(Another must read) Zen at War - Amazon.com book description/review

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Zen at War (Paperback)

by Daizen Victoria (Author), Brian Daizen Victoria (Author)

Publisher: Weatherhill (February 1998)

ISBN-10: 0834804050

ISBN-13: 978-0834804050

 

Book Description

Zen at War offers a penetrating look at the close relationship that

existed between Zen Buddhism and Japanese militarism prior to World

War II. Using the actual words of leading Japanese Zen masters and

scholars, the author shows that Zen served as a powerful spiritual

and ideological foundation for the fanatic and suicidal spirit

displayed by the imperial Japanese military. At the same time, the

author tells the dramatic and tragic stories of the handful of

Buddhist organizations and individuals that dared to oppose Japan's

march to war. He follows this history up to the recent apologies of

several Zen sects for their support of the war, and the reemergence

of what he calls corporate Zen in postwar Japan.

 

From the Back Cover

Zen at War is a wake-up call for all Buddhists. Brian Victoria has

shown in a passionate and well documented way that Buddhism is not

immune to the kind of distortions that have been used throughout

human history by virtually all of the worlds religions to justify so-

called holy wars.

John Daido Loori, Roshi, Abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery Author of

The Heart of Being

 

Zen at War is a stunning contribution to our understanding of

Japanese militarism and the broader issue of war responsibility as it

continues to be addressed (and ignored) in contemporary Japan. Brian

Victoria's great sensitivity to the perversion and betrayal of

Buddhism's teachings about compassion and non-violence makes his

indictment of the role played by Imperial Way Buddhists in promoting

ultranationalism and aggression all the more strikingand all the more

saddening.

Professor John W. Dower, Harvard University Author of War Without

Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War

 

In this carefully documented study, Brian Victoria discloses the

incredible intellectual dishonesty of Japanese Buddhists who

perverted their religion to a jingoistic doctrine of support of the

emperor and imperial expansion during the period 1868-1945. Good job!

We must face this dark side of our heritage squarely.

Robert Aitken, Roshi, Honolulu Diamond Sangha Author of The Mind of

Clover and The Practice of Perfection

 

 

Critical Reading for Anyone Interested in Zen, Mar 7 2004

By A Customer

 

This book is critical reading for anyone seriously interested in Zen.

Having committed his life as a Buddhist monk only to make these

shocking discoveries must have been heartbreaking for Victoria, and

it is remarkable that his tone remains as objective as it does.

Victoria is a refreshing and desperately needed antidote to Kapleau,

Suzuki and all the rest the phony gurus peddling sundry brands of

spiritual snake oil to vulnerable people desperately seeking some

measure of assurance and comfort in this harsh world. His book

reminds us that, however we may seek our own individual peace and

spiritual security, we can never find it through lies, self-delusion,

gurus and preachers.

 

 

Essential Reading for Students of Zen and Buddhism in Genera, Feb 14

2004

By The Cloudwalking Owl (Canada) - See all my reviews

 

What I found most disturbing about this book was not so much what

Victoria had to reveal about the Zen culture of Imperial Japan,

(don't get me wrong, that was pretty darn disturbing too)but rather

the reaction that came from many, if not most, of North America's Zen

masters. Almost to a one, they refused to even admit the core issue

that the book arises: " If an _enlightened_ person can support an evil

empire, what does it say about being enlightened? " No one doubts that

Catholic Popes can committ evil acts (Dante fills Hell with them),

but then the Catholic faith makes far lessor claims about the

spiritual powers and insight of its clerics.

 

In contrast, Zen Buddhism makes the extraordinary claim that each and

every Zen master is part of an intact person-to-person chain of

direct mind contact to Bodhidarma, through to Guatama Buddha himself.

Moreover, they maintain that this direct contact through the Zen

transmission is essential to enlightenment, which cannot be

learned " on ones own " or " through books " . Moreover, Buddhist make the

claim that Masters, and people they acknowledge as " awakened " , have

achieved some sort of real " awakening " .

 

The cheesy responses that I have read and received from the Zen

Masters I have read on the subject all invariably come up with the

same sort of defence: cultural relativism. I was horrified to see

this because it strikes me that not only were they willing to

so " scale back " what " enlightenment " means that a deeply enlightened

Zen master (ie: in Imperial Japan) would lack the discernment to see

through government propaganda, it means that the individual modern

master (ie: the one writing in " Tricycle " or communicating to me over

the internet) lacks the discernment to see the profound implications

of Victoria's book.

 

The process of reading Victoria's book and investigating the reaction

of the North American Zen " establishment " made me totallly re-examen

my understanding of Zen and Buddhism as part of the " community of

world religions " . It gave me an increased sense of my own worth as a

Master of Western Philosophy and a student of world religions in the

face of the significant claims exerted by Buddhists about their own

implied superiority over these alternative spiritual systems.

 

I do not want to denigrate the significant and obvious merits of

Buddhism and Zen, but _Zen at War_ has shown that there are

no " priviledged " ways to wisdom. All are equally valid, and all are

equally flawed.

 

 

How corruptible are spiritual ways?, Jun 19 1998

By qilin - See all my reviews

 

The problem with this fascinating book isn't that it had any quarrel

with Zen, but that it tries to point, from the spirit of Zen, at one

application of that very Zen spirit that, in today's common

understanding, is false and evil. The topic are the more or less

hidden underpinnings between (not only Zen) Buddhism and Japanese

militarism, but, too, the resistance against that unholy alliance.

The author is a professor at Auckland University, and for 30 years an

engaged priest of the Soto school of Zen. So his interest surely is

more than just casual and distant, and one cannot shrug it off as

some 'clearing up the dark sides of Zen' business.

 

It is essential that not only the historical facts are listed, but

that one may have a look at their causal nexus - so it's possible to

perceive how a number of rather prominent representatives of the Zen

sect with subjectively good conscience came not only to defend, but

to call things good and just which aren't compatible with the tenets

of Buddhism, or those of any general humanity for that. And that they

aren't viewed as bloodthirsty monsters, but as people also stricken

with a (only??) Japan-immanent mechanism. When reading, again and

again the atmosphere reminded me of the first book I ever read about

Japan, and on the deep mutual understanding between Germans and

Japanese - from Nazi times.

 

There's one figure very central in the book - the 'Zen-missionary' so

eminent in the West, D. T. Suzuki, and his changes of viewpoint,

depending on time and audience - whether before, during, or after the

war, and speaking to Japanese or to Americans - his stock of upaya

seems to have been inexhaustible. And it seems he couldn't imagine a

western oriented mind might be annoyed there and take that as

insincerity - as also it didn't burden him that he not only

contradicted others, but himself as well. But that's an attitude one

meets rather often with masters (or would-be's) nowadays - " Why

should I bother with that nonsense I've told you ! the other day! " .

On the other hand, a lot of his insights and oversights would be most

interesting and, maybe, guiding. Especially I remember his

saying " With satori alone, it is impossible [for Zen priests] to

shoulder their responsibilities as leaders of society. Not only is it

impossible, but it is conceited of them to imagine they could do so. "

(Zenkai Sasshin) There's a second question of course - do Zen priests

really want to take the responsibility of being leaders of society,

and if so, with what kind of a title?

 

The - quantitatively minor - resistance against the pocketing of

Buddhism and, especially, Zen through 'Imperial Way Buddhism' is

appreciated justly - that both sides are quoted in rather harsh

tones, only contributes to the realism of description. Most

interesting are the passages of those who first were active as

hangers-on and flag-wavers, and later learned to critically

reconsider and relativize their attitudes of wartime. The last part

of the book deals with the working-up (or rather, not-working-up) of

the facts inside and outside Japan after the end of WWII. These

descriptions made me prick up my ears, and partly bewildered me. The

league of inconvincables isn't unknown in Germany, too, but mostly

they aren't found among the intellectual and spiritual élite... When

35 years after the war a high-ranking Zen master openly emphasizes

that 'Japan destroyed itself in order to grandly give the countries

of Asia their independence. I think this is truly an accomplishment

worthy the name 'holy war'... I think the various peoples of Asia who

achieved their independence will ceaselessly praise their

accomplishments for all eternity' (Mumon Yamada), then it might be

Suzuki's opinion isn't completely mistaken, that enlightenment

attained is not necessarily sufficient to make unerringly correct

statements in any given situation. There maybe the expectations of

western Zen students play a role, as described in Stuart Lachs'

essay 'Coming down from the Zen ! Clouds': " Unlike psychologically-

based movements for personal transformation, whose leaders appeared

as seekers themselves, Zen Buddhism promised, in the person of the

teacher, a master who had actually realized the Buddhist goal of

Enlightenment and manifested its qualities continuously in his daily

life. American Zen students have tended to hold these teachers in

awe, to the point of regarding their every action as pure and

selfless. This tendency to idealize the teacher comes in part from

the students' inexperience, but is strongly encouraged by the Zen

organization and the teacher himself " .

 

The last chapter picks up the thread and ties it to the 'Corporate

Zen' of present, which isn't explicitely militaristic but is an

offspring of the same spirit - 'Zen is obedience unreflected -

reflecting neither the contents of instructions nor the person giving

it.' Or, as a contemporary Japanese master says, " Sincerity [in

carrying out orders] means having feelings and actions of absolute

service, giving one's all [to the task at hand]. In doing this there

can be no personal loss or gain... By carrying out our assigned

tasks, we become part of the life of the entire universe; we realize

our original True Self... This is the most noble thing human beings

can do. " (Sakai Tokugen)

 

Brian Victoria it seems has valued his book quite realistically - not

as a compendium of answers, but a collection of unsolved - or

possibly unsolvable - questions; and not as a conclusion, but an

initiative to some examination of the corruptability of spiritual

ways.

 

 

Every Zen teacher/student/scholar should read this book, April 21

1998

By sajala (Marin County, California) - See all my

reviews

 

Every Zen student, scholar, and especially every Zen teacher should

read this sobering, stimulating, excellent book. " Do not put any

heads above your own. " " A disciple of the Buddha does not kill, " two

Buddhist fundamentals, violated deeply by well-known, well-respected

teachers in the Zen school in pre-1945 Japan. This book is an

incentive to the reader to re-examine one's own life and daily

actions and decisions. The incredible ability of the human mind to

rationalize away behavior that is immoral, and to intellectually

contort Buddhist teachings in the same service, is vividly brought

forth in this book. I want to keep this book always visible on my

desk or altar as a reminder to never forget about living with

integrity, true courageous integrity.

 

 

What Was My Parent's Face Before I Was Born?, Feb 7 1998

By " paragate " (Portland, Maine) - See all my reviews

 

I was born a decade after the Japanese surrender to theAllies.

About ten years ago, when I was deep in the romanticperiod that every

beginning Zen student goes through, I excitedly told my 96-year-old

grandmother about my new-found religion. As I was gushing about the

Japanese words and customs I was learning, Grandma interrupted, " If I

saw a Jap, I'd shoot him! "

 

I quickly changed the subject.

 

I could not understand how my grandmother could be so poorly informed

about the Japanese. " Japan is a Buddhist country, " I assured

myself. " Its culture has been heavily influenced by Zen itself. How

could Grandma have acquired such bitterness about a people with whom

she had had no real contact? "

 

In 1995, I became transfixed by the 50th anniversary of the bombings

of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. " How could we possibly have incinerated

200,000 innocent Japanese civilians? " I asked myself. " What could my

parents' generation have been thinking? "

 

A few months ago, I saw an advertisement in Tricycle magazine for the

forthcoming publication of " Zen at War. " On the cover of the book was

an old photograph showing rows of black-robed Zen priests, marching

in formation in front of their temple, rifles at their shoulders. As

it turned out, the book would not be published for several months.

Somehow, however, simply seeing the cover of " Zen at War " served as a

warning that it was time for me to face the truth about my Japanese

cultural/religious heritage.

 

I read " The Rape of Nanking, " Ienaga's " The Pacific War, " " Unit 731, "

and several other books about the conduct of the Japanese military

and government during the 1930's and 40's. The effect was shattering.

Although I still did not share it, I now understood my Grandmother's

visceral response to the mere mention of the Japanese.

 

" Zen at War " is the saddest news of all. No Zen student can help but

be devastated by learning that our childhood heroes -- Shaku Soen,

D.T. Suzuki, Sawaki Kodo, Harada Daiun Sogaku, Yasutani Hakuun, Omori

Sogen, Yamada Mumon, and many others -- were enthusiastic supporters

of Japanese imperialism. Far from calling for peace, far even from

serving as a moderating influence, Japanese Buddhist leaders vocally

endorsed the killing of Chinese, Korean, American, or any other

people who lacked the supposedly superior understanding of the

Japanese people. The pseudo-dharma jibberish that these " enlightened

masters " put in print to condone murder and cultural exploitation is

agonizing to read.

 

What the hell went wrong?

 

The author, Daizen Victoria, does not take us very far in

understanding this tragedy. In that respect, the book seems achingly

incomplete. Although Victoria does not claim to be in a position to

provide the answers, leaving that work to future scholars, one

wonders whether it might have been better for him to have waited

until he could provide more perspective on what he has discovered.

For what he has unearthed, on its face at least, seems to render

almost everything we thought about our Japanese ancestors a bitter

lie. If my revered Dharma ancestor, Harada Roshi, really meant what

he wrote, he would not have hesitated to shoot my father dead.

 

Who were these men, really? What was in their heart of hearts? Was

their enlightenment worth anything, if they could become advocates

for genocide? If they dissembled in order to preserve the Buddhist

establishment, what kind of choice was that?

 

Curse you, Daizen Victoria, for destroying my innocence. Nine bows to

you, Daizen Victoria, for having the courage to open first your own

eyes, and then mine.

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