Paul Roberts was born in the Pure Land

Paul Roberts

"At the end of your life you will enter the family of the Buddhas, that is, the Pure Land."

Shinran Shonin

Paul Roberts recently left his physical body and was reborn in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha. He was a true follower and teacher of Jodo Shinshu and a guide for many.

In our times of profound corruption of the Dharma he was a clear and uncompromising voice, standing up against wrong views, and defending the right teaching. 

Because we shared the same simple faith in Amida Buddha and the same cause of fighting modern divergences, we often collaborated. I sent many of my readers to his online group True Shin Buddhism, and he recommended me and my website to others. 

His determination and uncompromising style was an example for all, and I am sure that his students, Egen (Richard St Clair) and Camille, will continue his Dharma work, as they too share the same faith and the same courage like him.

Thank you Paul, for your service.

Namo Amida Bu

Ryosetsu Fujiwara Sensei - my first guide in Jodo Shinshu teaching

Ryosetsu Fujiwara Sensei

Many years ago, when I first met the Jodo Shinshu teaching, I was helped a lot by this teacher - Ryosetsu Fujiwara Sensei. He was already born in the Pure Land long before I came into contact with two of his wonderful booklets,  A Standard of Shinshu Faith, and Shin Buddhism: The Teaching of Shinran Shonin. These books, and especially the first, were a turning point in my understanding of the basic doctrines of Jodo Shinshu and in becoming opened to Amida's salvation. At that time he acted as a true teacher, helping me to organize the information I had about Jodo Shinshu, and answering to some of the questions that arised in my mind. Also due to  A Standard of Shinshu Faith I officially became aware of the existence of wrong views, as he added a list of them at the end of the book, under the name, "Examples of Unorthodox Faith in Shinshu". The idea of "Amida Buddha and His Pure Land being in our minds" was situated by him at the top list of heresies! This was extremely useful.

It is a pity that nowadays he is not so much promoted in the international sangha, but I will try my best to change the situation and I have already done a first step by publishing online the complete edition of his wonderful book, A Standard of Shinshu Faith (click here to download the pdf edition).

If there is someone among my readers who met Ryosetsu Fujiwara Sensei during his lifetime, I ask him (or her) to please write to me at josho_adrian@yahoo.com  as I would like to discuss some details with him and ask for some informations. 

PS: There is almost no photo of him on the internet, so I created this low quality black and white pic from the cover of  his book, The Way to Nirvana  printed in 1974.