Supplemental
Reading ...
"The Future of Jodo Shinshu in America"
Part IV: The Mahayana Mission
by Peter Hata
Last month, we saw that the relevance of Jodo Shinshu
to us today lies in its power to effect a positive transformation in us,
bringing deep meaning and joy into our lives. But is that the ultimate
purpose of our practice of Jodo Shinshu? Is it simply for our own
benefit?
During the original North American Dobokai program of
1991 to 1993 (dobokai means "friends of the Dharma"),
introduced here in the U.S. by Bishop Sato, participants were encouraged
to "catch the cold of Buddhism and pass it on." In other
words, after we've awakened to the teachings, we should find ways to
share them with others. Initially of course, we should do whatever might
further our own personal understanding of the teachings of Buddhism.
This would include attending Sunday Services, going to retreats, reading
books on Buddhism, etc. However, the ultimate end of our study and
practice of Buddhism is not just to achieve our own awakening. It is
actually to help everyone else achieve theirs.
This idea of sharing the teaching with others is part
of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, from which our Jodo Shinshu
tradition has evolved. As Dr. Bloom points out (in "Shin Buddhism in
Modern Culture"), "All world religions attempt to share their
teaching with all humanity. There is no world religion which is not in
some way missionary. Mahayana Buddhism is essentially a missionary
religion and this impetus appears in Shinran's writings, particularly
his emphasis on the phrase Jishin Kyoninshin, which means essentially to
'share one's faith with others.'"
Although it might at first seem to be a big
"stretch" to go from working for our own awakening to working
for everyone else's, it is actually not a stretch at all. This is
because, as Dr. Bloom has said, "Compassion and wisdom are
inseparable...no one truly gains liberation who does not work to share
it with others." In other words, we cannot be awakened without also
acquiring compassion. The Buddhist awakening and the simultaneous
embodiment of compassion is thus the essence of finding meaning and true
joy in life.
The process of sharing the teachings with others might
be termed the Bodhisattva path. Dr. Bloom explains that "This is a
path where a person starts seeking his own salvation
("salvation" means awakening - Ed.) and ends by rejecting it
until all can be saved. The Bodhisattva dedicates himself to study and
knowledge in order to provide or open the way to salvation for all
beings."
If we take the words "all beings" to mean
any living thing other than ourselves, a modern-day Bodhisattva would
seem to have an almost unlimited range of "causes" he or she
could dedicate their energies towards. This could range from those very
close to home, such as a person's own loved ones, to worldwide causes
such as helping to save the environment. In a similar way, if the
membership of a Buddhist temple came together to work for the
advancement of a certain cause or causes, it would in effect be acting
as a single Bodhisattva. The most appropriate cause or action for a
temple would logically seem to be some form of "outreach" into
the immediate community.
However, in our Jodo Shinshu temples, it is clear that
historically, very little has been done in the way of "community
outreach." Some reasons for this lack of outreach were given in
previous installments, such as the tendency in our temples to promote
what Dr. Haneda calls the "dead traditions" or "container
aspect" (ancestor worship, chanting, etc.), rather than the
"living tradition" or "water" (self-examination).
The dead traditions mainly appeal to those of Japanese descent; the
living tradition appeals to all.
Another reason might be the way that
using on or giri -- duty or obligation -- as the basic ethical foundation
for human relations makes Japanese and Japanese-Americans act in
essentially conservative ways. As Dr. Bloom writes, "There is a
tendency to be conformist, unquestioning, and prudent." Certainly,
a strong reason for the lack of outreach must be the fact that most
ministers, being from Japan, are, as Dr. Bloom states, "often
ill-at-ease in the ways of western culture," and so are reluctant
to take on the challenge of reaching out into the community at large.
In any case, despite the historical lack of outreach,
many forward-thinking Jodo Shinshu Buddhists feel that today we stand at
the threshold of a new era, one that holds a great deal of promise for
the spread of Buddhism. This optimism might at first seem curious, given
the tremendous problems and challenges presented by our contemporary
society. But as Dr. Bloom observes, "There is a great opportunity
within the context of religious freedom to share the Buddhist insights
and understanding of life with people in all walks of life, such as we
have never had before. Despite the small number which we represent in
society, there is, nevertheless, an enormous interest in Buddhism. Shin
Buddhism itself attracts people when they are able to study it for
itself in Shinran's writings or modern expositions."
Furthermore, although it seems paradoxical, it may be
that this optimism is actually due in part to the gravity of the
problems we face today, and not in spite of them. In other words, the
greater the difficulties in our interpersonal relationships --
single-parent families, domestic violence, drive-by shootings, racial
tensions, etc., -- the greater are the problems in our world today. And
thus, the greater the need for and relevance of Jodo Shinshu.
With this in mind, Dr. Bloom states, "the sense
of mission needs to be developed in a more outgoing articulation of the
ideals, values, and potential of Buddhism to deal with the problem of
life." In essence, this is a kind of "call to outreach."
But what does it mean to outreach in a Buddhist sense? If we accept that
the ultimate end of our study and practice is not so much to achieve our
own awakening, but to help others achieve theirs -- in other words, some
form of "outreach" -- then how do we outreach Buddhistically?
Interestingly, there do appear to be some guidelines
for Buddhist outreach. Dr. Bloom points out: "We must emphasize,
particularly as exemplified in Chapter IV of (Shinran's) 'Tannisho,' that
the important point is non-egoistic action, action which is not an
instrument merely for advancing the self but which is action that
reveals the compassion of the Buddha. This perception supplies a major
consideration in determining in our own time what actions are
appropriate to a Shin Buddhist. I believe that one important
determination would be -- what does that action do to bring meaning into
other people's lives?" In other words, do our actions enhance the
lives of those around us?
Thus, the "guidelines" for Buddhistic
outreach center around the model of the Bodhisattva as one who dedicates
himself or herself to study and knowledge in order to provide or open
the way to awakening for all beings. As Dr. Bloom writes, "The
activities of the Bodhisattva in establishing ideal conditions for
enlightenment provides a model for modern people to labor to improve
society so that all people may have opportunity to realize their
potentials." Seen this way, Buddhistic outreach involves finding
ways to spread the teachings; in essence, finding ways to pass on the
"gift" of Buddhism to all people in an effort to enhance their
lives. But it could also involve almost any effort that is positive and
life-affirming, such as working to preserve our environment, or helping
people lead more healthy lives.
Of course, one of the keys to the success both of any
kind of outreach and certainly to the very future of Shinshu itself is
that we must involve our youth. As Dr. Bloom so eloquently states,
"We must encourage our youth, not simply to replicate the past we
knew, but to chart new paths in the new age. Through the youth we must
enter the information age and begin to think of Shin Buddhism without
borders, beyond ethnic and language differentiations. We must become an
educating community that opens the minds of our members, our youth, the
world."
"Above all," as Dr. Bloom emphasizes,
"it must be recognized and understood that Jodo Shinshu, as a
Buddhist tradition grounded in universal human experience, is a World
Religion. It is not merely a Japanese religion, despite the fact that
native Japanese or Japanese-Americans are its major constituency.
Accidents of history should not obscure the meaning of a teaching or the
mission of a movement." To Dr. Bloom, "Unless truth and
compassion -- the basic essentials of faith -- are absolutely
comprehensive, they are neither the truth nor real compassion." Dr.
Haneda put it even more bluntly when he said, "Buddhism is either
for everyone or it is worthless."
There is one final thing we should try to keep in mind
in our attempts at outreach. As Dr. Bloom explains, "Shinran shows
that when we act, as we must constantly do in the world, we must
understand the true nature of those acts. Our human acts never measure
up to the standard of Amida's perfect sincerity and truthfulness.
However, we are not to give up doing good where we can, but recognize
that the final outcome does not lie with us...In effect, we must live
and act in the world with hopes but no expectations."
As we awaken to a deep awareness of compassion, we can
join with others in the common struggle to secure the welfare of all
beings. There will, of course, be times when we will be discouraged and
our actions, however well-intentioned, may fail or seem trivial.
However, through the continued and enthusiastic study and practice of
Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, we can -- together -- all become Bodhisattvas and,
by uniting with the infinite power of compassion, share the gift of
Buddhism with all beings.
