The document discusses the influence of Buddhist culture on the Japanese people. It notes that after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000 people, the Japanese responded with tolerance rather than hostility toward America. Japanese mayors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a campaign for a nuclear-free world and were awarded the Gautam Buddha Peace Award. The document attributes Japan's post-war peaceful philosophy and culture to the blending of Confucian, Buddhist, and Western values in their society and education system, with a strong emphasis on non-violence, compassion, and seeking peace and wisdom.
The document discusses the influence of Buddhist culture on the Japanese people. It notes that after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000 people, the Japanese responded with tolerance rather than hostility toward America. Japanese mayors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a campaign for a nuclear-free world and were awarded the Gautam Buddha Peace Award. The document attributes Japan's post-war peaceful philosophy and culture to the blending of Confucian, Buddhist, and Western values in their society and education system, with a strong emphasis on non-violence, compassion, and seeking peace and wisdom.
The document discusses the influence of Buddhist culture on the Japanese people. It notes that after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000 people, the Japanese responded with tolerance rather than hostility toward America. Japanese mayors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a campaign for a nuclear-free world and were awarded the Gautam Buddha Peace Award. The document attributes Japan's post-war peaceful philosophy and culture to the blending of Confucian, Buddhist, and Western values in their society and education system, with a strong emphasis on non-violence, compassion, and seeking peace and wisdom.
The document discusses the influence of Buddhist culture on the Japanese people. It notes that after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000 people, the Japanese responded with tolerance rather than hostility toward America. Japanese mayors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a campaign for a nuclear-free world and were awarded the Gautam Buddha Peace Award. The document attributes Japan's post-war peaceful philosophy and culture to the blending of Confucian, Buddhist, and Western values in their society and education system, with a strong emphasis on non-violence, compassion, and seeking peace and wisdom.
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Buddhist Culture in/among Japanese People
Netra ACharya
netra.acharya@gmail.com
'Hostility is never appeased by hostility. By non-hostility alone is hostility appeased. This
is a law eternal.' Gautam Buddha taught this precious lesson before 2500 years which is even more relevant today. And Japanese are the people who have practiced the teaching of non-hostility as well as no other citizens of the world could do. When America dropped atomic bombs and reduced/left behind their beautiful cities to ashes in 1945, more than two hundred thousands people had died immediately. Now 66 years has passed since bombing, many hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) still suffer today, and over three thousands people die every year. Even now, they constantly live in fear from the aftereffects of the radiation that could occur at any time. In these circumstances, Instead of developing animosity towards America, Japanese people showed their unprecedented tolerance and started a campaign entitled as Mayor for Peace with an agenda to create a nuclear weapons free world by 2020 through Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC). They hope that NWC will be a practical mid- point to the realization of a nuclear weapon free world by 2020. Recognizing their efforts for the peaceful world, Nepal Government on the occasion of Lord Buddha's 2555th auspicious birthday, conferred Gautam Buddha Peace Award to the Mayors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki Cities of Japan.
The Government of Nepal established the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award to
recognize and honor individuals and institutions from around the world that have made significant contribution to peace and non-violence inspired by the teachings of Lord Buddha. The mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the first recipients of the award and they deserved it very well. If we look back at the history, culture and education system of Japanese people, we can trace their post war (1945), upbringing for peaceful society.
What America did by devastating Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a crime against humanity. It were the Japanese, the good citizens who lived with the precepts of Lord Buddha in their mind, could think as generating anger is the punishment you give yourself for the mistake of another. The wise people of Japan remained calm and quite in the crucial time of war. But what would Americans do if their cities were burned to ashes by some external force? What would be their response if their president were taken out of White House and murdered brutally as Saddam Husain or Bin Laden? America, a new nation, does not have its history or culture. That's why they are that much hostile. Japan has a long history, a
1 good culture and a sound spiritual background. The former mayor of Hiroshima, Tadatoshi Akiba in his acceptance speech at the Peace Award ceremony said that the wish to rid the world of not only nuclear weapon but all wars is based on human nature. 'The wish for peace is based on the Buddha nature in all of us' he referred. The concept of Buddha nature is profound and it has truly universal importance. Buddha nature is an intrinsic, immortal potential for reaching enlightenment that exists within the mind of every sentient being. In Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Dharmakaya, a Sanskrit word for the Buddha-nature is defined as self which is permanent, blissful and pure. The same is explained in another canonical Buddhist text Tathagatagarbha Sutra also. Here tathagatagarbha, another Sanskrit term for Buddha-nature is a metaphor for the ability of all sentient beings to attain Buddhahood, no more, no less.
The power and beauty of this Buddhist concept 'Buddha nature' is more than reverent. Nothing else could be more impelling or effective for peace and brotherhood in the world than people being able to accept all human beings as potential Buddhas. With that rich background, Japanese people might have been tolerant and peace-loving.
The fusion of both Confucian, Buddhist and Western values molded the basic Japanese philosophy. The same has influenced Japanese education system or the culture as a whole. Confucianism entered Japan from China around the 5 th century A.D., as did Buddhism. Latter German model of practicality also strengthened the eastern concepts of humanity and spirituality. The most important Confucian principles are humanity, loyalty, morality, meritocracy and consideration of an individual respectfully. The Confucian Golden rule, "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you" seems to be the basic perspective Japanese think of people in the larger world.
As stated previously, the basic constituents of Buddhist philosophy are non-violence,
peace, wisdom and compassion. Non-violence refers not only killing anybody or any creature. Even refraining from the very thinking of harming any sentient being is the true meaning of non-violence. This sense of Ahimsa or the purity of mind leads towards peace. Consequently, a peaceful mind is able to gain wisdom of life and the world. And the thorough practice of this wisdom may one day result in enlightenment. An enlightened person is always full of compassion to the poor and needy.
Patriotism is another factor worth mentioning in Japanese culture. Once, an Indian
saint, Swami Vivekanda after visiting Japan, had proclaimed, "For patriotism, the Japanese!" It is forever true. Despite the irreparable loss Japan faced in the time of Tsunami, Japan is still an inspiration to all people nations across the world. The people who are the victims of the catastrophic tsunamis remained calm and quite. The behavior of the people who were so tragically affected by the catastrophe was almost
2 saintly. As it was reported, there was no looting of shops even when the power went off, no overtaking on roads.
Although there were losses of many lives, there wasn't a picture or video of people crying or showing any kind of grief. The people were in great need of food and water but stood in queues and waited for their turn to come. The people only bought what they required for the day so that everybody could get something. This reflects their selflessness. Their educational upbringing incorporates some smooth norms such as no fight, no argument or exchange of harsh words even in case of emergency .
On the other hand, Japanese are one of the most hard working and quite refined builders. On the aftermath of World War II, Japanese people fully concentrated on building their nation physically, economically and socially. They developed their technology so well that the term 'Japanese Technology' has been an icon of trust world wide. At the time of earthquake or tsunami, the structures swayed but did not fall. Japanese are still striving hard to get over with the terrible impact of nature. However, they have never stopped to help the poor and needy people all over the world.
To sum up the story, Japanese patriotism, their material and spiritual prosperity, their nature of patience and order and the hibakusha philosophy "No one else should ever suffer as we did" all reflect the Buddha culture and are exemplary to us the Nepalese.
On one of the occasion of Atomic-Bomb photo panel exhibition held in Kathmandu, the facilitator of the program Dr. Khadga KC shared his experience of brotherhood as he was pursuing PhD at Nagasaki University, Japan. He told, 'even the common people seemed to be following Buddha's precepts. My friends, Honda and Fukuda, had no animosity towards Americans. They simply thought it must be the then Japan government's mistake to prepare the ground for the attack.' This simply reflects that Japanese are peace loving people.
Japanese people have uplifted themselves to a level of saintly being. They think, no one, even those whom one would normally label as enemies should ever suffer from war. In our country, ten years long conflict has just postponed. The Japanese Mayors went back to their country wishing peace and prosperity for us. We have observed the Buddha culture in the practice of Japanese people. When are we ourselves going to embrace Buddha culture? When are we ending conflict and ensuring peace?
