous teacher that said, “The Pure Land is here and now.”
I immediately thought, “Oh, this is a koan (Zen riddle) that Thich Nhat Hanh is giving me.” The koan asked, “Miki, what does Pure Land mean to you? Continue reading “Thich Nhat Hanh’s Koan”
By Rev. Ken Yamada
Today, government mandates clash with personal rights; an unprecedented rise in wealth clashes with unrelenting poverty; political upheaval, military expansionism, and redefined social mores and identity abound. In these changing times, we must ask, “Is Jodo Shinshu Buddhism relevant?”
These challenges confront us now, but they also confronted a small group of innovative Buddhist thinkers a century ago, spurring them to redefine, modernize and find meaning in Jodo Shinshu, which for the previous two centuries had stagnated and grown moribund. For their contributions, they were persecuted, some even excommunicated by their own denomination. Their writings continue to be studied, debated, and valued in understanding Shinshu today. Continue reading “Seishinshugi: Shinshu’s Clash with the Modern World”