Japanese Buddhists create "Monks Without Borders"

JAPANESE BUDDHISTS CREATE “MONKS WITHOUT BORDERS”

The Tokyo Times

After “Doctors Without Borders” and “Reporters Without Borders”, a new association of this type was created. A group of Japanese Buddhist monks have launched “Monks Without Borders” in the country’s ancient capital of Kyoto on Wednesday.

“Normally, Buddhists do not have regular interactions with people from different schools (of the religion), but I think we can cooperate under the name of Buddhism, which cherishes salvation of individual souls and lives,” Hiroaki Nakajima, chief priest at Joko-ji temple in the city said.

“Monks are generally not good at publicity, even though individually they are active in helping the weak, such as visiting hospitalized patients and natural disaster victims,” Nakajima said.

“We hope to strengthen our public relations by setting up a Facebook account,” he added.

The monks will work to reduce poverty, to reduce discrimination and to provide disaster-relief, according to the international press. Buddhism is practiced across vast swathes of South and East Asia including in China’s restive Tibetan autonomous region.

Doctors Without Borders is an NGO that provides medical help in war zones or areas hit by disaster.

Reporters Without Borders is a campaign group that promotes freedom of the press.

http://www.tokyotimes.com/2013/japanese-religious-men-create-monks-without-borders/

[longer story on AFP http://my.news.yahoo.com/japan-buddhists-launch-monks-without-borders-193539188.html]