Priest, saint, and founder of the independent school of Pure Land (Jodo) Buddhism in 12th century Japan, Honen Shonin’s importance has been largely unrecognised in the West, even though his legacy includes over twenty million living practitioners of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. ‘Honen the Buddhist Saint: His Life And Teachings’ is the first and only English translation of a biography of this remarkable man. Edited by Joseph A. Fitzgerald, this edition combines illustrations from Japanese religious sites as well as Honen’s own words which allow him to speak ‘from across the ages’, to any human being, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, who desires to have faith and gain knowledge. Honen was known to such figures as Alan Watts, Joseph Campbell, Martin Heidegger and Jack Kerouac and, in addition, to all specialists in Japanese history, among them the well-known and respected scholar D.T. Suzuki. For the first time a condensed and more readable version of this crucial text is available to English speaking scholars and practitioners. ‘World Wisdom has provided a priceless service to contemporary Pure Land Buddhists in making [Honen] and his teachings accessible to a wider readership. The Buddhist world will ever be grateful to them’ - Jim Pym, Pure Land Buddhist Fellowship, UK.
