歎異抄 (Tannisho)

I didn't know my friend has read some Buddhist books so far. He said he could get it what buddhist philosophers/monks wrote, after all it is the Japanese way, he can't get it what christian faith says. I replayed "I can believe it.". In fact, I have sometimes wondered at he could understand what I said immediately for years. I asked him, saying "Which books have you read?". He told he has read some Suzuki Daisetsu's book and some pure land buddhism's book. I got it. That is, he agreed with theory behind Zen and he understood pure land buddhism's feeling, I think.



"歎異抄(Tannisho, Tannishou, たんにしょう)" is the book of pure land buddhism my friend read. It is one of wide-read buddhist book in Japan. If you are interesting in Japanese traditional cultures, I think you should read it once or should make the book one of your collection. I think you can read it in English. Although what you can understand is an aspect of Japanese buddhism. (I want to recommend "教行信証(Kyogyo-shinsho, きょうぎょうしんしょう)", but this one is too difficult for beginners and you need to buy some dictionaries of buddhism study.) Anyway, here's some friendly advice, you should read Tannishou at least if you are interesting in Japanese traditional cultures.



For me, I think pure-land buddhism thought was easiest to understand. I think the reason simply comes from I am a Japanese. There were many ir-rationalistic things but sensuously I could understand.



I took the photo at Tokorozawa city. The pinky ones are cherry petals.