Reading list

Grace and Effort

Pure Land Buddhism and the Śrī Vaiṣṇava theology of surrender: two traditions that ask what the self can do.

Intermediate. 7 steps

Pure Land

Tradition
Pure Land Buddhism
Amida’s vow, the nembutsu, and the turn from self-power to other-power.
Concept
Other-power
What it means to rely on the Buddha’s power rather than one’s own.
Text
Hōnen’s Senchakushū
Hōnen, tr. Senchakushū English Translation Project, 1998
Hōnen’s case for the exclusive recitation of the name, argued from scripture.
Text
The Collected Works of Shinran
Shinran, tr. Shin Buddhism Translation Series, 1997
Shinran’s letters and hymns first, then the Kyōgyōshinshō for the full argument.

Tradition
Viśiṣṭādvaita
Rāmānuja’s tradition, and its division over the role of human effort.
Text
Srimad Rahasyatrayasara of Sri Vedantadesika
Vedānta Deśika, tr. M. R. Rajagopala Ayyangar, 1956
Vedānta Deśika on surrender to the Lord as a complete means of liberation.

Text
Beyond Compare
Francis X. Clooney, 2008
Deśika read alongside Francis de Sales: loving surrender in two traditions.

Cite this entry

Chicago (bibliography): “Grace and Effort.” Reading list. The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society. Last modified November 7, 2026. https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/grace-and-effort.
Chicago (note): “Grace and Effort,” reading list, The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society, last modified November 7, 2026, https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/grace-and-effort.
MLA: “Grace and Effort.” The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society, 7 Nov. 2026, www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/grace-and-effort.
BibTeX: @misc{reading-lists-grace-and-effort, title = {{Grace and Effort}}, howpublished = {The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society}, note = {Reading list. Last modified November 7, 2026}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/grace-and-effort} }