December 02, 2008
What Japan Thinks
A compilation of essays an articles from right after WWI.
Published in 1921.
The one presented here is by the undeniably articulate Masaharu Anesaki. Towards the end of his article the tone is much like Daisaku Ikeda when addressing the UN in his peace proposals; admiring the bold and optimistic words of Woodrow Wilson's fourteen points, speaking directly of globalization, and verbalizing the importance of "human revolution," or as he calls it, "fundamental reformation of individual character." A biography states he was a Nichiren Buddhist. This essay pre-establishes his concern over the cultural and political conflict of perspectives exiting between the East and the West which resulted in his "History Of Japanese Religion", published in 1930, in English, the same year as the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai was established. Arguably one of the first treatises of it's kind in that, as one biography states, "he felt that the Japanese needed to explain their cultural character to Westerners in order to be understood." Hear, hear! A close friend of mine pondered if he and Makiguchi knew each other as educators and scholars who seemingly had so many common goals. The timing was certainly there. As Nichirenites, were they at odds in different sects? Frankly, that would be uncharacteristic to both mens reflections. Or were they simply ships that past in the night?
Hi,
Anesaki was also the author of "Nichiren, the Buddhist Prophet." I have a copy of that at home but it's been a long time since I read it. The book presents what is basically the Nichiren Shu undertanding of Nichiren Buddhism. Anesaki wrote it in the 20s or 30s, and he used a lot of Catholic terminology to translate Japanese Buddhist terms - which is annoying but understandable considering the time of his writing it. Anesaki might have been a member of Nichiren Shu but I can't remember if he was or not.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Those who follow the current discussion might be interested in taking a look at a slim book titled "Toyo ni okeru sobokushugi no minzoku to bunmeishugi no shakai", published in the 1930s by Miyazaki Ichisada (1901-1995), arguably among the greatest Japanese historians. The thesis of the book is, simply put, "Civilizations corrupt, and great civilizations corrupt mightily". Miyazaki saw the history of East Asia as a dichotomy between the civilized and the primitive peripheries. I bet Miyazaki regretted having ever published the book, but it does help us understand better the "mind-set" of the Japanese. What Japan did and what the Japanese thought they were doing are still two different things, and the issue is certainly worth pursuing. The book itself has long been out of print, but it should be available in Miyazaki's complete works, "Miyazaki Ichisada zenshu" (Iwanami Shoten). It is also included in the 3-volume selection of his works, titled _Miyazaki Ichisada Ajia shi ronko_ (Asahi Shinbun Sha). It also is a reality check and abolishes the propaganda being spewed here.
Posted by: Bruce Maltz at December 8, 2008 10:39 PMThe Anesaki book is available online free from Googlebooks:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=0-UXAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22Nichiren,+the+Buddhist+prophet%22&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=vuf4C-NsDx&sig=yTHf99-zXqW76qjCNb_LSMvmm9E&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPR3,M1
or
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at December 9, 2008 09:44 PMThanks Mike. Thats true.
Nichiren The Buddhist Prophet is also now in paperback, on demand, from England. They took an old one and xeroxed it. (I think because maybe I had so many search engines going and and kept buying them all). But you can even find them now at Amazon for a lot less than England. I bought some of those too. I'd still like to get that helmet, nyuk nyuk.
Very interesting post.If only all the Nicheren Buddhist Sects could just surmount their own petty wars against each other.
I wonder how much progress would be made.