Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha

From narrowly surviving World War II through enduring the profound rigors of traditional Zen training, Tangen Harada's fascinating life story and teachings present a classic picture of the Buddhist journey from suffering to realization. On August 15, 1945, at the age of twenty, Tangen Harada stood on an airfield and prepared to board the airplane on which he would undertake a suicide mission for his country. Only the voice of Emperor Hirohito on the radio--never before heard by the Japanese public--announcing Japan's surrender saved his life. After returning from a Soviet POW camp in 1946, overcome with questions about the meaning of human life and suffering, Harada sought out the counsel of a Zen master. He thus embarked on the path of awakening and liberation to which he would commit the rest of his life, eventually teaching thousands of people from around the world. Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha includes Tangen Roshi's life story in his own words, as well as twenty-four