Buddha of Infinite Light
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Shin is the uniquely Japanese flowering of the type of Buddhism known as "Pure Land." It originated in the thirteenth century with the charismatic and prophetic figure Shinran (1172–1263), whose interpretation of the traditional Pure Land teachings was extremely influential in his own lifetime and remain so today. In a period when Japanese Buddhism was dominated by an elitist monastic establishment, Shinran's Shin teaching became a way of liberation for all people, regardless of age, class, or gender. Although Shin is one of Japan's greatest religious contributions—and is still the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan—it remains little known in the West. In this book, based on several lectures he gave in the 1950s, D. T. Suzuki illuminates the deep meaning of Shin and its rich archetypal imagery, providing a scholarly and affectionate introduction to this sometimes misunderstood tradition of Buddhist practice.
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I know Suzuki is viewed as controversial and problematic by traditional Pure Land Buddhists who believe in the Pure Land as a sort of “heaven”, similar to many Christians, but I enjoyed the way he writes immensely. Suzuki argues that the Pure Land is “right here, and those who have eyes can see it around them. And Amida is not presiding over an ethereal paradise; his Pure Land is this defiled earth itself.”
I don't know where I fall on that spectrum of belief just yet, but what I can say is that this is the most concise, clear explanation of Jodo Shinshu I have ever read. It may help that Suzuki directly compares and contrasts aspects of Shin Buddhism with Christianity- as a recovering Catholic, I found this really helpful. I wish I had read Buddha of Infinite Light a year ago, instead of starting with River of Fire, River of Water (╥﹏╥)
I highly recommend Suzuki's writing to anyone who is trying to get a fuller picture of the Shin tradition as a whole. He does not shy away from controversy, and explains his take on Jodo Shinshu in a forthright and simple manner.
