RELIGION IN JAPAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 250, 21 October 1937, Page 6

RELIGION IN JAPAN

TOKIO EDITOR’S VIEWS

INTERESTING VISITOR TO WANGANUI

“Shintoism is gaining ground fast in Japan to-day," said Mr. B. Suzuki, in an exclusive interview to the Wanganui “Chronicle” representative yesterday during his stay in Wanganui. "Shintoism may be regarded as ancestor worship.” “Buddhism is still the largest religious faith. Shintoism, on the other hand, is not regarded by the Government as a religion because it does not contemplate the future life.” “Buddhism, however, may be regarded more as a philosophy of life rather than as a religion. Being a philosophy it has lost its vital grip on the people aid their is now a traditional adherence more than anything else. It must be remembered that Buddhism has been losing its grip in other countries. For instance, in its homeland, India, it has disappeared; this is almost equally true of China; it is only in Japan that it remains a strong body organisationally. “Buddhism emphasises the ephemeral nature of human effort and endeavour. In the great plan of creation the moving of the spheres goes on in its rhythm untouched by human mind or will or endeavour. It also emphasises the relationship of action and reaction. The lay of physics, which stresses that 'each action has its consequent reaction, equal in extent and opposite in direction,' is applied in popular exposition to the realm of conduct. The reaction on a man who has committed a murder, say, even though he were never discovered, would be that he would have a cloud over his mind forever. The reaction would be there even though the man himself did not know of it. “There is also an inner teaching of Buddha and that is that a man must continue to do right even though the reactions be not favourable to himself. It is believed that in the great scheme of things, the reaction does not rebound on the actor himself in accordance with merit or demerit, that is not fully. Buddha, however, teaches that one must, nevertheless, pursue the path of right conduct. “The third great doctrine of Buddhism is the doctrine of mercy to everything, even though it be but a low form of life. This mercy attitude has had the result of turning the people from meat eating in the way of the Western world. The Buddhist makes a compromise on this, however, and eats fish.

“No! There is no .great difference separating Shintoists from Buddhists. For instance, my wife is from a Shinto priest family, while I am from a Buddhist family. Further, my wife’s ancestors’ tombs are in a Buddhist temple. So there you have it! You may say from that that Shintoism is not a religion; it is what you would call, I think, a cult.

“Japan to-day is following the West in its desire to accomplish material tasks. It has thrown off the negative attitude which is the natural result of Buddhism towards human effort. The Japanese people are striving to achieve their economic and political destiny.

The Australian, move to enforce a boycott against Japan would be disastrous from the Australian point of view because Japan could be expected to retaliate, in which case Japan would cease to buy from Australia. Seeing that Japan buys from Australia four times as much as she sends to the Commonwealth Australia would certainly be the loser. Further, Japan has done without wool before (many people, in fact, Jftve not yet started to wear wool in the European sense) and, if need be, could do so again.”