Unlocking Tannisho: Shinran's Words on the Pure Land Path
Shinran, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist monk, is acknowledged as the founder of the Jodo Shinsu sect of Pure Land Buddhism; the Tannisho, also known as the Lamentations of Divergences, is a record of his thought. This new version was prepared for Japanese readers by Takamori, the chair of the Jodo Shinsu organization, in 2008. A hit in Japan, it abbreviates some portions of the Tannisho while expanding upon and explaining others. Both Takamori and translator Carpenter emphasize the misinterpretations to which Shinran’s ideas are prone, and, for the Buddhist reader, this lavishly illustrated book should go a long way toward expounding a direct and truly Japanese understanding of Shinran’s teaching.VERDICTTakamori’s version of the Tannisho should make an important addition to any library on Japanese Buddhism, academic or personal.  --Library Journal Review - July 1, 2011“Tannisho (Lamenting the Deviations) is a major Pure Land Buddhist classic. Although it is little known in the West, it is one of the most important texts to appear in the history of religion. InUnlocking Tannisho, Juliet Winters Carpenter’s skillful translation and Kentetsu Takamori’s unambiguous commentary clarify the essential meaning of this text that offers a universal spiritual challenge for modern people.”--Dr. Alfred Bloom (author ofThe Essential Shinran: A Buddhist Path of True Entrusting)