Jodo Shinshu Buddhism for everyone
By Rev. Patti Nakai
“What the heck,” a newcomer may wonder after hearing a common explanation of Jodo Shinshu. The explanation? “Just recite Namo Amida Butsu and rebirth after death is guaranteed in a bejeweled paradise called Pure Land.” Continue reading “Shinran Bound and Gagged (And Finally Released)”
By Rev. Steven Toyoshima
A black hole in outer space, once impossible to see, was just seen by a new telescope. Likewise, the great Buddhist teacher Manshi Kiyozawa tells us: use a telescope to see yourself. Continue reading “Black Holes and Kiyozawa”
By Rev. Wayne Yokoyama
Someday I hope Shinshu teacher Manshi Kiyozawa will be widely recognized as a truly brilliant mind of the modern era. He not only entered the Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji) denomination from the outside, his influence on religious thought extends far beyond his native Japan.
Buddhist scholar Daiei Kaneko represents a modern understanding of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, although he’s not widely known in the West. An e-book, “A Thinking Person’s Guide to Shin Buddhism,” captures his thinking and helps explain Shinshu in contemporary terms. Continue reading “Daiei Kaneko’s Guide to Shin Buddhism”