Selected Writings of Nichiren

by Nichiren and Burton Watson et al.

Book Overview

This collection of Nichiren's five major doctrinal works, with his autobiography and assortment of letters, will become an indispensable research tool for students of Japanese Buddhism. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231072600
• ISBN13: 9780231072601
• Release Date: April 1990
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 508 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Excellent

This volume, like its sister volume, "Letters of Nichiren," contains superb explanations, background and excellent translations of some of Nichiren's most important writings. It will appeal to all Soka Gakkai members as well as anyone interested in Nichiren. Excellent.

Some of Nichiren Daishonin's Most Important Writings

Selected Writings of Nichiren is an English rendition of the major works of Nichiren (1222-1282), a Buddhist teacher in 13th century Japan. The founder of the Buddhist school that bears his name, Nichiren was a prolific writer, and much of his work remains extant. The book contains what are called "The Five Major Works," as well as a detailed autobiography and six letters Nichiren sent to his followers. The autobiographical section gives a dramatic and powerful account of eight years during the period when the Mongol Empire sent envoys to Japan to demand fealty. The translations do justice to the clarity and wisdom of the original prose, while the annotations offer important background information. The translations are chiefly the work of Burton Watson, adjunct professor of East Asian languages and cultures at Columbia University. The companion volume, Letters of Nichiren, is also a must-have for any follower or student of Nichiren.I also highly recommend Burton Watson's masterful translation of The Lotus Sutra.

The ONE Buddhist book to have a on a deserted island!!

358 pages of text, another 250 pages of appendice's, notes, glossary and index. American Buddhists are fortunate to be only one translation away from the original letters (Gosho) written by Nichiren Daishonin (Japan 1222-1282). The five "major" writings included in this book comprise the essence of Nichiren's revelation of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo as the law of life and the universe, the proper object of worship (the Gohonzon), the invocation (called daimoku), and its applicablility to everyone. There are many more letters of Nichiren than these and indeed this volume includes a selection of miscellaneous letters of encouragement that Nichiren wrote to his followers. The scholars have included notes to give context to references in the text and the glossary of terms keeps the reader armed with the facts necessary to understand Nichiren's message. I carry this book with me wherever I travel to keep up with the Nichiren practice of "study" of the three practices of "faith, practice, and study". For the person wanting a cursory look at Buddhism and Nichiren's Buddhism, I recommend reading "The Fundamentals of Buddhism". SGI(Soka Gakkai International) members will find the organization's magazine "Living Buddhism" easier going. For those wanting to study from the perspective of scholars rather than Nichiren propoents, this is the right book. My rating of 8 vice 10 is because this is not light reading.