I suggest that you start with Nostra Aetate:Buddhism, in its various forms, realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world; it teaches a way by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be able either to acquire the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own efforts or through higher help, supreme illumination.
Living in Japan, I am in daily contact with friends and acquaintances who might describe themselves as Buddhist, but are ignorant of or unconcerned with the theological underpinnings of the faith. Like many people of other faiths, including Christianity, they tend to focus on the culture of the faith, the yearly rhythm of feasts and prayers and periods of sorrow when faith serves to support us as we continue our daily life, without delving too deeply into theology or philosophy. Buddhism offers a wonderful support for the average person in Japan, especially in the face of death, who longs to feel a connection with family members who have died and hopes to find meaning in life, again, not because the average person understands the theology of Buddhism, but because participating in the culture of the faith gives him solace. Japanese who may know nothing of philosophical Buddhism, still give alms to the local temple and invite the head of the temple to offer prayers at their home altar during the Obon season when deceased loved ones are remembered.
I’ve witnessed a similar occurence. I lived in a small town in the northwest where there were an awful lot of what I called “wannabe buddhists.” True Buddhism, as the monks and truly devout followers live it, is a lot more intense and disciplined then many people think. But the great thing about Buddhism, in my humble opinion, is that it is considered completely acceptable to not to live by anything and everything it teachs. That’s probably why you never hear about any “Buddhist Extremists.” Or rather the closest thing you find to one is someone like the monk who lit himself on fire and sat completely still in a chair while he burned to death in protest of the treatment of his fellow Buddhists in Vietnam at the time.
Philosophical Buddhism may not admit to a deity, at least on an imaginative level, but practical Buddhism, or the Buddhism as lived by most folks in Japan at least, does indeed incorporate the concept of a higher power or powers in its appeal to the average believer. Buddhism doesn’t describe this God, but in the imagination of the average believer there is the presence of the concept. This is one of the contradictions of Buddhism. There is no God, as such, but the average Japanese believer does have an image of God, or more accurately, of Gods.
On the philosophical level I think Buddhism is a very private religion, which is one reason many Buddhists are unconcerned with how another Buddhist may live his faith. I’m not sure that I would say most Buddhists consider it “completely acceptable to not live by anything and everything Buddhism teachers” but rather they are unconcerned whether you do or not. Your failure to live up to the teachings of Buddhism is your fate and there is no need for other Buddhists to be concerned about it. Coming from a faith which has a much stronger communal aspect to it, I find this to be a negative point about Buddhism. Indeed, many Buddhists find this a negative point as well and over the centuries there have been attempts to instill a communal aspect to Buddhism, a sense that there is a community of believers that all Buddhists should be concerned about. I would also note that there have indeed been “Buddhist extremists,” though it would be difficult to determine if they were in fact extremists because of their faith or extremists because centers of power, as manifested in Buddhist institutions, were under threat. I’m refering to the persecutions of Christians here in Japan, which were often supported and aided by Buddhist leaders and institutions. Of course, here in Japan it is very difficult to separate Buddhism from the traditional Shinto faith of Japan, which has also influenced right wing Japanese nationalism. This form of Japanese nationalism tends to view Christianity as a negative influence because it is a foreign faith and introduces elements of belief which are alien to the Japanese character. To be fair, this form of Japanese nationalism also views Buddhism with a similar suspicion for the same reasons, but more readily accepts Buddhism, or coops Buddhism, because it is now impossible to exterminate it from the Japanese religious imagination.
Actually, a study of the history of Buddhism in Japan would reveal that it is, unfortunately, not immune from the aggression and violence that has often plagued the three monotheistic religions more prevalent in the West.Good for you
I wish there were more Buddhism - it’s an attractive change from the aggression and violence of the three monotheistic religions.
That sounds about right. Buddhism in the West is split between the immigrant communities from Buddhist countries who import their own home version and western Buddhists who are in the process of developing a Western Buddhism. The process probably has a couple of hundred years to go before things settle down.
)One reason that Buddhists in Japan do not condemn abortion is because they do not recognize the act as a taking of a life, but rather the prevention of a birth, or rebirth as the Buddhists would have it. The soul of that fetus will be born in time, but if it is inconvenient for a parent to have that soul born at this time, then abortion becomes a favor for the soul in that it allows the soul to enter life under more favorable circumstances, thus allowing it greater opportunity to attain enlightenment in the life it is born into. Viewing abortion in this way, though it may offer some comfort on a rational level, does little to comfort the would be parent of that soul on an emotional level and there is a great deal of pain and depression that goes unattended in Japan. In almost every Buddhist temple I’ve visited there is always a small area where small jizo statues are placed. These are small, baby sized statues of the Buddha where parents of aborted children have placed toys, candy and cookies, fruit juice, baby clothes, and other items associated with babies, in the hope of explaining to the soul that it is loved and the Buddha will watch over it until it is a better time for it to be reborn. It is also a means by which the parent is able to exorcise his or her sorrow for the abortion. Quite frankly, I find these areas heartbreaking and have never failed to tear up when I think of the deep, abiding sorrow that goes uncomforted. For many parents who choose abortion in Japan, there is a constant attempt to assuage the guilt of the act, not necessarily for oneself, though that is part of it, but for the soul who was not born at that time. Abortion is legal in Japan, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t stigmatize or damage the person who procurs one. Not only is the damage very real, it is often hidden and never relieved.
Many Japanese have an excellent understanding of moral law. Can you tell us what the Five Rules of Morality (pancha sila) are in Buddhism? Your ignorance of Buddhist moral law does not make you an immoral person, any more than a Buddhist’s ignorance of Christian moral law makes them immoral. Abortion is indeed wrong in Buddhism, which is why it causes distress. It is one of the basics of Buddhism that immoral actions bring sorrow in their wake:Mind precedes all conditions,
I believe you are correct when you say many Japanese have an excellent understanding of moral law, though, like people of other faiths, not all do. I would also point out that the average Buddhist believer in Japan probably could not tell you what the five Buddhist rules of morality are, though, as you point out, this does not necessarily make anyone an immoral person. In addition, again as you point out, Buddhism on a philosophical level does indeed condemn the killing of living things and so abortion does go against Buddhist teaching in this area. Still, on the level of practice, Japanese Buddhism does not condemn abortion (at least not very loudly) and there is an evident contradiction between Buddhist belief and practice which makes many think that Buddhist institutions, through their silence, are complicit in insuring that abortion remains the number one form of birth control in Japan.
Buddhism isnt a religion. Gautam Buddha was a prince who lived in India around 400 BC. On fine day he set out to find out about god, the reason for people suffering, reason for death etc. It is said that he attained Nirvana under a fig tree and thats when he realised that there is no god.He was said to be what scientists would today claim: A rational man.
Whether or not Buddhism is a religion depends on how you define the word religion. There are numerous sites on the internet that discuss this very question, but it’s worth noting that many Buddhists, including the Dali lama, think that Buddhism is a religion. It is a non theistic religion, though Buddhism certainly does not deny the existence of God. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, most practitioners of Buddhism, at least in Japan, do suppose a God as an object of their prayer and ceremony. This may be in opposition to Buddhist practitioners in the West who seem to be more attracted to the philosophical elements of Buddhism and the novelty of meditation practices present in Buddhist monasticism, but even here I think you would find the concept of God has its place.