Buddha by Faith Alone?: True Pure Land Buddhism, and what Christians can learn from it
About this book
It is the largest Buddhist sect in Japan, comprising some 60% of all Japanese Buddhists.The thought of its founder is among the most influential in Japanese philosophy.Its key idea of 'faith' or deep entrusting in Buddha sounds strikingly similar to Christianity. No, it's not Zen - a small minority sect in comparison. It is Jodo Shinshu, True Pure Land Buddhism. So why has Jodo Shinshu received so little attention in the West? Why has its founder Shinran's thought gone so unnoticed? And how might his teachings help Christians understand Buddhism and their own faith better? Scholarly but readable, this e-booklet will be of interest to general readers in Christianity and Buddhism, historians of the western reception of Buddhism, and anyone interested in comparative theology and inter-faith encounter. "Father Thomas Plant has written an admirably lucid and succinct comparative study of Shin Buddhism in light of Christian theology drawing, in particular, on the great sixth-century master, Dionysius the Areopagite. This work demonstrates a highly-nuanced understanding of the two traditions and sheds new light on difficult issues that are often overlooked or largely misunderstood. It also deals, very skilfully, with the notion of spiritual paradox as key to a deeper understanding of divine mysteries. Father Plant accomplishes his task with both rigour and sensitivity, demonstrating an impressive grasp of the subtleties in Shinran's teaching while establishing important parallels with the profound doctrines of Dionysius. Accordingly, he offers a solid basis for a richer and more satisfying form of Buddhist-Christian dialogue than is often witnessed today."- Rev John Paraskevopoulos, Hongwanji Buddhist Mission of Australia