Edited by Jonathan S. Watts
The tragic triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown that occurred in northern Japan on March 11,2011 hit a nation already in crisis; both economically and spiritually. This Precious Life takes us through the unfolding events of 2011 documenting efforts by Japanese Buddhist priests, temples, and organizations to respond to both the sudden disaster of the tsunami and the ongoing disaster of the nuclear power plants. While Japanese Buddhism has been struggling to recover its meaning for people in this highly modernized nation, the past year has shown its great ability to serve people in times of crisis and trauma. Meanwhile, Japanese Buddhism is slowly starting to take on the nuclear issue and deeper structural problems that face the nation. This Precious Life is filled with many moving stories from this epoch making year; provides a variety of critiques of both Japanese society and Japanese Buddhism; and a presents the work of a small group of Buddhist visionaries already working to create the new Japan of post 3/11