Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

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明安 Myoan
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Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

Post by 明安 Myoan »

I'm beginning a small project to make more Pure Land texts available in Spanish.
My Spanish isn't perfect, but a cursory search of the internet will show you there is virtually nothing available on Pure Land for the second most spoken language in the world, especially regarding Shin.
In fact, I've only really found a translation of the Amitabha Sutra.

Can someone recommend pithy introductory texts that might pique someone's interest?
I can read English and French.

A lot of texts I find online seem to target those who are already devotees, or otherwise are nearly book length.

I'd also appreciate any help in proof-reading translations for errors, or contributing translations as well.

Thank you!
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DewachenVagabond
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Re: Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

Post by DewachenVagabond »

I thought A Standard of Shinshu Faith (https://www.academia.edu/19032683/A_Sta ... nshu_Faith) was a really good short and simple text on Jodo Shinshu.

Guide to Jodo Shinshu Teachings and Practices (http://calgary-buddhist.ab.ca/wp-conten ... SGuide.pdf) and Jodo Shinshu: A Guide (http://buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/jo ... u-a-guide/) are decent introductions to Modern Jodo Shinshu thought.
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Re: Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

Post by User 3495 »

Good idea! If you want to broaden the topic a little you can include this great introductory text to Jodoshu: http://www.jsri.jp/English/Honen/WRITIN ... kusho.html
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Re: Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

Post by DewachenVagabond »

I just ran across a Shinran Shonin Facebook page in Spanish. I don't know if the page has any links to Pure Land books in Spanish, but it certainly has a lot of quotes. https://www.facebook.com/Shinran-Shonin ... 596635190/
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明安 Myoan
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Re: Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

Post by 明安 Myoan »

Excellent texts for me to begin translation in to the few languages I can hopefully write comprehensibly in.
Any similarly concise texts for Jodo Shu would also be appreciated.
I began with Honen's One-Sheet Document.
There are many lovely letters and the like in Promise of Amida Buddha, however one challenge I find with PL texts in general is they presuppose a ton of knowledge. For example, what samsara is, what escaping it means, what a Buddha is...

I haven't yet really found a text that might capture someone's interest if they have little to no knowledge of Buddhism like I have with other traditions that for example start with everyday life and show the impermanence, suffering, etc. of experience.
The Shinshu Standard gets pretty dang close with its approachable Q&A format.

If someone asked me "What is Pure Land Buddhism?" I'm not sure how I would answer in under 10,000 words.
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Re: Good Concise Intro Texts to Shin?

Post by Admin_PC »

Have you thought about Chinese Pure Land?
Pure Land of the Patriarchs - http://www.ymba.org/books/pure-land-pat ... patriarchs
In One Lifetime: Pure Land Buddhism - http://www.amitabha-gallery.org/pdf/plc ... udhism.pdf
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