Buddha of Infinite Light: The Teachings of Shin Buddhism, the Japanese Way of Wisdom and Compassion

Shin
is the uniquely Japanese flowering of the type of Buddhism known as "Pure
Land." It originated in the thirteenth century with the charismatic and
prophetic figure Shinran (1172–1263), whose interpretation of the
traditional Pure Land teachings was extremely influential in his own lifetime
and remain so today. In a period when Japanese Buddhism was dominated by an
elitist monastic establishment, Shinran's Shin teaching became a way of
liberation for all people, regardless of age, class, or gender.

Although
Shin is one of Japan's greatest religious contributions—and is still the most
widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan—it remains little known in the
West. In this book, based on several lectures he gave in the 1950s, D. T.
Suzuki illuminates the deep meaning of Shin and its rich archetypal imagery,
providing a scholarly and affectionate introduction to this sometimes
misunderstood tradition of Buddhist practice.