In view of such needless destruction of life, it is essential that laymen and monks together conscientiously uphold this precept.I wholeheartedly agree HAKUUN YASUTANI ROSHI. Further, Yasutani's newly acquired understanding represents nothing less than "a small prototype of the extended axial shift that Buddhism and Buddhists have been undergoing gradually since the rise of Mahayana 2,000 years ago" (pp.

Should there be any doubt of his ongoing nationalist sentiments, in January 1972 (only a year before his death), Yasutani revealed his equal distaste for both Japan's labor movement and universities in a second article in the It goes without saying the leaders of the Japan Teachers' Union are at the forefront of the feebleminded [in this country]. Nevertheless, Aitken claims Yasutani's postwar change of heart represents an "apparent shift in views from subservience to governmental dominion to a social and political application of perennial truths" (p. 95). Dec 22, 2012 - This Pin was discovered by Tom DiCorcia. . have taken it upon themselves to become traitors to the nation. These days many voices proclaim the sanctity of human life. Minimizing the distress produced by religion is by no means the exclusive preserve of those associated with the Nichiren tradition. Some fifty years ago a UCLA professor told me the same thing about applied mathematics. Human life should of course be valued highly, but at the same time the lives of other living beings should also be treasured.

In fact, Aitken writes that Yasutani "is currently under fire for his nationalist pronouncements during World War II" (p. 95). . . It they make a group, they consider the group to have a self. A famous Japanese Zen master, Hakuun Yasutani Roshi, said that unless you can explain Zen in words that a fisherman will comprehend, you don't know what you're talking about. If he did, how does one account for the following remarks Yasutani made Those organizations which are labeled as right-wing at present are the true Japanese nationalists. There are, on the other hand, some malcontents who ignore the Imperial Household, despise tradition, forget the national structure, forget the true character of Japan, and get caught up in the schemes and enticements of Red China and the Soviets. It is resentment against such malcontents that on occasion leads to the actions of young [assassin] Ojiya Yamaguchi or the speech and behaviour of [right-wing novelist] Yukio Mishima (quoted in Victoria 1997:168). Their goal is the preservation of the true character of Japan. Aitken quotes a critique of nationalism and group-centered views that Yasutani made in 1967: Unenlightened people have this karmic illness of considering whatever they attach themselves to to have a self. The way of thinking that encourages this behavior arises from a specifically human brand of violence that defiles the self-evident laws of the universe, opposes the growth of the myriad things in nature, and destroys feelings of compassion and reverence arising from our Buddha-nature.

Human beings snatch away the lives of other creatures whenever it suits their purposes. Furthermore, Aitken is personally acquainted with Japanese militarism in that, while working as a civilian construction worker on the island of Guam, he was captured by the Japanese in 1941 and held for three years in an internment camp near Kobe.

Human life should of course be valued highly, but at the same time the lives of other living beings should also be treasured.

But the question must be asked, did Yasutani really undergo a change of heart? In light of his background, it is only natural that Aitken would have something to say about the relationship of (Zen) Buddhism to violence and war. 'The first principles of the universe are atoms and empty space; everything else is merely thought to exist.' They, together with the four Opposition political parties, the General Council of Trade Unions, the Government and Public Workers Union, the Association of Young Jurists, the Citizen's League for Peace in Vietnam, etc. Discover (and save!) He was highly respected for his deep realization and compassionate teaching, but was also criticized for his polemical stand against "one sided" teachings and his severe manner of expressing himself. Discover (and save!) YASUTANI YASUTANI HAKUUN ROSHI (1885-1973) Japanese Zen Master Yasutani Hakunn Roshi was born in 1885 to a family of meager means, soon being adopted into another family. These days many voices proclaim the sanctity of human life. Governments in South and Southeast Asia to this day can include the five main Buddhist precepts in their respective constitutions, yet violate them outrageously" (p. 95).

What is particularly interesting about Aitken's comments is that he admits that Yasutani was not always the staunch critic of the state he appears to be in the above quote. Quotes : By Hakuun Yasutani Roshi. 95-96). There is a lot of wisdom at Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: This is a very good precept of non-harm. Past and present members of the Aitken, now retired, is widely known and respected for his long and passionate opposition to warfare, especially nuclear weapons, coupled with his concern for protecting the environment. On the Precept of Non-Harm. In an essay entitled "Net of Vows" included in If Aitken offers a caustic critique of past Buddhist clerics, his comments on nominally Buddhist rulers and their allies are no less damning: "Buddhist teaching places responsibility upon human beings for maintaining harmony and enhancing maturity, but rulers who have professed the Buddha's Way have governed oppressively down through the ages, and Buddhist teachers have neglected their vows and played political games.

. your own Pins on Pinterest Whether Aitken wishes to acknowledge it or not, these quotes demonstrate that Yasutani never underwent a significant change of heart in the postwar period, at least as far as his right-wing and nationalist comments directed toward White Plum, Sanbo Kyodan, and Boundless Way, among others, are all branches of the Harada-Yasutani lineage of Zen, a hybrid of two Japanese schools: Soto and Rinzai (in the Chinese: Caodong and Linji).