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@article{ART002811663},
author={Won Yong Sang},
title={Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?},
journal={Religions of Korea},
issn={1738-3617},
year={2022},
volume={51},
pages={102-129},
doi={10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102}

TY - JOUR
AU - Won Yong Sang
TI - Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?
JO - Religions of Korea
PY - 2022
VL - 51
IS - null
PB - The Research Center of Religions
SP - 102
EP - 129
SN - 1738-3617
AB - There would not be the area which is as incomprehensible as the war. The peak of human ignorance (無知) is the very war. And when religion joins in it, the fire furiously burns. The modern Japanese Buddhists' support of the war frankly shows this history. After Japan established a theocracy after the Meiji Restoration (明治維新), Buddhism actively participated in the process of its foreign war and colonialization. This study deals with these historical process, the causes, and the solutions. Japanese Buddhism has walked the path of nationalism going through the buddhicization of the nation through the Bonmalsa (本末寺) system and the Danga (檀家) system enforced by the early modern Tokugawa shogunate (江戸幕府) and the process to make Buddhism its substructure through the modern Haibutsukisyaku (廢佛毁釋). Especially, in the situation that Shinto (神道) became the national religion after making the nation Shinto, Buddhism more devoted itself to nationalism. Buddhism actively participated in militarism under the total war system (總力戰體制) in the late 1930s. Buddhists justified the war through the wartime doctrine (戰時敎學). The establishment of Gungnipgyedan (國立戒壇) based on the truths of the truth and conventional truth (眞俗二諦) of Jodoshin Sect, Sentō-zen (戰爭禪) of the Zen sect, and Nichirenism (日蓮主義) of Nichiren is the key logic of this doctrinal study. People can know well that this is the logic of participation in the war which runs squarely counter to Buddhist teachings to make ahimsa the highest religious precepts. On the contrary, there were also the antiwar (反戰) ideology and antiwar behaviors among the people. There also continued to be resistance and ordeals of religious persons, especially, Buddhists. The representative men were Uchiyama Gudo (内山愚童) and Senoo Giro (妹尾義郞) who were monks of the Soto Sect. The former was sentenced to death for high treason (大逆罪) and was executed in 1911. He supported socialism and argued being against the government, the Japanese emperor, and the war. The latter led socialization of Buddhism by organizing a new Buddhism youth union. He took the lead in rural enlightenment and being against the war, capitalism, nationalism, and militarism. Buddhism was against the war from the viewpoint of karma and reincarnation since Shakyamuni Buddha. Nevertheless, there was the just war theory. The minimization of killing was also the condition. Modern Japanese Buddhism's participation in the war was the result to be unable to resist capitalism which supported the nation and the war, the win-win communities. The causes are ideality and transcendence of the doctrinal study. In order to escape from this, the establishment of Buddhist ethics is required to realize Buddhism's teachings to solve the people's pain. Modern Japanese Buddhism's participation in the war well shows the necessity.
KW - Buddhism;The war;The wartime doctrine (戰時敎學);The total war system;Jodoshin Sect Jodoshin Sect (淨土眞宗);Soto Sect (曹洞宗);Nichiren;Uchiyama Gudo (内山愚童);Senoo Giro (妹尾義郞);Just war theory;Buddhist ethics
DO - 10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102
ER -

Won Yong Sang. (2022). Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?. Religions of Korea, 51, 102-129.

Won Yong Sang. 2022, "Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?", Religions of Korea, vol.51, pp.102-129. Available from: doi:10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102

Won Yong Sang "Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?" Religions of Korea 51 pp.102-129 (2022) : 102.

Won Yong Sang. Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?. 2022; 51 102-129. Available from: doi:10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102

Won Yong Sang. "Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?" Religions of Korea 51(2022) : 102-129.doi: 10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102

Won Yong Sang. Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?. Religions of Korea, 51, 102-129. doi: 10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102

Won Yong Sang. Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?. Religions of Korea. 2022; 51 102-129. doi: 10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102

Won Yong Sang. Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?. 2022; 51 102-129. Available from: doi:10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102

Won Yong Sang. "Modern Japanese Buddhism and the War: How was the War Justified?" Religions of Korea 51(2022) : 102-129.doi: 10.37860/krel.2022.02.51.102