Skip to main content
Log in

Never Die Alone: Death and Birth in Pure Land Buddhism

Jonathan Watts and Yoshiharu Tomatsu, editors, 2008, Jodo Shu Press (Tokyo, 978-4-883-63041-7, 175 pp.)

  • Book Review
  • Published:
Journal of Bioethical Inquiry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This is a review of a collection of six essays. These essays, with the exception of one, are written by the followers of Shin Buddhism (Pure Land Buddhism). The last essay in this collection is written from the perspective of Theravada Buddhism rather than Mahayana Buddhism. This collection is a result of the initiative by Rev. Yoshiharu Tomatsu who, as a Buddhist priest, has acquired hands-on experience in dealing with grieving Temple members and became acutely aware of the discrepancy between a medical system and a ritualistic Buddhist system. While a medical system overlooks the spiritual needs of the dying, a Buddhist temple system neglects the spiritual needs of the living. This book ensued from a project that was initiated in 2006 and focused on the above-mentioned missing links, aiming to bring into conversation medical and religious practitioners.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Becker, C. 2008. Embracing the Pure Land vision: Coming to grips with dying through living. In Never die alone: Death as birth in Pure Land Buddhism, edited by J. Watts and Y. Tomatsu, 67–89. Tokyo: Jodo Shu Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum, M.. 2008. Never die alone: Shonen as intersubjective experience. In Never die alone: Death as birth in Pure Land Buddhism, edited by J. Watts and Y. Tomatsu, 1–16. Tokyo: Jodo Shu Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brazier, D. 2008. Freedom to die: Approaching Amida in a state of grace. In Never die alone: Death as birth in Pure Land Buddhism, edited by J. Watts and Y. Tomatsu, 91–126. Tokyo: Jodo Shu Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Spiritual Friends of Supapon Pongpruk. 2008. Death without Pure Land? Preparing for a peaceful death in the Thai Theravada tradition. In Never die alone: Death as birth in Pure Land Buddhism, edited by J. Watts and Y. Tomatsu, 127–151. Tokyo: Jodo Shu Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomatsu, Y., and J. Watts. 2008. Ancient myth of impending reality? The Pure Land experience of Ojo and Honen’s instructions for death. In Never die alone: Death as birth in Pure Land Buddhism, edited by J. Watts and Y. Tomatsu, 21–56. Tokyo: Jodo Shu Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ilana Maymind.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Maymind, I. Never Die Alone: Death and Birth in Pure Land Buddhism . Bioethical Inquiry 14, 451–455 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-017-9788-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-017-9788-7

Keywords

Navigation