Taitetsu Unno
Encyclopedia
Rev Taitetsu Unno is a scholar, lecturer, and author on the subject of Pure Land Buddhism
. His work as a translator has been responsible for making many important Buddhist texts available to the English-speaking world and he is considered one of the leading authorities in the United States on Shin Buddhism, a branch of Pure Land Buddhism. Dr. Unno is an ordained Shin Buddhist minister and the founding Sensei of the Northampton Shin Buddhist Sangha.
He has published extensively on the subject of Pure Land Buddhism, his most famous works include: Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn Into Gold; River of Fire, River of Water and Tannisho: A Shin Buddhist Classic.
in Arkansas
. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
and received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Buddhist Studies from Tokyo University.
From 1971 to 1998 he taught Buddhism and Japanese aesthetics and was the Jill Ker Conway
Professor Emeritus of Religion at Smith College
. He retired in December 1998. He continues to travel as a lecturer on Japanese Buddhism, religion, and culture.
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
. His work as a translator has been responsible for making many important Buddhist texts available to the English-speaking world and he is considered one of the leading authorities in the United States on Shin Buddhism, a branch of Pure Land Buddhism. Dr. Unno is an ordained Shin Buddhist minister and the founding Sensei of the Northampton Shin Buddhist Sangha.
He has published extensively on the subject of Pure Land Buddhism, his most famous works include: Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn Into Gold; River of Fire, River of Water and Tannisho: A Shin Buddhist Classic.
Biography
Born in Japan in 1930, Taitetsu Unno immigrated to the United States at the age of six. During World War II he spent three and a half years imprisoned in the Rohwer internment campRohwer War Relocation Center
The Rohwer War Relocation Center was a World War II Japanese American internment camp located in rural southeastern Arkansas, in Desha County. It was in operation from September 18, 1942 until November 30, 1944, and held as many as 8,475 Japanese Americans forcibly evacuated from California...
in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Buddhist Studies from Tokyo University.
From 1971 to 1998 he taught Buddhism and Japanese aesthetics and was the Jill Ker Conway
Jill Ker Conway
Jill Ker Conway is an Australian-American author. Well known for her autobiographies, in particular her first memoir, The Road from Coorain. She was also Smith College's first woman president, from 1975–1985, and now serves as a Visiting Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
Professor Emeritus of Religion at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
. He retired in December 1998. He continues to travel as a lecturer on Japanese Buddhism, religion, and culture.
Essays
- “Is There a God? A Buddhist Answer” by Rev Taitetsu Unno
- “Contrasting Images of the Buddha” by Rev Taitetsu Unno