Buddhism Dying Out In Japan

[camerata]

How a person's personal experience can be called "propaganda" I don't know, but I think that is just the knee jerk reaction often written by non-SGI buddhists, to anyone sharing their personal experience of the SGI, unless in the rare case it's negative experience.

Well, it comes across mostly like SGI propaganda to me because the guy has been all over Japan and yet all he talks about is SGI and Nichiren, plus vague mentions of "Buddhist groups." He doesn't mention other large lay organizations, such as Rissho Kosei-kai, or the fact that Jodo and Shin Jodo are still doing pretty well in the cities. He also can't resist throwing in the old Mahayana insult:

The institutionalization of Buddhism into professional clergy, who hide away in temples and monasteries and are removed from everyday life, is reminiscent of one branch of Buddhism (Theravada), which has been labeled by its critics, Hinayana (meaning lesser vehicle).

Originally Buddhism was not just monks. In the Sangha of the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni, Gautama), were about as many lay male and female members as their were female and male clergy (call them nuns, priest, monks or whatever nomenclature you want to call them) but they were very active in everyday life in their communities and they didn't hide away in monasteries or temples.

Monks don't "hide away" in temples in Theravada countries either. They still teach, as in the Buddha's day. They actually do alms round, as prescribed by the Buddha, which is very rare in Japan and in Mahayana in general. It's laughable that this guy is basically saying "Now Mahayana in Japan is just as bad as Hinayana." A better angle would be to point out that perhaps lay Buddhism is more relevant to contemporary Japan than traditional monastic Buddhism.

[Samuian]

Ordinary, ignorant worldly people are under the

impression that there is this religion and that religion, and that

these religions are different, so different that they're opposed to

each other. Such people speak of "Christianity," "Islam," "Buddhism,"

"Hinduism," "Sikhism," and so on, and consider these religions to be

different, separate, and incompatible. These people think and speak

according to their personal feelings and thus turn the religions into

enemies. Because of this mentality, there come to exist different

religions which are hostilely opposed to each other.

Those who have penetrated to the essential nature of religion

will regard all religions as being the same. Although they may say

there is Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism, Islam, or whatever, they will also

say that all religions are inwardly the same. However, those who have

penetrated to the highest understanding of Dhamma will feel that the

thing called "religion" doesn't exist after all. There is no

Buddhism; there is no Christianity; there is no Islam.

-Bikkhu Buddhadasa on "No Religion"-

Source:

I have read the link and I think Bikkhu Buddhadasa expresses my view better then I could have done it myself - if that is possible.

He also gives a -for me- acceptable interpretation of "rebird": it all takes place within the (fysical) lifetime of a person, life and dead concern not the fysical but the mental side. Being reborn as a higher or lower being is a direct consequence of your behaviour in this lifetime.

Being mentally dead means being empty of everything society has learned, of every conditioning. It is in a way the universal, eternal side of the human consciousness. There is no content, no "I", nothing that can dy or be reborn, that can be sick or healthy. It is a state of mind beyond dualism.

In the words of Bhikku Bhudhadasa:

The words "birth" and "death" require the same discrimination

regarding language. In people language, the word "birth" means to be

born from a mother's womb. In Dhamma language, however, the word

"birth" means some form of attachment is born. This kind of birth

happens every time we allow the arising of a thought or feeling which

involves grasping and clinging to something as "I" or "mine," such as,

"I am," "I have," "I think," and "I do." This is the birth of the "I"

or the ego.

For example, think like a criminal and one is instantly born

as a criminal. A few moments later those thoughts disappear, one

thinks like a normal human being again and is born as a human being

once more. If a few moments later one has foolish thoughts, right

then one is born as a fool. If one then thinks in an increasingly

foolish and dull manner, one will be born as an animal immediately.

Whenever an attachment is felt intensely--when it burns inside

one with the heat of fire--one is born as a demon in hel_l.

Whenever one is so hungry and thirsty that one could never be

satiated, one is born as an insatiably hungry ghost. When one is

overly cautious and timid without reason, one is born a cowardly

titan.(*) Thus, in a single day one can be born any number of times

in many different forms, since a birth takes place each and every time

there arises any form of attachment to the idea of being something.

Each conception of "I am," "I was," or "I will" is simultaneously

a birth. This is the meaning of "birth" in Dhamma language.

Therefore, whenever one encounters the word "birth," one must be very

careful to understand its meaning in each particular context.

'da way to go!

All the rest is much a do about nothin'..... at worst the desire,

the urge to profile or make ones mark - at best!

Nothin' else then intellectual competition...which is simply part of the rat race,

none else...

"Drinking Tea, tortoise, rat and frog sippin' tea near the pond"...

[kaosoi]

I lived in Japan for 9 years and never once met a fervent Buddhist. I met people who were casual, cultural Buddhists but they were also Shintoists and some even claimed to be Christian in addition (ie all three)

Truth is, in my experience, there is a very passive attitude to religion in Japan and people are more concerned with other things.

[camerata]

I lived in Japan for 9 years and never once met a fervent Buddhist. I met people who were casual, cultural Buddhists but they were also Shintoists and some even claimed to be Christian in addition (ie all three)

Truth is, in my experience, there is a very passive attitude to religion in Japan and people are more concerned with other things.

True in general, but there are devout Buddhists on the pilgrimage routes or circling Jodo temples chanting "Namu Amida Butsu!" SGI members can be pretty fervent.

[rockyysdt]

True in general, but there are devout Buddhists on the pilgrimage routes or circling Jodo temples chanting "Namu Amida Butsu!" SGI members can be pretty fervent.

Is it a negative thing to be an SGI member?

[camerata]

True in general, but there are devout Buddhists on the pilgrimage routes or circling Jodo temples chanting "Namu Amida Butsu!" SGI members can be pretty fervent.

Is it a negative thing to be an SGI member?

Not as far as I know, but the movement has been controversial at times and is involved in politics ("closely affiliated with the New Komeito, a major political party in Japan").

[sabaijai]

Samuian's provocative comment about organised religion being like package tours (presuming the opposite would be striking off on your own) struck a chord with me. Can't stop turning that notion over in my mind. Nice one. Of course some people would never travel at all if it weren't for package tours

[Xangsamhua]

Samuian's provocative comment about organised religion being like package tours (presuming the opposite would be striking off on your own) struck a chord with me. Can't stop turning that notion over in my mind. Nice one. Of course some people would never travel at all if it weren't for package tours

Do you have to buy the whole package? One of the attractive things about Buddhism in my view is that, apart from acceptance of the core principles - 4 noble truths, 8-fold path, anicca, anatta - you're free to find the path that suits you best. Perhaps my own tradition, Roman Catholicism, would like you to buy the whole package (as set out in the Cathechism of the Catholic Church), but they're not succeeding. People don't buy totalizing creeds much any more, though they appeal to some. Paul Williams, who wrote some really good books on Mahayana, bought the whole package when he converted to Catholicism, and his book "The Unexpected Way", is quite bizarre in its defence of total commitment to authority.

I think most people need organized religion though, as a supportive community and body of teachings to refer to. Fritjof Schuon and the those who propose perennial philosophy distinguish between exoteric and esoteric religion - the former for the majority, the latter for those who seek the underpinning and transcendental truths in which the religions are sourced and to which they point.

[rockyysdt]

Do you have to buy the whole package? One of the attractive things about Buddhism in my view is that, apart from acceptance of the core principles - 4 noble truths, 8-fold path, anicca, anatta - you're free to find the path that suits you best.

Many of us have chosen the Buddhist path for a variety of reasons, but as most of us are still ego based, until enlightenment occurs, it's good to be able to dovetail our chosen path with some of our beliefs to keep us going.

As long as the path each of us chooses doesn't end up fueling negative khamma in the process.

Edited September 29, 2009 by rockyysdt