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Buddhism in Japan
Buddhism in Japan
December 4th, 2006, by Scott
http://jarkolicious.com/probes/2006/12/04/buddhism-in-japan/
Buddhism is a religion that I was only lightly familiar with prior to moving across the Pacific Ocean to Tokyo, Japan. My awareness of Buddhism was basically confined to various Japanese movies that involved Buddhist monks, depicting the religion in ways that are really nowhere close to the true practice of Buddhism. It was at this early age that I first became interested in this strange religion, although I never really took the time to learn what Buddhism is all about.
Once I gained a foothold in my new home after the move, I began to take notice of many of the unique cultural traits of Japan. One of the more intriguing aspects of the country is the religious roots that surround the most widely practiced religion in Japan. Buddhism, though not quite ingrained in Japanese life as Christianity is embedded in American culture, may be observed all throughout Japan, and takes shape in many forms.
What exactly is the religion known as Buddhism? What are the foundations of this extremely old religion and why do the Japanese choose to practice Buddhism as opposed to the countless others available to their disposal?
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a non-theistic religion that is almost philosophical in nature. The religion has no roots to heavenly revelations or the divine words of God. There is no scripture that defines the religion in the same manner that Christianity, Judaism and Islam have their respective documents that reveal their basic tenets. In fact, almost no mention of Biblical-like divinity in Buddhism arises. Buddhism does not worship any God as the creator of life as seen in most western religions.
The basic foundation for the religion lay in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise known as the Buddha.
The First Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama was immaculately conceived, born to a father who was the king of one of the ancient tribes that occupied the rapidly growing state of Ko?ala. His mother gave birth to him in the garden of Lumbini near Kapilavastu. This entire area is now known as Nepal.
The birth of Siddhartha has been embellished throughout the years. His birth story has been told as if a white elephant carrying a lotus flower entered his mother’s womb in her dream. Siddhartha is portrayed as the reincarnation of a great being who had been born many times before and was drawn to earth once again by his compassion for all suffering beings.
Since Siddhartha was born in to nobility, his family was prosperous and therefore entitled to a magnificent life. However, all the fine clothes, white umbrellas, perfumes, cosmetics, mansions and harems were material goods. While Siddhartha was living a lavish life, he was unconvinced that there was any true value to the tangible items he was blessed with. Siddhartha truly sought enlightenment even though he was unaware of such a state at this point in his life.
The young man became further unconvinced when he was finally able to see the “four sights” that his father tried to conceal from him: an old man, an ill man, a dead man and a monk seeking eternal pleasure. Upon Siddhartha observing the first three sights he became unconvinced of life’s material pleasures and turned to a life of religion in order to seek eternal delight. Siddhartha sought to overcome old age, illness and death by dedicating his life to learning how to overcome such “suffering.”
Overcome with the frustrations of a material life, Siddhartha set out on a journey to seek spiritual truth. The future Buddha undertook a life of poverty, though significantly departing from the homeless life that many Indian sannyasins were already leading. Siddhartha made an unsuccessful attempt to follow the standard Brahmanic Hindu beliefs before he abandoned the path after recognizing that this extreme journey he undertook would not lead to the enlightenment he sought.
Siddhartha shifted his religions practices to something more moderate, the Middle Way of neither self-indulgence nor self-denial. In an event now celebrated as having occurred on the night of the full moon in the sixth lunar month, as Siddhartha sat in deep meditation beneath a tree at Gaya, he finally experienced Supreme Enlightenment. Siddhartha had become the first Buddha.
Siddhartha had a realization that life is a circle of events, wheel-like in nature. Past good and bad deeds are reflected in the next life. He also became conscious of the cause of suffering and a strategy for ending it.
According to legend, Siddhartha was tempted by Mara, the personification of evil, to keep his insights to himself, for they were too complex and profound for ordinary people to understand. Compassionate as he was, Siddhartha set out to teach the world his theories. The Buddha spent decades walking and teaching a growing group of followers, which would later become known as Buddhism.
What is Buddhism?
The basic foundation of the teachings of Buddha is summarized in what is known as The Four Noble Truths. These truths are not expressed as theories but instead as facts. Siddhartha Gautama stated that “these Four Noble Truths, monks, are actual, unerring, not otherwise. Therefore, they are called noble truths.”
In what is widely recognized as Buddha’s first sermon, the Deer Park sermon, the “Four Noble Truths” were set forth. These were:
Suffering (Dukkha): Life inevitably involves suffering, is imperfect and unsatisfactory.
Cause of Suffering (Samudaya): Suffering originates in our desires.
Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): Suffering will cease if all desires cease.
The Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga): There is a way to realize this state: the Noble Eightfold Path.
Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, hereafter referred to as Naritasan, resides in the city of Narita. New Tokyo International Airport, also known as Narita Airport, is approximately 15 minutes from temple grounds. Naritasan is one of the largest temples in Japan and definitely one of the more famous.
The temple is an elaborate mix of buildings set atop the low mountains in the city of Narita. The main temple is quite large in size and sees one of the leading tourism populations of all temples in Japan. Every year during the New Years holidays hundreds of thousands of people flock to Naritasan in order to pay their respects and wish for a healthy and prosperous year.
Interview at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
During a recent visit to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple I set out to try and obtain a better understanding of Buddhism. The religion appears to be vastly more complex than most of the mainstream religions that Americans are generally familiar with. On top of that, there is an enormous language barrier that has to be crossed while attempting to comprehend Buddhism in Japan.
After walking the large grounds of the Temple I entered in to the “information booth” and spoke to a bald male who was dressed in the traditional Buddhist robes that all monks wear while working. I found the interview with Suzuki Arakawa-san to be quite informative, if not riddled with somewhat complex answers. The Japanese to English translation has been turned in to something far more simplistic than had the interview been transcribed completely in Japanese.
One of the more important questions that I asked Arakawa-san was regarding how Buddhism shaped his life. I was curious what type of impact it had on him each and every day. He explained to me that the daily rituals and life rules that he adheres to makes for a much simpler life.
“I no longer have to worry about complex decisions. Buddhism has shown me that there is more to life than being worried about how to respond to the everyday perils of life.”
Buddhism, from the perspective of an outsider, appears to be a very complicated religion that is difficult to comprehend. I asked Arakawa-san what challenges there are, if any, to practicing Buddhism.
“Unlike many other religions, Buddhism is about making yourself happy. You practice the religion at your own pace and take in what you can, when you can, however you can. While there are certain guidelines, ultimately it is just as easy or difficult to practice Buddhism at it is being a Christian.”
Buddhism, like every religion, has important holidays throughout the year that are important to celebrate for a variety of reasons. I asked Arakawa-san what some of the more important Buddhist holidays are.
“The most important Buddhist holiday that is celebrated in Japan is New Years, which is celebrated for 5 days during the beginning of the new calendar year. It is the time when we cleanse ourselves of all wrongdoing and pray for a better, simpler life throughout the days of the upcoming year. Obon is another important festival in which we speak to our deceased ancestors in order to try and reconnect with them.”
I attempted to withdraw some information from Arakawa-san regarding the number of people in Japan that practice Buddhism as part of their daily life but he was unsure of the numbers.
One of the more confusing aspects of Buddhism was the fact that there are many different Buddha’s that are at the disposal of Buddhists. I wondered, how does one know which Buddha they should pray to?
“Each temple has many different Buddha’s, who are like specialists in helping cure many problems. Depending on what solution you are looking for will really determine which Buddha you will ask for assistance from.”
Ultimately, I learned a great deal from my concise interview with Arakawa-san. Though soft spoken and a man of very few words, he was a rather wise individual who was capable of offering something quite informative.
Buddhism vs. Judaism and Christianity
Buddhism is vastly different from other mainstream American religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. The foundations of Buddhism come nowhere close to that of either Judaism or Christianity and therefore would lead many to believe that Buddhism is not even a religion at all.
Although it is possible to trace Buddhism back to a single “founder,” the religion was not started at the behest of divine intervention. In fact, it was because of unhappiness that Siddhartha set out to find the true meaning of life. During this search he was able to find the answers to his questions. Throughout his journey he never once was contacted by God and told that he was required to spread a religious word, like in Christianity.
The basic idea behind Buddhism is the desire to end the stress of everyday life. This basic tenet of Buddhism is vastly different than Christianity and Judaism.
Christianity teaches that Jesus is the Son of God and the awaited Messiah that was prophesied in the Old Testament of the Bible. As the Son of God, Jesus came to earth to teach about love and fellowship.
In Judaism, the God who created the world established a covenant with the Jewish people and revealed the commandments that govern this covenant in the form of the Torah. The practice of Judaism is entirely devoted to the studying and observance of these commandments as they are written in the Torah.
Another distinct difference is in the nature of God. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion whereas Christianity and Judaism are mono-theistic. When praying at a Buddhism temple, one does not direct their prayers at a personal God. There are no Gods in Buddhism but, rather, Buddha’s that are prayed to.
Christianity is based around the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who was a completely human man that suffered the pains and temptations of mortal man yet he did not sin. As God, he defied death through crucifixion and was resurrected.
Judaism refers to God in many ways. As a means of showing respect towards God himself, those that wrote the sacred texts took pause and ended up using other names in order to conceal the true name of God. Even though there are countless names used in order to represent God, they do refer to God and all the divinity that he is afforded.
It is rather obvious that Buddhism is far less religious sounding than either Judaism or Christianity. But does this make the religion any less religious merely because the foundation may not be what American’s expect religion to be?
Conclusion
Buddhism, like every other religion, is not practiced merely because of a single aspect that may appeal to the average person walking down the street. There is no single marketable, mass appeal characteristic that can be pointed to that makes Buddhism an attractive religion. Rather, it is the foundation upon which Buddhism is built that truly makes the religion worthwhile and exciting.
There is a lot more freedom in Buddhism than most other mainstream religions. The fear that is instilled in people that practice Christianity, Islam and Judaism is almost nonexistent in Buddhism. This is probably attributed to the teaching of Karma in Buddhism, which are almost nonexistent in the aforementioned religions.
It is foreseeable that as the world grows increasingly more sophisticated, and far more interested in freedom and privacy, that Buddhism will continue to grow in numbers. At some point in the future it is quite possible that Buddhism will be as popular as Christianity or Judaism. Until that day arrives, in the event that it ever does, it is important for all people of the world to be tolerant and understanding of the religions of the world and those who practice them.
December 4th, 2006, by Scott
http://jarkolicious.com/probes/2006/12/04/buddhism-in-japan/
Buddhism is a religion that I was only lightly familiar with prior to moving across the Pacific Ocean to Tokyo, Japan. My awareness of Buddhism was basically confined to various Japanese movies that involved Buddhist monks, depicting the religion in ways that are really nowhere close to the true practice of Buddhism. It was at this early age that I first became interested in this strange religion, although I never really took the time to learn what Buddhism is all about.
Once I gained a foothold in my new home after the move, I began to take notice of many of the unique cultural traits of Japan. One of the more intriguing aspects of the country is the religious roots that surround the most widely practiced religion in Japan. Buddhism, though not quite ingrained in Japanese life as Christianity is embedded in American culture, may be observed all throughout Japan, and takes shape in many forms.
What exactly is the religion known as Buddhism? What are the foundations of this extremely old religion and why do the Japanese choose to practice Buddhism as opposed to the countless others available to their disposal?
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a non-theistic religion that is almost philosophical in nature. The religion has no roots to heavenly revelations or the divine words of God. There is no scripture that defines the religion in the same manner that Christianity, Judaism and Islam have their respective documents that reveal their basic tenets. In fact, almost no mention of Biblical-like divinity in Buddhism arises. Buddhism does not worship any God as the creator of life as seen in most western religions.
The basic foundation for the religion lay in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise known as the Buddha.
The First Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama was immaculately conceived, born to a father who was the king of one of the ancient tribes that occupied the rapidly growing state of Ko?ala. His mother gave birth to him in the garden of Lumbini near Kapilavastu. This entire area is now known as Nepal.
The birth of Siddhartha has been embellished throughout the years. His birth story has been told as if a white elephant carrying a lotus flower entered his mother’s womb in her dream. Siddhartha is portrayed as the reincarnation of a great being who had been born many times before and was drawn to earth once again by his compassion for all suffering beings.
Since Siddhartha was born in to nobility, his family was prosperous and therefore entitled to a magnificent life. However, all the fine clothes, white umbrellas, perfumes, cosmetics, mansions and harems were material goods. While Siddhartha was living a lavish life, he was unconvinced that there was any true value to the tangible items he was blessed with. Siddhartha truly sought enlightenment even though he was unaware of such a state at this point in his life.
The young man became further unconvinced when he was finally able to see the “four sights” that his father tried to conceal from him: an old man, an ill man, a dead man and a monk seeking eternal pleasure. Upon Siddhartha observing the first three sights he became unconvinced of life’s material pleasures and turned to a life of religion in order to seek eternal delight. Siddhartha sought to overcome old age, illness and death by dedicating his life to learning how to overcome such “suffering.”
Overcome with the frustrations of a material life, Siddhartha set out on a journey to seek spiritual truth. The future Buddha undertook a life of poverty, though significantly departing from the homeless life that many Indian sannyasins were already leading. Siddhartha made an unsuccessful attempt to follow the standard Brahmanic Hindu beliefs before he abandoned the path after recognizing that this extreme journey he undertook would not lead to the enlightenment he sought.
Siddhartha shifted his religions practices to something more moderate, the Middle Way of neither self-indulgence nor self-denial. In an event now celebrated as having occurred on the night of the full moon in the sixth lunar month, as Siddhartha sat in deep meditation beneath a tree at Gaya, he finally experienced Supreme Enlightenment. Siddhartha had become the first Buddha.
Siddhartha had a realization that life is a circle of events, wheel-like in nature. Past good and bad deeds are reflected in the next life. He also became conscious of the cause of suffering and a strategy for ending it.
According to legend, Siddhartha was tempted by Mara, the personification of evil, to keep his insights to himself, for they were too complex and profound for ordinary people to understand. Compassionate as he was, Siddhartha set out to teach the world his theories. The Buddha spent decades walking and teaching a growing group of followers, which would later become known as Buddhism.
What is Buddhism?
The basic foundation of the teachings of Buddha is summarized in what is known as The Four Noble Truths. These truths are not expressed as theories but instead as facts. Siddhartha Gautama stated that “these Four Noble Truths, monks, are actual, unerring, not otherwise. Therefore, they are called noble truths.”
In what is widely recognized as Buddha’s first sermon, the Deer Park sermon, the “Four Noble Truths” were set forth. These were:
Suffering (Dukkha): Life inevitably involves suffering, is imperfect and unsatisfactory.
Cause of Suffering (Samudaya): Suffering originates in our desires.
Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): Suffering will cease if all desires cease.
The Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga): There is a way to realize this state: the Noble Eightfold Path.
Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, hereafter referred to as Naritasan, resides in the city of Narita. New Tokyo International Airport, also known as Narita Airport, is approximately 15 minutes from temple grounds. Naritasan is one of the largest temples in Japan and definitely one of the more famous.
The temple is an elaborate mix of buildings set atop the low mountains in the city of Narita. The main temple is quite large in size and sees one of the leading tourism populations of all temples in Japan. Every year during the New Years holidays hundreds of thousands of people flock to Naritasan in order to pay their respects and wish for a healthy and prosperous year.
Interview at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
During a recent visit to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple I set out to try and obtain a better understanding of Buddhism. The religion appears to be vastly more complex than most of the mainstream religions that Americans are generally familiar with. On top of that, there is an enormous language barrier that has to be crossed while attempting to comprehend Buddhism in Japan.
After walking the large grounds of the Temple I entered in to the “information booth” and spoke to a bald male who was dressed in the traditional Buddhist robes that all monks wear while working. I found the interview with Suzuki Arakawa-san to be quite informative, if not riddled with somewhat complex answers. The Japanese to English translation has been turned in to something far more simplistic than had the interview been transcribed completely in Japanese.
One of the more important questions that I asked Arakawa-san was regarding how Buddhism shaped his life. I was curious what type of impact it had on him each and every day. He explained to me that the daily rituals and life rules that he adheres to makes for a much simpler life.
“I no longer have to worry about complex decisions. Buddhism has shown me that there is more to life than being worried about how to respond to the everyday perils of life.”
Buddhism, from the perspective of an outsider, appears to be a very complicated religion that is difficult to comprehend. I asked Arakawa-san what challenges there are, if any, to practicing Buddhism.
“Unlike many other religions, Buddhism is about making yourself happy. You practice the religion at your own pace and take in what you can, when you can, however you can. While there are certain guidelines, ultimately it is just as easy or difficult to practice Buddhism at it is being a Christian.”
Buddhism, like every religion, has important holidays throughout the year that are important to celebrate for a variety of reasons. I asked Arakawa-san what some of the more important Buddhist holidays are.
“The most important Buddhist holiday that is celebrated in Japan is New Years, which is celebrated for 5 days during the beginning of the new calendar year. It is the time when we cleanse ourselves of all wrongdoing and pray for a better, simpler life throughout the days of the upcoming year. Obon is another important festival in which we speak to our deceased ancestors in order to try and reconnect with them.”
I attempted to withdraw some information from Arakawa-san regarding the number of people in Japan that practice Buddhism as part of their daily life but he was unsure of the numbers.
One of the more confusing aspects of Buddhism was the fact that there are many different Buddha’s that are at the disposal of Buddhists. I wondered, how does one know which Buddha they should pray to?
“Each temple has many different Buddha’s, who are like specialists in helping cure many problems. Depending on what solution you are looking for will really determine which Buddha you will ask for assistance from.”
Ultimately, I learned a great deal from my concise interview with Arakawa-san. Though soft spoken and a man of very few words, he was a rather wise individual who was capable of offering something quite informative.
Buddhism vs. Judaism and Christianity
Buddhism is vastly different from other mainstream American religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. The foundations of Buddhism come nowhere close to that of either Judaism or Christianity and therefore would lead many to believe that Buddhism is not even a religion at all.
Although it is possible to trace Buddhism back to a single “founder,” the religion was not started at the behest of divine intervention. In fact, it was because of unhappiness that Siddhartha set out to find the true meaning of life. During this search he was able to find the answers to his questions. Throughout his journey he never once was contacted by God and told that he was required to spread a religious word, like in Christianity.
The basic idea behind Buddhism is the desire to end the stress of everyday life. This basic tenet of Buddhism is vastly different than Christianity and Judaism.
Christianity teaches that Jesus is the Son of God and the awaited Messiah that was prophesied in the Old Testament of the Bible. As the Son of God, Jesus came to earth to teach about love and fellowship.
In Judaism, the God who created the world established a covenant with the Jewish people and revealed the commandments that govern this covenant in the form of the Torah. The practice of Judaism is entirely devoted to the studying and observance of these commandments as they are written in the Torah.
Another distinct difference is in the nature of God. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion whereas Christianity and Judaism are mono-theistic. When praying at a Buddhism temple, one does not direct their prayers at a personal God. There are no Gods in Buddhism but, rather, Buddha’s that are prayed to.
Christianity is based around the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who was a completely human man that suffered the pains and temptations of mortal man yet he did not sin. As God, he defied death through crucifixion and was resurrected.
Judaism refers to God in many ways. As a means of showing respect towards God himself, those that wrote the sacred texts took pause and ended up using other names in order to conceal the true name of God. Even though there are countless names used in order to represent God, they do refer to God and all the divinity that he is afforded.
It is rather obvious that Buddhism is far less religious sounding than either Judaism or Christianity. But does this make the religion any less religious merely because the foundation may not be what American’s expect religion to be?
Conclusion
Buddhism, like every other religion, is not practiced merely because of a single aspect that may appeal to the average person walking down the street. There is no single marketable, mass appeal characteristic that can be pointed to that makes Buddhism an attractive religion. Rather, it is the foundation upon which Buddhism is built that truly makes the religion worthwhile and exciting.
There is a lot more freedom in Buddhism than most other mainstream religions. The fear that is instilled in people that practice Christianity, Islam and Judaism is almost nonexistent in Buddhism. This is probably attributed to the teaching of Karma in Buddhism, which are almost nonexistent in the aforementioned religions.
It is foreseeable that as the world grows increasingly more sophisticated, and far more interested in freedom and privacy, that Buddhism will continue to grow in numbers. At some point in the future it is quite possible that Buddhism will be as popular as Christianity or Judaism. Until that day arrives, in the event that it ever does, it is important for all people of the world to be tolerant and understanding of the religions of the world and those who practice them.
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