an undeniable fact that Buddhism still remains in a showbox to be displayed. It is often regarded by Westerners as nothing but one of the exotic religions of the Orient, and real interest in it is only seen in the academic fields in the West.
The time has come for us to think of Buddhism not in terms of temples old and new, or of traditional rituals, but in terms of injecting more vitality to make Buddhism more meaningful to all of us. We of this generation must make it known to the world that Buddhism has a living significance as a great world religion and can contribute to the enrichment of world culture.
When I heard of the coming of the 800th Anniversary of the founding of the Jodo denomination of Buddhism in 1974,1 felt more than anything else the pressing need to introduce some important Buddhist ideas so that this anniversary might become a memorable and meaningful one for us and for the introduction of Buddhism to the West. Only for this reason is this book written, and no other.
My deepest appreciation is given to the students of our English Seminar who have extended their helping hands in reading and typing articles. I must also acknowledge my thankfulness to Miss Bessie Tsuji and Miss Anthea Haslgrave for their assistance in proofreading my articles in the last stretch. Without their assistance and cooperation this book would never have been possible.
The Author
February, 1973
Honolulu, Hawaii
U.S.A.
PART I
BUDDHISM IN THOUGHT
Chapter 1
What is Buddhism?
Many people in the past have raised the question, "What is Buddhism?" Innumerable answers and definitions have been given by various scholars, ministers and devotees who interpreted Buddhism in their own way. However, Buddhism is, to me, the guiding light which leads us to know what we really are and what our surroundings are. This insight naturally gives us some orientation when we confront and solve our personal problems which arise out of our surroundings. Here, the inquiries into the existence of God or the after-life are of secondary importance. Our immediate concern is to solve the problems which we encounter. When we can solve them we find nothing but pleasure and happiness, but failure to solve them often entails suffering and sorrow. Although we try to remedy our wretchedness by our own striving or with other's help, we still find something which cannot be cured by our human efforts. At these times we call for religion as a means of relief and salvation. However, religion should not be sought only in our distress but in our normal way of life.
While we engage in our daily activities, we keep to the force of habit and are prone to be idle if no adequate stimulation is given to us. Here we find our natural weaknesses. This realization is called "the awakening to the reality of life." Usually we consciously or unconsciously avoid looking into the reality of life or we are simply ignorant of the problems which have arisen and developed into our suffering and sorrow. Usually when we acknowledge our failure, we are awakened to the reality of life.
Gautama Buddha is said to be the first man who was completely awakened to the reality of life, so we call him "the Supremely Awakened One." He clearly perceived the non-egoness of our life and the impermanency of this world, and freed himself with diligence from the selfish pursuit of fame and wealth and from the attachment to worldly affairs. We wish to become like him, but even though we try hard to do so we painfully realize that it is almost impossible. Although we persevere stoutly, we find many mistakes and failures in our thought and conduct. Therefore, Buddhism provides for us the clear and sound way upon which we can easily and confidently rely and follow.
Then what should we do according to the teaching of Buddhism? First of all, we should realize that we are a part of a larger Self. Our personal goals are not final ends but are stages on the way to reaching the realm of the larger Self. Here the separation of self from other is meaningless. Instead of feeling jealousy, hatred and greed towards others, what we need is mutual understanding and sympathy. To realize the limitation of our capacity and to transcend it, we must concentrate our minds on the work we engage in, trust others, and be faithful to our own words and deeds. Secondly, we should realize that we are being embraced by the Saving Power of the larger Self. When we encounter misfortune, we must clearly observe its cause, and by all means try to get rid of it. If we find no solution at all, we must realize that it is a momentous occurence since everything is subject to change. We should patiently wait until it passes through and anticipate the Saving Power of the larger Self working in us.
Although nothing can be accomplished on our part, we should never be discouraged. In the course of exercising our beliefs, we will surely find hope and courage and gain pleasure in living. Although these exercises have no ending nor have they an effect on our material wealth, just by doing them diligently we are able to lead our life meaningfully and significantly. Such a teaching can be followed and exercised by all of us in the circumstances we find here and now. Therefore, we call this way of life Buddhism and rely upon it wholeheartedly.
Chapter 2
Buddhism for the Modern World
In 1969, the American astronauts of Apollo 11 successfully achieved the first landing on the moon. By making use of highly complicated machinery, they have managed to open a new perspective for man's incessant search for more facts about the universe. This attempt is indeed a giant leap to prove the scientific advancement of mankind. Looking back to the earth on which we live, however, what kind of life are we treading? There are the dangers of constant war, poverty, strife, conflict and tension among ourselves. It seems that there is no possibility of living together in peace. Science has certainly brought us modern contrivances which shorten our labour and give us more leisure in our daily life. However, it does not necessarily solve our life's problems. We are suffering from material, physical or mental burdens, which have shaken the very foundation of our being. Our lives are always threatened by an endless flow of insecurity and fear. The man we met yesterday might have an accident and die today. Tomorrow there might be another war which would end our lives. The possession of an automobile or a house is no compensation for inner insecurity and fear. When we come to realize that material things are necessary but not a primary means to en-rich our lives, we seek something spiritual which will satisfy our mind and body.
The front picture shows the image of Bodhisattva Kannon enshrined at Kofukuji Temple in Nara.
Unfortunately the present world is governed by materialistic civilizations, and spiritual values have receded backwards to the point of self-destruction. Conscientious people are deeply concerned by this fact, and constantly warn the world of the unsuitability of materialistic rule over man. At this moment the rise of a new spiritual civilization is strongly demanded by people. Of course, there are many forms of religion around us which seem appealing to us, but they only approach us indirectly. Some emphasize obeisance to the religious tradition or custom almost to the point of forgetting other aspects of religious life, and others emphasize routine participation in ceremonies or services, the acceptance of dogma and the authority of the church. Their theological doctrines regarding supernatural powers found in healing or miracles are not easily related to our daily life. Therefore, they become increasingly difficult to understand and practice. Those unsatisfied and yet earnest people, who seek some real solution to the many problems of their troubled lives, some solution that will satisfy both their intellect and sentiment, and do not find it in any of the traditional religions, leave religion entirely, hoping to find the answer in the world of their profession or sensual pleasure. However, they fail to find the meaning in it and become violent, sarcastic or nihilistic about everything that happens, and escape to the world of day-dreaming by doing nothing, taking LSD or marijuana, so that they can no longer face
