peace-loving Buddhism ... not

genkaku

I'm not sure if the topic belongs in this folder, but given its present-day echoes in Japan, I thought Brian Victoria's newly-minted assessment of a 'peace-loving' Buddhism was both informative and easy to read.

Victoria is a Zen monk, a college professor and a good researcher and those seeking an honest bead on 'real-world' Buddhism could do worse than giving his ideas a try. The environment he writes out of is Japan, but the echoes of what he says reach a wider Buddhist space, I would say.

The article is entitled "The Buddha Dharma in Japan 70 Years On."

lobster

In my own secular 'Christian country', the philosophy of 'turning the other cheek' is no longer recognised. Our selfish interests are apparantly best served by murder, mayhem and interference/intervention. Talk, dialogue and development is supposedly too expensive ...

Peace is a major part of Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Humanism. However politics is for those protecting and promoting interests.

Thanks for sharing. Anybody unsettled? Ah well, samsara is like that ...

Cinorjer

Fascinating. I hadn't even heard Japan was wanting to rebuild a military. Why? Because they have a lot of extra money lying around and nothing better to do with it but build ships and planes? And of course, a military has to include missiles pointed toward China and Korea. What possible, rational, reason would Japan have for wanting to rebuild a military? The US and our allies would never let anyone attack them. They've got it good.

genkaku

@Cinorjer -- I think exceptionalism is part of Japanese history, much as it is part of American or German or Russian or pick-your-culture history. Kept under control, it doesn't much matter who imagines he is first in line. But when loosed on others ... well, duck and cover.

One of the things that tickles me (in a manner of speaking) is the Japanese reverence for the Chinese who were their forbears in so many matters. The Japanese can adore China and then become confused when China does not adore them back. Somehow, the Japanese seem capable of forgetting their depredations during the 1931-1945 invasion Japan felt justified in prosecuting.

We know the truth -- the noble, heroic and clear-eyed truth -- and anyone who doesn't see things our way is in for trouble. Exceptionalism is as magnetic as it is cruel.

Dakini

@Cinorjer said:
Fascinating. I hadn't even heard Japan was wanting to rebuild a military. Why? Because they have a lot of extra money lying around and nothing better to do with it but build ships and planes? And of course, a military has to include missiles pointed toward China and Korea. What possible, rational, reason would Japan have for wanting to rebuild a military? The US **and our allies **would never let anyone attack them. They've got it good.

Maybe that's why. If they rebuild their own military, they'll be in a position to kick the US bases out of Japan. They won't be dependent on anyone else to protect them. There's a fair amt. of public pressure for that, after too many incidents of violence and rape related to the base in Okinawa.

silver

@genkaku said:
@Cinorjer -- I think exceptionalism is part of Japanese history, much as it is part of American or German or Russian or pick-your-culture history. Kept under control, it doesn't much matter who imagines he is first in line. But when loosed on others ... well, duck and cover.

One of the things that tickles me (in a manner of speaking) is the Japanese reverence for the Chinese who were their forbears in so many matters. The Japanese can adore China and then become confused when China does not adore them back. Somehow, the Japanese seem capable of forgetting their depredations during the 1931-1945 invasion Japan felt justified in prosecuting.

We know the truth -- the noble, heroic and clear-eyed truth -- and anyone who doesn't see things our way is in for trouble. Exceptionalism is as magnetic as it is cruel.

Yeowch! Stop pinching! Where did you get those truth pinchers?! Home Despot? You really shoulda become a op/ed cartoonist.