日本仏教

Not a few friends ask me about 日本仏教(Japanese buddhism). I take the questions as a matter of course. Because Japanese buddhism is different from others. Although there are many interpretations, I briefly explain basics of Japanese buddhism. And I will skip about complex details as always.



Basically, Japanese haven't accepted Indian buddhism. That is, Japanese accepted Chinese buddhism and changed it to Japanese buddhism under a concept "sense of mortality". "Mortality(無常観)" is a philosophical concept in India and China but it is a kind of sentiment in Japan. In the simplest terms, Japanese enjoy to see cherry blossoms blossom out and were falling. It is 無常観(Mujyokan). Brief moment of Blossoming out is beautiful and impermanence of falling flowers is more beautiful.



I cite a Jisei-no-ku (death poem) by Asano Takuminokami Naganori.(浅野内匠頭長矩)



風さそう　花よりもなお　われもまた　春の名残を　いかにとかせん



かぜさそう　はなよりもなお　われもまた　はるのなごりを　いかにとかせん



Kaze sasou Hanayorimonao Waremomata Harunonagoriwo Ikanitokasen



It is said he composed this poem when he committed Harakiri. However, it is not defined whether who composed this poem. I think it is too perfect as a Samurai's poem. Hmm, I'm deeply-moved by this poem.



It means: Falling flowers would not want to leave, I'm frustrated more than flowers, what should I do?



I searched English words to explain this rich expression in English, but I couldn't find them. Oh, now I can't wrote next paragraph because I am deeply moved again. Any way Asano Takuminokami Naganori did seppuku(Harakiri) in 1701. I'll write about this story later.



And I think I should say a important thing. Basically, civilized society don't accept other culture unconditionally. The more a society civilized, the more a society don't accept other culture. The reason we accept or admit other culture is that because we live in one world. The reason China, China-ism China, accepted barbaric religion(Buddhism) is that they were ruled by barbaric different ethnic groups. (barbaric, of corse, it is as a view point of Chinese)



Society's own culture plays as a filter. Chinese buddhism accepted advantageous things of Indian Buddhism and took out inconvenient things. Japanese buddhism accepted advantageous things of Chinese buddhism and took out inconvenient things. Thus I can say there are two filters between India and Japan. One is Chinese civilization the other is Japanese feeling.



To get back to my original point, It is said that Japan accepted Buddhism as a god officially because it needed to control climate. Buddhism has magic. It appealed Japan. Buddha statues were dazzling. The figure was so butiful. Those appealed Japan. Very simple reason.



Japan researched buddhism and built temples in Nara, an ancient capital in Nara period and other period (~794). They studied about Kegon, Ritsu, Hossou, Sanron, Jyoujitu, Kusha. （華厳、律、法相、三論、成実、倶舎) We call them Nanto-riku-shu. It means "six sects in southern capital". Those thoughts are core of buddhism. Nanto-rikushu was not so much religion as a kind of investigative organ.



法相(Hossou) is 唯識(Yuishiki)'s buddhism. Yuishiki preaches every things were from your own mind. For example, suppose a flag is flapping, what is flapping? Your mind is flapping. In fact, Yuishiki is more and yet more complex but I think you don't need to know about the detail here.



華厳(Kegon) is the most accomplished buddhist thought. It was established in China. Although I intend to write about philosophy of Zen, Kegon assume theorization of Zen. It is said Kegon and Zen are brothers. There are many books explain Zen as if philosophy, but basically, I don't agree because the philosophy is ,mainly, Kegon's one. (Authors talk about Zen too much. As egregious example, there are authors explaining Sado and other do as if it is philosophy or it is same as Zen. I'll mention on another blogs about this.)



To get back to my original point again, after that time, Japan accepted Tantric Buddhism in Heian period. Tendai-sect and Shingon-sect. Especially, Tendai-sect had great impact on Japanese buddhism. Kukai established a Shingon-sect and built colleges of Shingon-sect. Saicyo established a Japan-Tendai sect and the centre, Enryaku-ji-temple was a kind of university of buddhism.



Tendai-sect established 本覚思想 (Hongaku-shisou). They thought that all creatures are already Buddha, that is, people, animals, leaves, grasses, mountains are also buddha. Although this concept cause a corruption, it had great impact on Japan. And there were practitioners of Shugen-do in Tendai-buddhism. It is said, as a hypothesis, Shinto was affected by Tendai-Shugen-do. I suppose This Tendai's thought led naturally to Japanese spirituality because it was established by Japanese. (Any way, it seems it is sure that Buddhism affected Shinto.)



I think, in the simplest terms, Japanese buddhist philosophy is a logical system theorizing Japanese thought and minds.



鎌倉新仏教(Kamakura-shin-bukkyou) consists of 浄土宗(Jyodo-shu)、浄土真宗(Jyodo-shin-shu)、時宗(Ji-shu)、曹洞宗(Soto-shu)、臨済宗(Rinzai-shu)、日蓮宗(Nichiren-shu). All founders of them were Tendai's monk. A Enryakuji's character as university enabled them to learn other concepts of buddhism and they parted ways from Tendai.



Jyodo-shu, Jyodo-shin-shu and ji-shu are Pure Land Buddhism. Soto-shu and Rinzai-shu are Zen Buddhism. Nichiren-shu is a buddhism of 法華経(Hokkekyo).



As for Pure land buddhism, there was in China. It didn't be a religious sect in China and it became a religious sect in Japan.



As for Soto-shu(Zen), the founder, 道元(Dogen), was a Japanese. And it is difficult to define the founder of Rinzai-shu(Zen). Its germination was 栄西(Yosai), a Tendai Tantric Buddhist monk, and who established basis of RInzai-zen was 蘭渓道隆(Rankei-doryu), who was a Chinese. Because of religious oppression by 元(Yuan in Chinese, Gen in Japanese), many high priests flew the country to Japan. And they contributed Japanese buddhist world. I think Soto-Zen is more Japanese, RInzai-Zen is more Chinese.



As for Nichiren-shu, the founder is 日蓮(NIchiren). He predicted huge disaster because Japanese don't worship 法華経(Hokkekyo), and as it happens, 元寇(Mongol invasion attempts against Japan) was happened. It seems the incidents gave him society's confidence.



Well, it is time to go out. I wrote this blog searching my memory. I suppose I wrote about basic of Japanese buddhism. Important things are that Japanese Buddhism is defferent from others and the basic concept is 無常(Mujyo), Japanese accepted buddhism by Japanese own feeling. And even if I write more detail, I think those are too difficult for non-Japanese or beginners. Thus, I'll reply if you have a question and I will check this blog later. Have a nice day.



The photo: Hasu(lotus) In India it blooms out in muddy pond. As I recall, Mud is the world. Hasu is enlightenment.



Wow, I've forgotten to mention about 時宗(Ji-shu). Jishu is one of pure land buddhisms. SInging sutra, they dance. The founder is 一遍(Ippen), who was also a Tendai's monk.