Toward a Contemporary Understanding of Pure Land Buddhism

Dennis Hirota is Professor of Asian Studies at Chikushi Jogakuen University, Dazaifu, Japan. He is the head translator of The Collected Works of Shinran and has published extensively on Pure Land Buddhist thought and Buddhist aesthetics in both English and Japanese. His works include Plain Words on the Pure Land Way: Sayings of the Wandering Monks of Medieval Japan; Shinran: An Introduction to His Thought; No Abode: The Record of Ippen; and Wind in the Pines: Classic Writings of the Way of Tea as a Buddhist Path.

"Pure Land Buddhism is well-poised for dialogue in relation to postmodern issues. The interdisciplinary and cross-religious discussions represented in this book are a fine start." — Thomas P. Kasulis, Ohio State University"This book goes beyond any Japanese works in its efforts to make Pure Land Buddhism meaningful for contemporary people, whether East or West." — Taitetsu Unno, Smith College

• A Note on the FormatIntroductionDennis HirotaPart OneContemporary Interpretations of Pure Land Buddhist Tradition 1. Images of Reality in the Shin Buddhist PathA Hermeneutical ApproachDennis Hirota 2. Understanding Amida Buddha and the Pure LandA Process ApproachJohn S. Yokota 3. Mandala Contemplation and Pure Land Practice: A Comparative StudyA Buddhological ApproachMusashi Tachikawa Part TwoResponses from Two Western Religious Thinkers 4. Pure Land Buddhism TodaySome Methodological Issues in Recent Revisionist InterpretationsGordon D. Kaufman 5. A Christian Critique of Pure Land BuddhismJohn B. Cobb, Jr. Part ThreeReconsiderations of Buddhist Theological Reflection 6. Dialogic Engagement and TruthDennis Hirota 7. A Call to CompassionJohn S. Yokota 8. The World and Amida BuddhaMusashi Tachikawa AfterwordDennis Hirota Bibliography List of Contributors Index