Seiko Hirata, "Zen Buddhist Attitudes to War"

Summary by Andrew Ettinger. Edited by Mark Unno 3/12/02

Hirata looks at Zen nationalism, tracing its roots back to Sakyamuni's interception of troops from Virudhaka three times, only to allow them to pass and destroy the Sakya clan upon the fourth invasion. This early Indian Buddhist non-violent ideal was based, however, on karma instead of "humanistic ideals" since the offending people were met with horrible natural deaths and sent to hell - thus, "the Buddhist dharma transcends ethnic and national concerns" (4).

For Zen Buddhists in China, however, monks could not even be ordained without government oversight and approval. Reliance on the government for funding and property created a need for the appropriate upaya. Some, like Master Ta-Hui Tsung-kao, taught the unity of Buddhist scripture and official laws. This created a sense of the nation-state as a Buddha-realm in itself, which should not be allowed to be destroyed.

During WWII, many Zen priests from Japan became dogmatically allied witth the state and its military thrusts into the Pacific, partially due to "ignorance of international affairs among Zen monks at the time" (11). Hirata's 'desecularized freedom,' to be free no matter what the circumstances (such is Zen), cannot create political changes. Revolution through upheaval creates 'secular freedom,' secular changes.

Since Zen cannot effect change, Hirata questions the Zen morality of morals. "Only by awakening to the sense in which the transient realm of samsara already is, just as it is, the permanent and unchanging realm, does the world that is Zen is talking about open up" (13). For Hirata, Zen is concerned with the the self, not the determination of right and wrong: " in Samadhi, the one who practices Zen has seriously to study the things of the world as things of the world." (15). I think Hirata feels that throughout history, monks have forgotten this simple fact and become complicit in oppressive movents and agendas.