MEMBERS: New Book for BTSD Lending Library
Many Sangha members and Dharma Friends have seen the video of the June 27 Dharma Message from Sharon Sasaki. We recommend it and the video is posted below.
Sharon Sasaki, Dharma School Staff and Temple Member, on “Awareness of Self & Nembutsu.”
In the talk, she references and adapts several slides from the short booklet, The Awareness of Self: A Guide to the Understanding of Shin Buddhism by Rev. Gyodo Haguri, first published in Japanese.
About the Video
Haguri Sensei's model of the self helps inform the latter part of the video, and underscores the reminder that Amida's compassion accepts us just as we are, limitations and all, liberating us from the limitations of the instinctive ego.
“Mysterious Dharma Connections”
Sharon Sasaki’s reference is not the only link we have to the book by way of our Sangha. The book was translated into English by Rev. William Masuda. Rev. Masuda, now retired, may be known to many in our Sangha as the father of Temple Member Peter Masuda; Peter and Amy Masuda have been active in our Sangha for many years. Both Sharon and Peter are MKs, Minister’s Kids. Sharon’s father is Rev. LaVerne Sasaki. Both ministers recognized and appreciated for their service.
About The Awareness of Self
Although first written and published in Japanese, the book by Haguri Sensei in part comes out of his experience as a BCA minster in the first half of the previous century. In the 1967 prologue we learn from Takudo Haguri, that the senior Haguri served in San Francisco, Fresno, Oakland, and Guadalupe from 1908 to 1922. Even after returning to Japan — and publishing many works in Japanese — Haguri Sensei kept in touch with Dharma friends here in the United States and thought it would be helpful to future generations if he could share an English translation of his 1953 Shinshin no Kakumei: Tariki Shinko no Kyokuchi (Transforming One’s Entire Being: The Culmination of Other Power Faith). Many individuals are credited with helping this to occur in the front matter fo teh book.
The translation was first published in 1967, copyrighted by Takudo Haguri on behalf of the author’s estate. The version readily available is the 2015 second printing, published by the Buddhism Education Center in Anaheim, California. This group is associated with the Orange County Buddhist Church.
The 2015 edition includes additions of A Parable, Prologue and Epilogue by the late and prominent Shin Buddhist teacher, Rev. Taitetsu Unno. The book is 79 pages.
Where to Find Copies
Currently the book is not readily available in new editions but can be found online in used copies. Most are reasonably priced.
Amazon. If you decide to buy through Amazon, don’t forget to use smile.amazon.com and designate the recipient of a small micropayment to go to Buddhist Temple of San Diego!
For Temple Members: Available to Borrow
The Awareness of Self will now be available on loan to any Temple Member on request. Just contact the office and we can mail it to you or hold it for you to pick up. The Temple’s library serves as a lending library to all our members.
More Physical Copies in BTSD Bookstore this Fall
We also expect to have more copies available for sale in our bookstore, if indeed resumption of onsite services is in the cards.
Doctrinal Issues
In the Biographical Information in the back of the book, appears this statement:
Rev. Haguri was the author of “numerous publications in Japanese, some controversial from the Hongwanji standpoint.”
Is this a big deal? This comment should not deter us from benefitting from Haguri Sensei’s observations on Shin Buddhism based on his time in both United States and Japan.
BTSD Members’ Lending Library
Over the summer we are reorganizing the Lending Library and hope to make it easier for all Temple Members (and all Dharma School students) to borrow books from the library to learn more about Jodo Shinshu. Each month we will highlight a new book for your consideration.
If there is a Shin Buddhist or other Buddhist Title you are interested in, just let the Temple know.
The ability to borrow a book is available to all Temple members in good standing.