Jodo Shinshu Buddhism for everyone
Despite the many women actively involved with Jodo Shinshu temples, written expressions of their faith are rarely studied. Such works provide insight into their religious understanding and feelings on spiritual liberation, male sexism, and changing social mores. Now we can glimpse at those sentiments, thanks to a recently published work. Continue reading “Voices of Modern Shinshu Women”
By Rev. Kenjun Kawawata
This Sunday we celebrate Mother’s Day, a time to think about mom, but also about the life we live. Continue reading “Remembering Mother’s Day”
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”
Understanding Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in modern terms began largely thanks to certain influential teachers from the Higashi Honganji denomination. They include Manshi Kiyozawa, Ryojin Soga and Daiei Kaneko. Perhaps the most colorful and controversial was Rev. Haya Akegarasu. Continue reading “Buddhist Revolutionary: Haya Akegarasu”
By Rev. Ken Yamada
My first meaningful encounter with Buddhism came through the book “Everyday Suchness.” Why my best friend’s mother gave it to me, a mere primary schooler, I couldn’t say. Continue reading “Everyday Suchness of Rev. Kubose”
Here’s a presentation about how Honganji initially started as one temple that eventually split into two denominations, Higashi and Nishi, and how that split led to different interpretations of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Continue reading “History and Thought of Higashi & Nishi Honganji”