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13 April 2002
Dear David,
“I trust this note finds you and your community well. I very much enjoy
reading your newsletter and much admire the way in which you continue to
engage in social activism, especially peace work, as an integral part of
your training programme. Bravo! ! !
Inasmuch as you are also a writer and researcher, I know it must
sometimes be a little frustrating for you to have so little time to
devote to these tasks. Yet, as we both know, it is Buddhist practice
that has the power to change peoples' lives, not “scholarship” per se.
Although I imagine I shall die a scholar of sorts, rather than a
practitioner-teacher, I gratefully acknowledge that it is informed
practitioner-teachers like yourself who ensure that the (rekindled)
light of the Buddha Dharma is transmitted to the future through the
transformed minds of your students. Please keep the faith as I am sure
you will.
In the meantime, I did want to share some recent news, at least recent
to me. That is to say, the Rinzai folks have finally admitted their war
responsibility. And as you will see from their statements attached
below, they even admit that the Japanese edition of my book played a
significant role in bringing this admission about. While I am gratified
to hear this, it is a great pity that it took them more than a half
century to admit their past errors. Better late than never?!
I can only hope this is not the last we will hear from them on this
issue, i.e. that they will follow in your footsteps and look toward some
reform measures, but that is probably hoping for too much from these
crusty “masters”!?
And speaking of “reform,” how is the US edition of your book coming
along? It now
appears that my own new book, i.e. “Zen War Stories,” won't be out until
September from Curzon.
In any event, drop me a line when you have a moment to let me know your
reaction to the Rinzai statements. It does appear that they are now
attempting to produce a more comprehensive statement on this issue
though I don't know when it will be issued.”
In friendship,
Brian Victoria
PS. Please share this material if you wish.
I. Initial Proclamation
The following is a translation of the relevant portion of a proclamation
issued by the 100th Session of the Myooshinji Branch General Assembly
held on 27 September 2001 in Kyoto, Japan. The context for this
proclamation was the terrorist attack on the United States of 11
September 2001.
[Note that this branch of the Rinzai Zen sect has more than 3,400
affiliated temples with 1.6 million adherents, making it the largest
branch of this sect.]
Proclamation
. . . . As we reflect on recent events [in the US], we recognize that in
the past our own country engaged in hostilities, calling it a “holy
war,” and inflicting great pain and damage to various countries. Even
though it was national policy at the time, it is truly regrettable that
our sect, in the midst of wartime passions, was unable to maintain a
resolute anti-war stance and ended up cooperating with the war effort.
In light of this, we wish, first of all, to confess our past
transgressions and critically reflect on our conduct. Based on this, we
must exert ourselves more than ever to work for world peace and promote
the teachings of the Zen school through our daily educational activities
while respecting the various lifestyles, values, beliefs, and religions
of the world's peoples.
II. Follow-up Statement by the Branch's Administrative Head
[Note: This statement was issued by the Administrative Head of the
Myooshinji Branch of the Rinzai Zen sect on 19 October 2001 in Kyoto,
Japan.]
. . . . In 1995, in conjunction with the religious services
commemorating the 650th anniversary of the death of Emperor Hanazono,
the Clerical Renewal Study Group [within our sect] pointed out that our
sect had promoted [the Second World] war in a major way, among other
things by donating fighter aircraft. While this group proposed that the
sect ought to “reflect on its past war cooperation,” the time was not
yet ripe and in the end the sect did not refer to its war responsibility.
Since then six years have passed, and in August 2001, many Zen masters,
beginning with our chief abbot, have strongly urged our sect “to issue a
statement of [war] repentance as quickly as possible.” They felt that
by doing so we would be able to determine the path we ought to follow in
the future. The recent “Proclamation” adopted by the General Assembly
is a concrete step heading in that direction.
This said, it is also true that it was not until our sect was criticized
by others that we were able to look squarely at the mistakes we
committed in the past with regard to the outcaste class [in Japan].
This time, it was the publication of the book “Zen to Sensoo” (i.e. the
Japanese edition of “Zen at War”) that provided the opportunity for us
to address the issue of our war responsibility.
It is truly a matter of regret that our sect has for so long been unable
to seriously grapple with this issue. Still, due to the General
Assembly's adoption of its recent “Proclamation”; we have been able to
take the first step in addressing this issue. This is a very
significant development.
War is something that indiscriminately deprives people of their lives.
We Buddhists are called upon to give equal respect to not only human
life but all forms of life. Whether we are clerics or lay persons, we
must observe the precept forbidding the taking of life. Therefore,
whether we are talking about killing in war, let alone terrorism, it
goes with saying that we can never approve or affirm such ignoble crimes.
We priests in the Zen school must first of all be deeply aware that our
lives are made possible through the sacrifice of other life forms.
Based on this awareness, we must put into practice concrete measures for
the protection of life while maintaining a spirit of gratitude and
repentance.
The question of our war responsibility must, for this reason, be taken
seriously, and we must examine the wartime actions of both our sect as a
whole and those of each priest. At the same time, we believe this is a
question that must be recognized as concerning each one of us. . .
[End]
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