buddhism decline in japan

[LAOLONG]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/06/zen-no-more-japan-shuns-its-buddhist-traditions-as-temples-close

[C T]

dont you already know that Buddhism is transmigrating West? Its quite clear, this process. 

 

It began with the decline of Buddhism in India, then the forceful takeover of Tibet, now Japan's new generation's disinterest.

 

Its part of the great way.

 

no worries.  

[Jetsun]

It's severely declined in South Korea too. Apparently many Koreans have turned Christian as they associate their newly found wealth and prosperity with Christianity due to the American influence.

 

I think China is the place where it will flourish again eventually though. The Tibetans in exile are already planning for it. It already has the worlds largest Buddhist population.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Jetsun

[dust]

The article suggests Buddhism arrived in Japan from Korea. Is this true? Why wouldn't it have arrived from China, or indeed straight from India (more accurately Gandhara, now Pakistan/Afghanistan, as is suggested elsewhere)?

 

 

This Wikipedia page (with citations for the stats) suggests that Buddhism has been on the rise in Japan in the last few decades. Perhaps it is Zen that is becoming less popular, not Japanese Buddhism as a whole...

 

 

I feel no loss in thinking that any religion is shrinking. In my experience, the "Buddhism" that the average Chinese practises (as the Christianity that the average Englishman practises) is a jumbled nonsense of meaningless prayer & ritual. Incense burning and statue worship. Far better if it does disappear. The 'genuine' version, the ancient psychology, the non-religious Buddhism that actually invites people to engage themselves with themselves and the universe, requires too much effort from the average person who simply wants an easy fix for their problems (blame it on a god).

[doc benway]

The article suggests Buddhism arrived in Japan from Korea. Is this true? Why wouldn't it have arrived from China, or indeed straight from India (more accurately Gandhara, now Pakistan/Afghanistan, as is suggested elsewhere)?

You really couldn't get to Japan without going through Korea in 500AD... Simple geographic expansion I would imagine.

[dust]

You really couldn't get to Japan without going through Korea in 500AD... Simple geographic expansion I would imagine.

 

OK, that makes sense... most if not all travellers between China and Japan would have gone through/via the Korean peninsula. But this doesn't mean that the Korean kingdoms themselves introduced all new things to Japan. What I mean is, a lot of Chinese culture, such as the writing system, was introduced to Japan from the Chinese mainland, only passing through Korea out of convenience.

 

Of course, I was wrong about Buddhism either way. Buddhism was introduced to Japan by Korea, or more specifically Baekje.

 

Should've done some research before I opened my big mouth! Learning some fun stuff though.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_influence_on_Japanese_culture#Religion

http://www.academia.edu/11315765/The_Role_of_Korea_in_Cultural_Transmission_Between_China_and_Japan_during_the_Three_Kingdoms_Period

http://history-world.org/Chinese%20Civilization%20To%20Japan.htm

[doc benway]

OK, that makes sense... most if not all travellers between China and Japan would have gone through/via the Korean peninsula. But this doesn't mean that the Korean kingdoms themselves introduced all new things to Japan. What I mean is, a lot of Chinese culture, such as the writing system, was introduced to Japan from the Chinese mainland, only passing through Korea out of convenience.

 

Of course, I was wrong about Buddhism either way. Buddhism was introduced to Japan by Korea, or more specifically Baekje.

 

Should've done some research before I opened my big mouth! Learning some fun stuff though.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_influence_on_Japanese_culture#Religion

http://www.academia.edu/11315765/The_Role_of_Korea_in_Cultural_Transmission_Between_China_and_Japan_during_the_Three_Kingdoms_Period

http://history-world.org/Chinese%20Civilization%20To%20Japan.htm

 

There's a very strong tradition of Buddhism in Korea that, for some reason, gets overlooked in the West. I suspect it's because Koreans also more fully embraced Christianity.

[forestofclarity]

I don't know about that. I live in a pretty Buddhist town and I definitely get the feeling that dharma practice is in decline, having been more popular with the Boomers than the younger generations. Some of the larger Zen centers have already sold some of their holdings due to lack of support. I would expect the popularity to decline as secular meditation becomes more popular (like what happened with yoga). 

 

However, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing--- there is also a strong tradition of dharma being practiced by the few, with occasional surges in popularity. 

 

 

dont you already know that Buddhism is transmigrating West? Its quite clear, this process. 

 

It began with the decline of Buddhism in India, then the forceful takeover of Tibet, now Japan's new generation's disinterest.

 

Its part of the great way.

 

no worries.  

[C T]

I don't know about that. I live in a pretty Buddhist town and I definitely get the feeling that dharma practice is in decline, having been more popular with the Boomers than the younger generations. Some of the larger Zen centers have already sold some of their holdings due to lack of support. I would expect the popularity to decline as secular meditation becomes more popular (like what happened with yoga). 

 

However, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing--- there is also a strong tradition of dharma being practiced by the few, with occasional surges in popularity. 

My observation was made taking into account the continuing influx of Tibetan teachers (and also teachers from other traditions) plus the number of Western senior students who are becoming lamas and teachers here in the West. 

[Junko]

I am Japanese. We believe that Buddhism was brought from India to China by Bodhidarma. From where it was imported to Japan.