River of Fire, River of Water by Taitetsu Unno: A Review

Shin Buddhism is the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan.

Taitetsu Unno’s latest book River of Fire, River of Water: An Introduction to the Pure Land Tradition of Shin Buddhism, is a sensible and easily reached introduction on Shin Buddhism. Shin Buddhism teaches faith in the great Buddha using Amida as the vehicle to attain enlightenment. Taitetsu Unno knows the topic well and this shows in the way he writes the book. He is the chief authority in the United States on Shin or Pure Land

Buddhism. He has the necessary background on Shin Buddhism being an ordained Shin Buddhist minister. He has written a number of pieces on Shin Buddhism. His previous works include a translation of the well-known Tannisho which is a collection of sayings by Shinran the founder of Shin Buddhism. This book serves as a quick introduction to Shin.

River of Fire requires deeper reflection. Dr. Taitetsu Unno introduces us to the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan providing spiritual insight. Unno does not only discuss in detail the Shin Buddhist doctrine but also relates his own experience and the changes that took place in his while practicing Shin Buddhism for decades. The book is partly autobiographical. The main theme though does not revolve around his life.

Shin Buddhism serves to enrich the increasing practice of Buddhism in the United States, which was already introduced to other forms such as the Zen and Tibetan traditions. River of Fire, River of Water is the first introduction to the practice of Pure Land Buddhism from a trade publisher and is intended for readers even those without prior knowledge about it.

The Pure Land tradition went as far back as the sixth century c.e., when Buddhism was first established in Japan. Unlike Zen where is practiced mostly by monasteries in remote areas, the Pure Land tradition was the form of Buddhism practiced by ordinary people. It is applicable on the daily life of a person. This makes the Pure Land tradition more adaptable to those who seek the Buddhist way. The method may differ but the end goal is similar to the others which is the development of the true self.

Shin Buddhism has been the widespread Buddhist faith of Japan. Its practice is mainly contained within the Japanese communities in the United States which somehow limits its growth to other groups. Books such as this will provide necessary information that will make Shin Buddhism easily understood and attractive to people.

Shin Buddhism requires the practice of conscience and faith. It does not encourage compulsion. Simple faith and conscience are the most important requirement to be able to attain enlightenment not strict discipline and morality.

River of Fire, River of Water is both an “easy read” and a reference work. Chapter 6, “Nembutsu: The Name-that-Calls” gets to the heart of Shin Buddhism. One quote that stuck is :

“Philosophically speaking, the nembutsu is the self-articulation of fundamental reality. As such, the saying of the Name contains the alpha and omega of the Buddhist soteriological path.”

Faith in Amida Buddha simply means uttering the name of Amida Buddha, or the Nembutsu – “Namu Amida Butsu.” It is not an automatic chant but celebrates deep faith to Amida Buddha’s promise to save all troubled beings who request for help.

Unno uses a variety of angles in Shin Buddhism to communicate the simple doctrine behind a difficult to understand faith. He describes what the practice is like:

“The person who chooses the Shin path devotes hours, days, and years to the interior practice of deep hearing…. This initial stage of deep hearing is like mastering the theory. But this must be followed by the saying of nembutsu, the practice equivalent to mastering technique in dance. After that everything must be forgotten and the person must “just live,” but now live with awareness, sensitivity, and grace.”

This book can be used as an introduction to a deeper study into the fundamentals and history of Shin Buddhism. Or, it can provide enlightenment to a person who seeks it and wants to experience this great faith. It depends on the reader but whatever options he or she chooses will work.

River of Fire, River of Water is a wonderful elucidation on Shin Buddhism and the tranquil life of faith in Amida Buddha. The fact that it is published by a major publisher, Doubleday, gives the book the prominence it deserves. Hopefully, it touches many lives as it preaches the constructive and life-affirming path of Shin Buddhism, the natural way to enlightenment.

Albert Camus' The Plague and the Philosophy of Suffering

This is a book review on the book The Plague by Albert Camus. It talks about its views on suffering.

In The Plague by Albert Camus , Dr. Rieux and Father Paneloux take an opposing view on the philosophy of suffering. Dr. Rieux is the narrator of the story. Their place Oran is under siege by a mysterious plague. Its cause is unknown but it all started when the rats died in multitude usually by the thousands daily. Dr. Rieux all devotes his time and energy to attend to the needs of the sick in Oran. As he goes through the motions of his daily tasks he tries to grasp the meaning behind all the sufferings he witnessed.

Father Paneloux is a Jesuit priest who delivers a forceful sermon that is intended to sting and wake up the parishioners from their erring ways at the start of the plague. Paneloux says that the plague was God's way to separate the good people from the bad. It was the harvest of the "wheat" for heaven and the "chaff" will be left behind and be meted punishment of terrible suffering.

Dr. Rieux does not agree with Father Paneloux's message on his first sermon. He believes that suffering is not God's way of weeding out the good from the bad. He is more concerned with alleviating the suffering of the person instead of viewing it in the context of philosophy, extolling its virtues the way Father Paneloux does.

Their differences are further noticeable when they circumstances bring them together once again. During the plague, a local magistrate M. Othon's son falls victim to the illness. The family is forcibly quarantine. Jacques, the son, becomes the test case for Dr. Castel's newly discovered serum that is intended to counter the plague. Rieux, Paneloux, Tarrou, Castel and Grand watch as the serum is applied to the boy and wait. The boy twists in pain. As they watch they feel deeply affected. The serum unfortunately has no effect and the child dies.

Dr. Rieux feels very bothered by the child's death. He is troubled by the great suffering he witnesses before the child succumbs to his illness. On his way out of the hospital he gets into a heated discussion with Father Paneloux on the topic of death. Father Paneloux insists that death is an act of God and should not be questioned. He concludes that "perhaps we should love what we can't understand."

Father Paneloux's philosophy on suffering stresses the fact that God is behind it. The best we can do then in times of suffering is doing what we can during the times of difficulties. As Christians, we should believe that God has a purpose for allowing our suffering; we should trust that purpose and continue the task at hand in the midst of our struggles.

Although Dr. Rieux does not believe that God is behind everything, he and Father Paneloux are in agreement that we can only do what we can to overcome in the midst of our suffering.

Spirituality on Jane Eyre, the Scarlet Letter and Sula

Spirituality is a central component of the human experience. It pertains to one's relationship with the Higher Being or God. It is being in touch with the inner self as opposed to being religious which is concerned on external ceremonies.

The story Jane Eyre, The Scarlet Letter and Sula all have lessons about different degrees of spirituality woven into them. All three stories depict spirituality but present it differently.

Jane Eyre, the leading character of the novel, is a spiritual person. But the spiritual aspect of the story is best exemplified by Helen, an orphan Jane befriended at Lowood school. Jane's friendship with Helen enables us to see the contrast between her and her friend's state of spirituality. She described Helen as refined and puts emphasis on her spiritual nature. She belives that the beauty of Helen;s eyes is not due to its physical attributes but more on the radiance in them “her soul sat on her lips, and language flowed . . . [with] pure, full, fervid eloquence.” 


Helen was not afraid of how people's opinion of her. All that matters to her is her relationship with God. On deathbed, Helen confesses that she doesn't have loved ones since her father remarried. That is why she is not afraid of death. She is actually looking forward to it so she could meet the “mighty Universal Parent”. In Chapter Nine, we see a glimpse of Helen's deep spirituality. She does not belong to the earthly world that gives her no love and slim chances for a better future. Helen's resilience enables her face death with dignity. At the same time the courage Jane showed her enables her to live life with enthusiasm. Jane, on the other hand, could not comprehend Helen's insights. For her, heaven is earth and she could not put her faith entirely in God.

The Scarlet letter is probably the antithesis to spirituality. Actually, it is a lesson of spirituality that can be gleaned from a negative situation. In Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, we see a New World community practicing their strong Puritan beliefs. Puritans patterned their laws and ways of life after the bible. The unfortunate circumstance that befell on the story's main character, Hester Prynne, was not spared from its religious and spiritual connotations. 

Hester Prynne as the story goes, committed adultery and is made to wear a Scarlet Letter “A” on the chest of her garments. We see the entire story laced with Puritan teachings. As a matter of fact it was central to the story's theme. In the Scarlet Letter, we see a kind of spirituality that is closely linked to religious practices. And people were quite unforgiving despite their claims to be spiritual. It was Hester actually that seemed to radiate spirituality as she accepted her punishment with her head held high. She won the townsfolk's respect later through her goodness and willingness to help.

Sula revolves around character of the same name. Sula is probably the least spiritual among the characters in all three stories. Sula lives in the moment. She offers no excuses. No apologies for who she is. In short, she lives life as the opportunity presents. Morrison depicts Sula as a person that “had no center, no speck around which to grow”. Her life is an open book that borders on danger.

She has her faults- plenty of them. She watches her mother burn. She leaves her grandmother to a nursing home. She accidentally kills Chicken Little. And she sleeps with Nel's, her bestfriend, husband. But one thing Sula does not do is being untrue to herself. Morrison describes her as “She was completely free of ambition, with no affection for money, property or things, no greed, no desire to command attention or compliments-no ego.” 

Sula is not concerned with the life hereafter. She is more of the "here and now" person. Her independent spirit allows her to be free of the shackles of tradition. For instance, she rejects the idea that the woman is meant to be married, raise children, go into labor and be in pain. The women of the Bottom could not understand Sula and dislike her intensively. They actually unconsciously hate themselves because Sula made it plain to them how dreadful their lives have become by following conventions.

Sula's spirituality may not be as obvious as the others. But by being herself she has achieved almost the same feat. Morrison likens Sula's birthmark to a rose. In so doing, he recognizes the fact that by being herself, she has achieved the most important virtue a spiritually evolved person has.