Taitetsu Unno, Shin Buddhist scholar and minister, dies at 85
December 15, 2014
Taitetsu Unno, Shin Buddhist scholar and minister, dies at 85
Taitetsu Unno, 1995. The image appeared in the Summer 1995 edition of Tricycle.
Rev. Dr. Taitetsu Unno—one of the world’s preeminent scholars of Jodo Shinshu (Shin) Buddhism and a longtime minister in that tradition—passed away on Saturday, December 13. He was 85 years old.
Unno’s final moments were spent surrounded by friends and family, including his son Mark, who describes his father’s enduring equanimity and gratitude:
To the very end, he was fully aware and at peace, saying, ‘Thank you for everything, Namu Amida Butsu [Buddha],’ and when he could no longer speak, simply putting his palms together in gassho. His family and close friends who came to visit in his last days and hours experienced the deep joy of being with him and chanting together, immersed in the rhythms of boundless compassion.
As stated in Mark’s recently released obituary, a summary of which follows, Taitetsu Unno was the eldest son of a Shin Buddhist minister. Born in the city of Kita-Kyushu, in Western Japan, he immigrated to the United States in 1935, at the age of six. During World War II, he and his family were forced to live in internment camps in both Rohwer, Arkansas and Tule Lake, California. Once the war was over, his family moved to California, where Unno would later study English literature at UC Berkeley. He went on to receive his MA and PhD in Buddhist Studies at Tokyo University in 1968.
Unno then taught Buddhist studies for 40 years, initially at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, then for 37 years at Smith College. He made remarkable contributions to Buddhist scholarship over that period, including two landmark works on Shin Buddhism: River of Fire, River of Water: An Introduction to the Pure Land Tradition of Shin Buddhism (1998) and Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turned into Gold (2002).
Alongside these academic pursuits, Unno ordained as a minister in the Shin tradition of Pure Land Buddhism and later served at Senshin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, CA. Once he retired from teaching, Taitetsu and his wife, Alice, opened the Northampton Shin Buddhist Sangha in Northampton, Massachusetts, which they directed until 2007.
In an interview with Tricycle five years ago, Unno drew upon a popular Shin poem to make a statement about the illusory separation that arises during the act of remembrance. In the wake of Unno’s death, we can read the statement, perhaps, as an instruction from this eminent teacher on how best to grieve his own passing:
A very famous teacher passed away and left this poem: ‘If you miss me, say “Namu Amida Butsu,” for I too live in the nembutsu [nondual light of the Buddha].’ In other words, if you have any questions about death or dying or where I am, say ‘Namu Amida Butsu,’ and that’s where I am. And you will also realize that’s where you are too.
—Ed.
Source: http://www.tricycle.com/blog/taitetsu-unno-shin-buddhist-scholar-and-minister-dies-85
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Inspiring post of Taitetsu Unno was a scholar, lecturer, and author. He was one of the world’s preeminent scholars of Jodo Shinshu (Shin) Buddhism and a longtime minister known for his work relating to Pure Land Buddhism. Well respected by many he founded the Northampton Shin Buddhist Sangha in Northampton. He devoted his career to working with Shin temples, Buddhist centres, and Buddhist groups in North America. He did received a number of awards for his contributions and for inspiring and guiding new generations of scholars and ministerial leaders . Many people around the world were encouraged and affected by his compassion, generosity, and spirit of peace.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Loh Seng Piow for this inspiring sharing.
First and foremost, condolences to the family and friends of Rev. Dr. Taitetsu Unno, for his passing is a great loss to people in his service. Thank you, Pastor Seng Piow for this sharing, this is the first time I read about Jodo Shinshu (Shin) Buddhism, which is considered popular in Japan. It is very interesting to note the Shin Buddhism advocates that Pure Land teaching where the birth in pure land starts the moment one entrusts oneself to Amithaba, and just by chanting “Namu Amida Butsu”.
In Buddhism, we are taught about impermanence, nothing lasts forever and at the time of death, we may have been someone who’s very rich, beautiful or handsome, well-educated, popular and etc, but none of this can guarantee us a good rebirth nor we can bring it with us when the time comes.
Although death is not something we should cherish but Mr Unno was very fortunate I must say, he held the Buddha and Buddhism very close to his heart and even at the time of death, the last thought he had was the Buddha Himself. This says a lot about his spiritual practise. Indeed a very inspiring man.
Nice article about a Buddhist minister who spent his life sharing the dharma with others.
Nineteenth Vow of Amitabha Buddha, “If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters, who awaken aspiration for Enlightenment, do meritorious deeds and sincerely desire to be born in my land, should not, at their death, see me appear before them surrounded by multitude of sages, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”
Eighteenth Vow of Amitabha Buddha, “If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however, are those who commit the five heinous sins, abuse the right Dharma.”
(According to the Visualisation of Amitayus Sutra) “The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, “The sentient beings in the lowest level of the lowest grade of rebirth are those who commit such evil acts as the five grave offenses and the ten transgressions, and are burdened with various kinds of evil. These foolish beings, because of their evil karma, shall fall into the evil realms of existence, and experience endless suffering for many aeons .
“When the life of such a foolish person is about to end, this person meets a virtuous and learned teacher who provides various kinds of comfort, expounds the exquisite Dharma, and urges mindfulness of the Buddha. If that person is too tormented by pain to be mindful of the Buddha, the virtuous friend says, ‘If you are unable to be mindful of the Buddha, you should recite the name of and take refuge in the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.’ And so, with a sincere mind and an uninterrupted voice, this person says, ‘Namo Buddha Amitayus’ even as few as ten times, and because this person says the Buddhas name, with every repetition, the evil karma binding this person to birth-and-death for eight million aeons is eliminated.
“When the lives of such people come to an end, a sun-like golden lotus flower appears in front of them. And in the interval of a single thought-moment, each person will immediately attain rebirth inside a lotus flower in the Realm of Ultimate Bliss.”
Blessed is the practice of calling the Buddha’s Name! 🙂