DharmaJim's Realms

Kamakura Context

I've been reading a lot about Japanese Buddhist history lately. It is a dramatic and complex saga. Certain themes emerge at certain times in this history. One of the themes that emerged during the Kamakura period is the single practice view; the idea that the Dharma can be distilled down to single method or approach. This was probably a reaction to the complex Tendai approach which had dominated Japanese Buddhism for about 400 years, but which had become increasingly corrupt.

This single practice approach was common to all the Kamakura reformers including Eisai, Dogen, Honen, Shinran, Ippen, and, of course, Nichiren. The reformers had different views as to what the single practice should be; but they all argued for this kind of distillation down to a single focus and an overall simiplification of the Dharma.

What has become increasingly clear to me, and which is why I bring this up, is that all of these reformers worked in a common context which is different from the context in which we practice today. The context of 13th century Japan was a culture which was thoroughly Buddhist. All of these reformers could assume that their audiences possessed certain basic understandings. Let me draw a comparison; today in the west, including the U.S., nearly everyone knows the story of Jesus, his birth, the basics of his life, and his death. Whether one is a Christian or not, these basics are just part of the cultural fabric. Similarly, in the Japan of the 13th century the reformers could assume that certain basics about the Buddha and his teaching were givens. One can perceive this in their writings; none of them start at square one in their essays because they all assume that these core views are already established in their audience.

Our situation in the west today is different. People in the west have almost no knowledge of the Buddha or of Buddhism. I have given talks for many years now and I can attest to this. Many people are, for example, unaware that Shakyamuni lived in India (many people think that Buddhism is a Chinese religion). I believe this has implications for the idea of a single practice approach. In a cultural context where the Four Noble Truths, and other simple, yet basic, Buddhist views are not part of the cultural context, I think it is imperative that we go beyond a single practice approach in order to establish the broader context which gives those practices meaning. That is one of the reasons why I think it is important for western Buddhists in particular to have some sort of basic introduction to Buddhist thought. I'm not saying that everyone has to become a "Geshe" (the Buddhist equivalent of a Doctor of Divinity). Only that we need to place our practice of daimoku in a Dharma context in order for it to flourish fully.

Best wishes,

Dharmajim

Posted by dharmajim at September 4, 2004 08:52 AM