Buddhism in Japan

The Great Buddha statue of Kamakura, over 11 meters tall.
It was built in the 13th century and because it is hollow, visitors may go inside. (image)

          Buddhism was started in the 4th or 5th century BCE in southern Asia. Although Siddhartha, the historical Buddha (which translates from Sanskrit to 'teacher') lived in India, Buddhism spread rapidly in the centuries following its founder's death. Throughout the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, Buddhism spread across China and Korea brought Buddhism to the island of Japan in the 6th century CE. Although the Japanese still practiced their Shinto religion, they were able to include Buddhism in their lives as well. Even today, up to 80% of Japanese people identify to some degree with Buddhism.

         The teachings of Buddha are intended to help the worshiper reach Nirvana, the state of peace and spiritual enlightenment through the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is an eight-step process to become enlightened through practicing a strict ethical code to combat human desire, which is believed to be the root of human suffering. Human suffering is explained through the Four Noble Truths, which are one of the fundamental doctrines Buddha revealed in his first sermon following his enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths are the following: 1) Suffering consists of disease, old age, envy, hatred, and death, 2) Suffering is caused by desire and attempting to satisfy desire, 3) Suffering can be ended through ending desire, and 4) Desire can be ended through the Eightfold Path. Buddhists believe that by following the Eightfold Path, they will be released from Samsara (the cycle of reincarnation) and reach Nirvana.

The Buddhist Taiji Temple in Nara, Japan. This temple is the largest wooden structure in the world.
Picture was taken in the 1960s. (image)

          Many Japanese homes have a small Buddhist shrine in their living rooms, or they will visit temples on special occasions. A Zen school was built in the 12th century CE, and the practices of Zen became popular with warriors. Zen focuses on self-discipline and meditation, both of which are still important to Japanese Buddhists today.

     On January 10th, we saw the Bamboo Temple in Kamakura, which is a Buddhist temple built by one of the three shoguns during the beginning of the Samurai era, about the 14th or 15th century. This temple belongs to the sect Zen, which focuses on maintaining inner peace and calm through a variety of methods. One of these methods is making and drinking green tea, which we enjoyed while admiring the bamboo garden. There is a bell at the front of the temple which is rung 108 times at the end of the year to release the 108 worldly sins for the new year. I found the dozens of tombstones throughout the garden very different from western burial areas. Although the temple had a small plot for family tombs, the samurai and shogun family were buried along the bamboo path. The tombstones in the commoners plot are filled with generations of families, where their relics or ashes were laid to rest with their ancestors. The most important samurai of this time and area were buried in small caves by the bamboo garden.

 

Caverns where Samurais' remains are kept
Picture by FUchs

    Each temple has a different Buddha statue, and this determines how that temple practiced Buddhism. For example, the second temple we went to held Kannon Buddha, who is a future Buddha. Our tour guide Iku-san told us that she is essentially a Buddha-in-training, and is one of the many forms that Buddha takes. Iku-san also explained that the floor level of this temple, which was a stone-paved path with a plethora of small ponds and flora, symbolizes the Buddhist heaven, which is filled with calming natural beauty, especially the sacred lotus flowers.

Kannon Buddha
Picture by Fuchs

     We also saw the Great Buddha, which is the only Japanese national treasure that can be entered. Great Buddha was commissioned by the first shogun and is made of the copper from melted coins. Great Buddha's appearance holds many symbols. His ears are long to listen to people's wishes. His hands are together in meditation with his hands dipped, to save people drowning in water. The dot on his forehead symbolizes charity. His hair is permed and holds the window of wisdom. He is leaned forward to save people. He has a small mustache and is smiling. Great Buddha has the form of Amida Buddha, who is a present form of Buddha.There are donation boxes in front of Buddha statues where one can toss in some coins and pray to Buddha. Buddhism is for the afterlife, rather than the present like Shinto is, so the prayers are not for concrete items but instead ideas and emotions, like happiness and good fortune after death--although many sects believe in the reincarnation cycle that can be ended through reaching enlightenment, some only believe that people live one life before going to heaven or hell, and some believe that reincarnation never stops.
   
     From school I knew the basis of Buddhism, but here in Japan I've learned about how in-depth and complex it actually is. I found it difficult to comprehend the idea that there is Buddha who is god, but also that Buddha is always in different states of being, and each temple worships a different one. Western religions are often very set in how to worship and what to believe depending on the sect, but Buddhism is such an interpretive religion that people can use as much or as little that they spiritually need. It's no surprise that Buddhism has continued to exist alongside the Japanese people for almost two millennium.




Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Four-Noble-Truths
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism
Art Echard's World Religions class
Wangu, Buddhism, Chelsea House, 2009