Japan

• So Buddhism in Japan has become a religion of ceremonies.

  Ceremony and Everyday Life February 2009 — Cholín

The most important text

1. Sacred and Ordinary Together ●●● July 2009 — Brno

   these temples have not been successful in teaching people what Buddhism is

   don't go back to Japan · failure of Japanese temple Buddhism · frustrated monks in Japan · funeral ceremonies that pay well · Japanese control of European Zen

Other texts

2. Practice and Theory in Buddhism ●●●

   Buddhism in Japan had largely become a religion of funerals.

   becoming a buddha after death · dream of spiritual Japan · funeral Buddhism in Japan · Meiji-era spiritualization of Buddhism
3. Kodo Sawaki and Concrete Teaching ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavana

   I think he was talking about a personal attitude, from his own experience

   acting on your own · Kodo Sawaki's wartime remarks
4. Western Buddhism and Hierarchy ●●● February 2009 — Cholín

   So they tried to destroy original Buddhism in Japan. They burned the temples, and they sacked the priests.

   destruction of original Buddhism in Japan · don't go back to Japan
5. Ceremony and Everyday Life ●●● February 2009 — Cholín

   So Buddhism in Japan has become a religion of ceremonies.

   bath of warm water · religion of ceremonies
6. Just to Be Alive Is Enough ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavana

   So he very strongly criticised Japanese people's tendency to be group-minded

   Kodo Sawaki's criticism of group-mindedness · post-war collapse of Japanese morals
7. Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika ●●● January 1996 — Gudo Wafu Nishijima

   According to a Japanese proverb, an honest person is stupid

   an honest person is stupid · crossing on red with a crowd
8. Introductions 2: Reality in Ordinary Moments ●●● Summer 2003 — Introductions to Shobogenzo Chapters

   it does seem that the Soto Sect during the war did certain things which judged from now, were terrible

   Soto Sect in wartime Japan
9. Bussho 3: Beyond the Process View ●●● Summer 2004 — Bussho

   those ancestors in Japan who went to China and came back with esoteric theoretical teachings

   theoretical Buddhism brought from China
10. MMK 5: Relinquishing All Views ●●● Summer 2008 — Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika

    you say ‘Hotokesama’, ‘the honourable Buddha’. So all Japanese people become Buddhas after they die, which is a bit sad really

    Hotokesama · walking without planning
11. The Empty Trappings of Transmission ●●● September 2009 — Earth Spirit

    they have this system which is vertically structured so the teacher is up here and you are down there

    vertical hierarchy from Japan
12. Freedom and the Teacher’s Character ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavana

    In Japan, the traditional method of learning arts and even sport is to copy.

    learning by copying in Japan
13. Two Things, and the Rest Is Fashion ●●● August 2012 — Dibbavana

    Nishijima didn't like hierarchy. But he was always at the top. We put him at the top.

    vertical hierarchy from Japan
14. Three Teachings from Japan ●●● September 2013 — Banský Studenec

    I learned to eat in the temple tradition, with three bowls and chanting

    eating with three bowls · Japanese dislike of zazen
15. Escape and Refuge in Zazen ●●● May 2014 — Banský Studenec

    I noticed that Japanese people have Buddhist habits, but they're not aware of the fact

    unconscious Buddhist habits
16. Why We Practice Zazen ●●● August 1987 — Gudo Wafu Nishijima

    One is that Japanese life is soaked with Buddhist philosophy. Therefore, we are not conscious of living in Buddhist ideas

    unconscious Buddhist habits
17. Bussho 3: Joshu’s Dog and Concepts ●●● Summer 2005 — Bussho

    they have the monks jump out of bed at half past three, rush up and down the corridors with wet towels

    Japanese temples leaving no gaps
18. Bussho 4: The Cut Earthworm ●●● Summer 2005 — Bussho

    In Japanese there is the very common phrase “gaman suru” which means “to put up with”.

    gaman suru
19. Bussho 3: Acting in the Present Moment ●●● Winter 2005 — Bussho

    in some Japanese temples they try to live a life which has no gaps

    Japanese temples leaving no gaps
20. Right and Wrong in Action ●●● June 2006 — Padmafarma

    If the group is doing something, they do it even if it's terrible.

    Japan as a group society
21. Dropping Off Heart, Mind and Body ●●● June 2007 — Padmafarma

    a very stern priest with a big stick is hitting them on the shoulder. So these children were very frightened

    Japanese schoolchildren's fear of zazen
22. A Buddhist Teacher Without a Plan ●●● June 2007 — Padmafarma

    There must be wonderful spiritual culture. But it's a complete dream. Europe is more spiritual than Japan, I find

    dream of spiritual Japan
23. Yunmen’s Lantern Without Mystery ●●● September 2009 — Earth Spirit

    the word ‘treasure’ to mean something that is important. For instance, you can say something like ‘I’ve lost my treasure’ meaning ‘I lost my glasses’

    treasure as something very important
24. Sadness Is a Change in Balance ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavana

    if you have to greet some important person but you don't like them, in Japan you have to bow like this

    bowing to a person we dislike
25. Old Writings and Our Own Life ●●● September 2013 — Banský Studenec

    If you go into the toilet and somebody's cleaning the toilet, people say to them, Oh, thank you very much

    thanking the toilet cleaner
26. Action and Result, Living in the Present ●●● May 2014 — Banská Štiavnica

    The ability to focus on action without explanation, just do it: it's some custom from Buddhism.

    unconscious Buddhist habits
27. Buddhism Through European Glasses ●●● August 2014 — Banský Studenec

    we lost our spiritual side in modern times with science, so we look for it somewhere else

    dream of spiritual Japan
28. Nishijima’s Four Main Points ●●● September 2015 — Banský Studenec

    most priests are drinking beer, making lots of money from funeral ceremonies, and forgetting about zazen

    funeral Buddhism in Japan
29. Buddhist State as Semi-Permeable Membrane ●●● September 2015 — Banský Studenec

    He said, I got flexible mind. He didn't say I. In Japanese there is no I.

    no I in Japanese
30. Introduction to the Shobogenzo ●●●

    It is 45 miles from where I grew up. Did I have to travel all the way to Japan for that? translated from Czech

    journey to Japan and back
31. Introduction to Buddhism and the Practice of Zazen ●●●

    The national religion of “Tennosei” or Emperor worship, a religion which was part political manipulation and part fanaticism

    emperor worship

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