Temple turns to 'anime' to lure the young

Ryohoji in Tokyo's western suburb of Hachioji was just another temple that few passersby bothered to enter until it came up with the novel idea of using "anime" characters to attract visitors.

The 420-year-old temple's combination of Buddhism and geek culture, which has even seen it hold "maid cafe" events on its grounds, may not be to everyone's liking.

However, it is a serious initiative by Shoko Nakazato, Ryohoji's 46-year-old chief priest, to seek new ways of interacting with the younger generation as ties between temples and their communities fray in modern society.

Full story.

sounds awful doesn't it ...to 'lure' the young... you get locked up for that...

Buddha only taught those who showed an interest.... it is bad that we have to virtually bribe the young to do good.

The abbot of my temple has a scheme whereby the kids get one point for getting up no later than 5.30...(parents help verify)...if they help their parents with chores before school then another point..... if they get to school before a certain time another point...if they help clean and sweep etc. at school another point....if they pay attention in class and are not lazy or naughty another few points.... doing homework at home before playing or TV another point...etc. etc.

They can amass points and get rewards like use them for computer time..(guided to see they aren't playing games or wasting their time).

sounds awful doesn't it ...to 'lure' the young... you get locked up for that...

Buddha only taught those who showed an interest.... it is bad that we have to virtually bribe the young to do good.

The abbot of my temple has a scheme whereby the kids get one point for getting up no later than 5.30...(parents help verify)...if they help their parents with chores before school then another point..... if they get to school before a certain time another point...if they help clean and sweep etc. at school another point....if they pay attention in class and are not lazy or naughty another few points.... doing homework at home before playing or TV another point...etc. etc.

They can amass points and get rewards like use them for computer time..(guided to see they aren't playing games or wasting their time).

Perhaps...and it is not what I like to see either.

But do you know the story of the village that was going through a long drought, and badly needed water?

One day they heard that there would be rain that night.

Each household put all the empty containers outside that they could find, to catch the water they so badly needed from the coming night's rain.

Some had big clay pots, some a few wooden buckets, some a few small metal pans, and some only a few small cups to hold the water.

In the morning, when they woke up, they went outside to see how much water they had collected.

Those with the big clay pots found their pots full. Those who had set out wooden buckets also found them full. The same was true of those who had set out the small metal pans.

Even those who had set out only a few cups also had their cups full of water.

The rain had come and made no distintion...it had filled each container up to it's limit...and then no more.

In that way each household recieved exactly what it asked for...and nothing more.

(I leave it to you to figure out the "moral" of the story)

First, you must empty your cup......and all of your pots!

he who has the most wins.