Recommended Readings

http://astore.amazon.ca/stevestobuddh-20

River of Water, River of Fire: An Introduction to the Pure Land Tradition of Shin Buddhism by Taitetsu Unno Dr. Taitetsu Unno, a retire Professor of Religion of Smith College, and one of the leading authorities on Shin Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) in the West, illustrates the spiritual practice and philosophy of “Pure Land” Buddhism through his book, River of Water, River of Fire. Drawing upon his own personal experiences, such as the tragic suicide of his close friend as a youth, Dr. Unno explains to readers what Shin Buddhism is, in a manner that is very clear and accessible for those with little or no knowledge of “Pure Land” Buddhism. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn into Gold by Taitetsu Unno Written four years after River of Water, River of Fire, in 2002, Dr. Taitetsu Unno further illustrates the philosophy and spiritual practice of Shin Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) in his book, Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn into Gold. As in River of Water, River of Fire, Dr. Unno again draws upon his own personal life experiences to illustrate the tradition and significance of Shin Buddhism. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Buddha of Infinite Light: The Teachings of Shin Buddhism, the Japanese Way of Wisdom and Compassion by Daisetz T. Suzuki Buddha of Infinite Light is a complete revised edition of Shin Buddhism, which is based on a transcription of a talk given by D T Suzuki in 1958 to the American Buddhist Academy. Dr. Suzuki is one of the most popular Zen personalities, and has been attributed for first introducing Zen to the West. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Coffinman: The Journal of a Buddhist Mortician by Shinmon Aoki Coffinman is the autobiography of Shinmon Aoki and his experiences of working as a nokanfu (mortician). Through his profession as a mortician, Shinmon Aoki comes to understand the philosophy of Shin Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu), and the Jodo Shinshu view of death and dying. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Shinjin Sho-n, Jodo-Shinshu Essays: 1953 - 1962 by Gyodo Kono

Shinjin Sho-n, Jodo-Shinshu Essays: 1953 - 1962 by Gyodo Kono Shinjin Sho-n, Jodo-Shinshu Essays is a collection of Reverend Gyodo Kono’s (1911 - 1975) essays on Shin Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) from 1953 - 1962. Published by The Nembutsu Press, Los Angeles Copyright at 2001, Midwest Buddhist Temple

Naturalness: A Classic of Shin Buddhism by Kenryo Kanamatsu Kenryo Kanamatsu first wrote this inspirational and thought provoking piece on Shin Buddhism in 1949. This recently revised edition of Naturalness (2002) has an introduction by Dr. Taitesu Unno. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Bukkyo Tozen: A History of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in Canada 1905 - 1995 by Terry Watada Bukkyo Tozen, written by Toronto Buddhist Church member Terry Watada, contains a well researched and detailed history of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in Canada. This book is highly recommended for those who are interested in the history of Jodo Shinshu/Shin Buddhism in Canada.

Obchan's Garden (Film) by Linda Ohama Obachan’s Garden is a biography of Linda Ohama’s grandmother (obachan), Asayo Murakami, who was 103 years old at the time this film was made. This well made and well researched film examines the community of Steveston, British Columbia and the Japanese Canadian experience.

The Dhammapada: Verses on the Way Translated by Glenn Wallis A new translation on the teachings of the Buddha with a guide to reading of the text. Quote from the foreword: “By distilling…sheer volume of the Buddha’s teachings into concise, crystalline verses, the Dhammapada makes the Buddhist way of life available to anyone.” Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Little Book of Inner Peace by The Dalai Lama Advice on how to live a peaceful life and contribute to a better world. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada) Amazon.com (U.S.)

Nukimori / Warmth by Takayuki Ashikaga

Nukimori / Warmth by Takayuki Ashikaga A series of articles from the Shinko magazine. The articles, while brief and easy to read, are very insightful.

The Collected Works of Shinran: Volumes 1 & 2 Volume 1: The Writings Volume 2: Introductions, Glossaries and Reading Aids

No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life by Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh is a well known Vietnamese Zen Master, poet and peacemaker, who was nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr for the Nobel Peace Prize. In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh discusses the Buddhist no-dualist views of life and death, and show how we could overcome our anxiety of death. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada)

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh Another book writted by Vietnamese Zen Master and poet Thich Nhat Hanh. In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh discusses the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha. This book provide a lot of insight into the teachings of the Buddha. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada)

Buddha Dharma: The Way to Enlightenment by Numata Center This is the revised second edition of the Buddha Dharma published by the Numata Ceter for Buddhist Translation and Research in 2003. This 800 + paged text contains a wealth of information on Buddhism and on the life of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Teachings of Buddha by Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) The Teachings of Buddha is published by Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism), and is available in many different languages (translations). This book contains a lot of information on Buddhism and the Buddha's teachings. For more information about this book, please visit Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai's website.

Many Ways to Nirvana by The Dalai Lama "Many Ways to Nirvana" comprises of a dialogue with His Holiness The Dalai Lama. This book is very inspirational, and is a power guide to help us live better lives. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada)

Ocean: An Introduction to Jodo-Shinshu Buddhism in America by Kenneth Kenichi Tanaka "Ocean", written by Kenneth Tanaka, is an excellent resources book for those who want to learn more about Jodo Shinshu/Shin Buddhism. This book is clearly written, and is ideal for those starting out on their studies of Shin Buddhism.

Anger: Wisdom For Cooling The Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh "Anger", wirtten by Vietnamese Zen Master and poet Thich Nhat Hanh, is a book that explores dealing with the emotion of anger through mindfulness. This book serves as a power guide to better our lives through the teachings of the BUddha. Available at: Amazon.ca (Canada)

Shonshinge: The Heart of Shin Buddhism by Rev Dr Alfred Bloom Rev Dr Alfred Bloom is a renowned Shin Buddhist scholar, and ordained Jodo Shinshu priest. In this book, Dr Bloom examines in detail Shinran Shonin’s Shoshinge. For more information on Dr. Bloom, please visit his website Shin DharmaNet .