David Brazier ordained as a Buddhist priest in 1976, studied all the major schools of Buddhism, and eventually founded Amida Shu, a Pure Land order, of which he was head from 1996 until retiring in 2020. His close disciples now meet as “Global Sangha”. He holds a doctorate in Buddhist psychology, has initiated socially engaged projects in several countries, and still teaches internationally and online. He is the author of more than a dozen books and many chapters, monographs, and podcasts.
I wrote...
The Dark Side of the Mirror: Forgetting the Self in Dogen's Genjo Koan
By
David Brazier
What is my book about?
Genjo Koan is the most seminal and key writing of Eihei Dogen (1200-1253) who was the most important writer in the Zen tradition in Japan. There are a number of translations into English, but these are mostly by Zen specialists. This book reveals the coherence of Dogen's original vision in its spiritual and historical context and thus provides a doorway into the profundity and range of Japanese Buddhism.
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The Books I Picked & Why
Japanese Temple Buddhism: Worldliness in a Religion of Renunciation
By
Stephen Covell
Why this book?
Most books on Buddhism emphasise the monastic tradition, meditation and a life of strict morality, removed from the everyday world of ordinary people. Much of Japanese Buddhism, however, is conducted by married priests living modern lives in direct interaction with secular society. This book provides an important antidote to contemporary stereotypes.
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Shapers of Japanese Buddhism
By
Koyu Sonoda,
Yusen Kashiwahara
Why this book?
This book includes twenty full and seventy-five brief biographies of significant figures in the history of Japanese Buddhism, some of them orthodox, many of them eccentric, each contributing some unique genius to the living tradition from the sixth century up to modern times. An excellent way to enter the spirit of the tradition with many stories to enjoy.
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Honen the Buddhist Saint: Essential Writings and Official Biography
By
Ryugaku Ishizuka,
Harper Havelock Coates,
Joseph A. Fitzgerald
Why this book?
Honen Sangha (1133-1212) revolutionised Japanese Buddhism. Famous in his own time yet exiled near to the end of his life he introduced an approach to practice that embraced ordinary people and appealed to all ranks of society. His mould breaking innovation paved the way for the emergence of the several new schools that still dominate the Buddhist scene in Japan today. and his humanity and warmth of character still inspire.
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Saigyo: Poems of a Mountain Home
By
Burton Watson,
Saigyo
Why this book?
Saigyo (1118-1190) was one of the most influential Japanese poets. His name means "Westward Journey" which implies moving toward the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha. The poems bring out the bitter-sweet quality of life, beauty and loneliness, blooming spring and frosty winter, cherry petals and tears that fall, echoing the deep emotionality and mystery of the spirit of Japanese Buddhism.
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The Monk Who Dared
By
Ruth M. Tabrah
Why this book?
A gripping work of fiction constructed around the known facts of the life of Shinran, the founder of Shin Buddhism which is today the largest denomination in Japan. The novel reveals a thorough appreciation of the social climate and circumstances while telling the tale of Shinran who - “neither monk nor layman” - carried forward the religious revolution of the Kamakura period.
