Buddhist Scholar Rev. Unno Has Passed Away

By Emily Murdoch --
25 Dec 2014 --

The Buddhist community and the world has lost one of its most generous and brilliant minds in Reverend Dr. Taitetsu Unno.

The Reverend Dr. Taitetsu Unno, a revered and respected Buddhist scholar, died on December 13. His son, Mark Unno, has released a statement saying that his father was at home when he passed away, and that he was not in any pain when he died. His death is a great loss to the Buddhist community, especially the scholars and academics whom he has worked with for so many years.

Rev. Dr. Unno was born in the Shojoji temple in 1929, and six years later his family emigrated to the United States of America. However, he then had to suffer through the Pacific War when he and his family were placed into internment camps as enemy aliens. The family were constantly being moved around the United States of America: first to Rower in Arkansas, and then to Tule Lake in California. When the war was over, Unno began his studies, and became a world renowned expert within Buddhist studies. As well as writing several books, he also translated many works so that others were able to access them for the first time.

His academic outpourings were immense, but he always wanted to concentrate on his students. Teaching was Unno’s real passion, and he was also a practising Buddhist minister. He was a 13th generation Shin priest, and together with his wife Alice, he founded the Northampton Shin Buddhist Sangha in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Update: Rev.Unno's memorial service will be held on January 3, 2015, at the Berkeley Temple at 11:00 a.m. http://t.co/GX8pqtYD9v
— Buddhist Studies (@ShinIBS) December 19, 2014

Unno’s son Mark is now the 14th generation Shin priest. Many people around the world have been impacted not only by Unno’s teachings, but by his kindness and generosity of spirit. Many came to be with him while he was unwell, and they joined with him in chanting and remembering good times. Completely calm, and thanking everyone around him for being there with him, Unno died peacefully.