Heart of the Shin Buddhist Path: A Life of Awakening

A very well-meant effort, not lacking in scholarship, but it suffers from "Modernism" in that it attempts to depotentiate and demystify the figure of Amida/Amitabha/Amitayus Buddha by making him a mere symbol of an impersonal Enlightenment mechanism. Sadly, this is typical of a kind of spiritual infection that is toxically "re-interpreting" the Jodo Shinshu/Shin Buddhism faith, an attempt to adopt and adapt Shin to current Western materialism, reductionism, and atheism.If Amida is not a "real Buddha", then his gift of Shinjin ("perfect faith") - the central transcendental factor in Shin - also becomes unreal and empty, devoid of any meaningful salvific capacity. That's the problem with Modernism: it strips the original teaching down to a thin, weak set of claims which the modern "rational" mind can digest without any metaphysical discomfort. to its materialist presuppositions. As such, it is a betrayal of its roots, of its originating sages (Honen, Shinran, Rennyo), and of Amida Buddha himself - a "him" and a "who" that Modernism reduces to an "it" and a "what".That is the problem with this book. While claiming to offer a pragmatic understanding of Shin, it actually offers only a typically materialist, "secular" reduction of the faith, destroying its transcendental core and keeping only "easily-accepted" (for the West and the modern world in general) surface features. Amida Buddha is reduced to a mere symbol and Shinjin is reduced to some kind of mundane psychological process. That's Modernism, but it's not Shin.

This is a much expanded version of an earlier book and set of ideas of Takamaro Shigaraki's, long out of print. His is a profound re-interpretation of Shin Buddhism, taking into account the Mahayana background and references to Zen, etc. Perhaps the strongest element of it is the dismantling of interpretations of Shin that assume dualism, and especially a faith in a completely separate power, etc., as if Amida was some kind of deity. The first half of the book is stronger than the second half (particularly for non Shin Buddhists, like this reviewer), because of its focus on this dismantling. The second half is fairly straightforward Shin/Pure Land teaching. Among the profound discussions in the book is the interconnection between deep evil and deep mind (roughly, that it is in the graininess of our deepest evil that we discover and are discovered by our spirituality (the darkest shadow we cast is an oblique expression of the brightest light). Such was Shinran's insight.Parts of this book are on the same level as D.T. Suzuki's old Shin Buddhism book (an entry into the Shin 'mind world" for Zen practioners) -- one of the great spiritual books of the 20th century.

On several occasions the author states that we are all going to hell. I could be wrong, but I didn't even think that "hell" exists in Buddhism. Plus, the book is about twice a long as it needs to be. Often he says the same thing over and over. I agree with others here that the author appears to interject many of his own beliefs - and that turned me off.

I bought this book for my spouse, he has been carrying it with him and reading it since he eagerly got it out of the wrapping. He and I both have a very substantial library - many Buddhist books and periodicals make up one wall - and he has said of this particular book: "So many Shin Buddhist books I have are like Masters Theses; THIS is like a PhD!".Highly recommend for all levels of practitioners - even if you are not ready for it yet, you will be so happy to have it when you are!5 glowing stars!

A very good introduction to Shin Buddhism that serves simultaeneously as an introduction to Buddhist philosophy in general.

on Shinjin and Shin Buddhism. This book was very eye opening, and made me understand Shin Buddhism far more than I had before.

Some teachings are different from Takamori's book especially about the nembutsu. But still a good read. It offers a different perspective on Shin Buddhism.

Professor Shigaraki is an outstanding figure and deservedly so. Though his viewpoints are unapologetically modern he connects these viewpoints with the early writings of the founder of Shin Buddhism, Shinran. While Shigaraki skills as a scholar and a researcher are beyond critique, he also writes with the humility of a fellow traveler and the beauty of a poet. Given how many writers still make factual errors in regards to Pure Land Buddhism, I would consider this one of the must haves for anyone interested not just in Shin Buddhism but Buddhism as a whole.

I found this book a marvellous serious mystical and philosophical treatment of a much-misunderstood dharma approach. Having read Honen and Shinran, and the few books available on Dhin Buddhism, I found this very insightful, challenging some of the easily formed opinions I had meintained. The mystical understanding of nature, the deep philosophical apparatus applied to the aspect of non-self and the important notion of "other-power", the urging insistence on developing a social active consciousness make this a book to read and reread.,

A very good depth account of the shin Buddhist path. I would recommend this book to Pure Land Buddhists, those interested in Shinran, and those seriously interested in East Asian Spirituality. An inspiration to read.

This is not an easy read. Rather, it is a fairly comprehensive study of Shin Pure Land Buddhism by one of the great academics in the field. To be honest, I am a fan of Shigaraki. I often refer to this book.

Put simply if you have any interest in Mahayana Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism or Shin Buddhism this book is strongly recommended. The text is clear, logically structured and presents a coherent central argument. The views are fascinating even if you do not agree with them.I struggle with the view that Shin Buddhism must be seen in a strict 'authentic' sense. Shinran's teachings in no way accord with the Larger Sutra, or any of the Pure Land sutras come to that (to say nothing of the other sutras he misquotes). If we want 'authentic' scriptural teaching it seems to me we simply cannot be Shin Buddhists at all.Shin is an evolution of Pure Land thinking and clarification may be prudent, provided we don't distort the teaching into some secularised teaching that it clearly is not. Dr Shigaraki takes pains to evidence his arguments extending down to the literal meanings of Chinese and Japanese characters. Dr Shigaraki's thesis attempts to link Shin Buddhism to wider Mahayana philosophy and so is an attempt to make it 'more Buddhist' not less so.The depth of research, clarity of expression make this text a compelling read.

Buyer beware. This is NOT the authentic dharma teaching of true Shin Buddhism ( ie. as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha, Master Shinran Shonin and Master Rennyo Shonin ) but rather a modernist interpretation of it based on the author's speculations. For authentic Shin Buddhism ( Jodo Shinshu ) look up Paul Robert's videos on YouTube and the 'Amida-Ji Retreat Temple' website.