English・Talking About Buddhism

参考：講談社「英語で話す仏教」より　監修：川島 幸子　訳：根本 孝英

When and how was Buddhism, which was bom in India, transmittedto the world?

A century after the death of Buddha the Buddhist had fragmented into some twenty different over the interpretations of precepts.
Because of this dissensions each of the sects expanded its strength, Buddhism spread throughout India.
It is called 　”the age of sectarian Buddhism”

At that time king Asoka served as guardian to Buddhism and contributed greatly to its development.
And his son Mahendra crossed over to Sri Lanka and transmitted a conservative Buddhism.
This Theravada Buddhism was transmitted to Sri Lanka as well as Southeast Asian countries and continues there today.
Moreover, Mahayana Buddhism was spreading across India.
That preaches from the doctrine that all human beings were equally capable of becoming Buddhas.
In the first century Mahayana Buddhism crossed through the western region of Asian and was transmitted to China.
The Chinese eagerly adopted it and a Buddhist culture of great importance was formed in China.
In the fourth century Buddhism was transmitted to Korea Peninsula and about 160 years later it was introduced to Japan in the year 538.
This is how Buddhism developed as a world religion.

What is the Shingon Sect?

This is the sect which Kukai (Kobo Taishi) established upon returning from China with Buddhist images and scriptures.
The Kongobuji on Mt.Koya was established by Kukai as the main object of worship.
But there are many sub-sects and objects now. It is especially worthy of note that in 12th century Kakuban (1095～1143) reestablished the Shingonsect.
From this sect Chizan and Buzan were developed. Both are still prosperous today.
The Shingo sect is Mikkyou (Esoteric) Buddhism arisen in India. Mikkyo believes the true Buddha is “Dainichi Nyorai” who preaches the truth through all creation.
Its doctrine is called “sokushin jobutsu” . The communication is achieved by forming mantras with expressing by the hands,reciting mantras and keeping the Buddha in one’s mind.
Shingon sect takes two sutras which are represented and symbolized by Mandalas.
They portray the realm of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and are objects of veneration among believers.

What is the fundamental difference between Buddhism and Christianity?

Christianity preaches the existence of a single absolute the Deity. Jesus Christ is that Deity’s son. God manifests Himself in human heart through Jesus. The Deity is the creator of all things and ruler of the universe. Jesus Christ teaches people to believe in God and accept his protection. “Ask and you shall be given.” he preached.

In contrast, Buddhism denies all absolutes. Nothing is permanent and it emphasizes transformation and extinction of all things’ impermanence and the non-existence. Everything is the result of a particular cause. Therefore if that cause and condition change, it makes everything relative to the change. In this way Christianity emphasizes the existence of an absolute. This is a fundamental difference between the two. And also there are a number of similarities between The Buddha and Jesus Christ. Both devoted their lives to the propagation and of their respective truths and to saving people. Moreover the Buddha had two aspects-that of a human and that of one who has attained enlightenment. This is also true about Christ too, who has a human aspect and a divine aspect as The Savior Christ. The teachings of both still give encouragement and support to the hearts of many people around the world. The difference lies in their teachings. Christ preached devotion to God as an absolute being. The Buddha denied the notion that an absolute existed.

But Buddha is very close to God in the point of personalities and identity.

What is the meaning of Ohigan ?

It is the seven-day period when believers pay visits to temple and graves. It is held before and after vernal equinox in spring and also in autumn too.
In spring it is held around March 21st, in autumn it is held around September 23rd.
The day is decided according to the solar calendar.

What do you do during Ohigan days ?

We visit temples and graves to make efforts to follow the path of the Buddha and reach “the other side”, Higan. “The other side” means Utopia. In Christianity Utopia means “The Garden of Eden” and in Buddhism it means “Gokuraku”.
People pursue their own enlightenment and respect ancestors. And we cook special cakes made of rice with sweet beans, called “Ohagi”.

Six Perfections, called “Rokuharamitsu” are practiced on Ohigan days. Please explain Six Perfections.

・Fuse 布施 ・Jikai 持戒 ・Ninniku 忍辱 ・Shojin 精進 ・Zenjyo 禅定 ・Chie 智慧
They are six kinds of practice of Mahayana Buddhism. They are called “Rokuharamitsu” come from Indian “Paramita”. It means perfections of six practiced as the following.

• fuse・・casting aside desire and donating something for the Buddha
• jikai・・keeping the precepts like Ten Commandments
• ninniku・・perseverance in controlling of angar
• shojin・・endeavoring toward doing good
• zenjyo・・calming the mind and concentrating the spirit
• chie・・one of the above five practices is peafected

What is the meaning of Hanamatsuri? When and what do you do then?

Hanamatsuri is held on the April eighth to celebrate Birthday of Buddha.
We make a small home in the temple. On the roof various flowers are decorated.
In the center of the home we put the baby Buddha’s Statue.
We held ceremony praying and giving thanks to Buddha.

Explain about the history and the origin of “Hanamatsuri”?

Hanamatsuri is started in Gankoji in 606. It has spread in the Edo era.
Since then we sprinkle sweet tea or water on the head of Buddha.
Buddha’s Statue points the heaven with its right hand and points the earth with its left hand.

Buddha said “I alone an honored in heaven and on earth”.
It means not only Buddha each human being is honored in heaven and on earth.

What does mutability means in Buddhism?

Fundamentally mutability is the most important philosophy.
It means that everything in this world is changing at every moment.
For example, iron gets rusty, glass returns to quartz and human beings’ cells are dying at every moment. Then they are replaced by new cells. However we tend to live under the illusion which the present affairs will continue forever. So Buddhism teaches us the truth of mutability which forms a correct judgment about all things

What is “nothing has an ego”?

This means that there is no ego (or self) which is an absolute existence and remains unchanged forever. No ego means no interest, no self, and no pride. In permanence places emphasis on the truth that everything arises, changes and extinguishes. Permanence means every phenomena goes on forever. So Buddha stressed elimination of attachment to ego.

What is spiritual “enlightenment”-satori?

Enlightenment,satori, is a translation of the Indeian word “bodhi”. It was originally translated as bodai in Japanese. The Buddha thought that human beings bear sufferings. Everyone has to grow old and get become ill and die. And everyone has to part from who loves., Everyone maybe unable to obtain what he wants.
These are sufferings of human beings. The sufferings come from desire and attachment to emotions of hearts. Desires expand more and more. Human beings are unable to attain satisfaction.

What was it that the Buddha awakened to ?

The theory is that human’s hearts and deed are led by desire. The desire is considered suffering. The cause of suffering is attached to desire. Eliminating desire is released from sufferings.
It means open-minded is necessary. The proper ways of eliminate attachment are eight as below:

• First (正見) shoken・・・right view
• Second (正思) shoshi・・・right thinking
• Third (正言) shogon・・・right speech
• Fourth (正業) shogo・・・right action
• Fifth (正命) shomyo・・・right living
• Sixth (正精進) shoshojin・・・right endeavor
• Seventh (正念) shonen・・・right memory
• Eight (正定) shojyo・・・right meditation

1～6：Control of thought and action
7～8：Practice of positive disciplines