Writings of Suzuki Shosan - II

A warrior asked Suzuki Shosan, "They say the law of Buddha and the law of the world are like the two wheels of a chariot. But nothing would be lacking in the world even without Buddhism. Why liken them to two wheels of a chariot?”

Shosan replied, ‘The law of Buddha and the law of the world are not two separate things. According to a saying of Buddha, if you can enter the world successfully there is nothing more to leaving the world.

“Whether Buddhism or worldly law, there is nothing more than reasoning correctly, acting justly, and practicing honesty.

“There are differences in depth of honesty. Not twisting reason, preserving justice, correctness in social relations, not crossing people, not being egotistical - these constitute honesty in the worldly sense. This is a way into the deep via the shallow.

“Honesty in the context of Buddhism means realizing that all conditioned phenomena are illusions, and using the original reality-body in its natural state. This is true honesty.

“The fact is that the ordinary people are very sick patients, while the Buddha is a very great physician. Ordinary people ought to recognize sickness first. In the ignorant mind that fluctuates, there is the sickness of delusion, there are sicknesses of greed and false views, there are sicknesses of weakness and injustice. Based on the mind infected by the three poisons, there are diseases of eighty-four thousand afflictions. Getting rid of this mind is called Buddhism. How is this any different from worldly law?

“People who attain the Way know the principle of fundamental emptiness, use principle and duty as a forge to temper this mind day and night, get rid of the residue of impurities, make it a pure unhindered mind-sword, cut through the root of selfish and obsessive thoughts, overcome all thoughts, surmount everything, and are unfazed by anything, unborn and undying. These are called people of the Way.

“Now, then, ordinary people are those who take the falsehood of illusions to be true, produce a selfish mind attached to what has form, develop greedy, angry, and ignorant thoughts, create all sorts of afflictions and lose their basic mind, always distracted, overcome by thoughts as they occur, racking their brains and belaboring their bodies, without buoyancy of mind, vainly passing the time benighted, alienated from themselves and fixated on things. This is called the mind of ordinary people.

‘That being so, you should know the different terms for the original mind. It is called the adamantine actuality, the indestructible body of reality, This mind is not hung up on things; it is unafraid, unshakable, undismayed, unfazed, undisturbed, and unchanged, master of all. Those who realize this and use it effectively are called great; they are said to have iron guts, and to have attained the Way. People like this are not obstructed by myriad thoughts; able to let go of all things, they are very independent.

“However, people who would practice the Way of Buddha will be unable to succeed unless they have an intrepid mind first. It is impossible to gain access to the Way of Buddha with a weak mind. If you are not rigorously observant and do not practice vigorously, you will experience misery along with those afflictions.

“One who overcomes all things with a firm mind is called a wayfarer. One who has thoughts fixated on appearances, is burdened by everything, and so suffers misery is called an ordinary person.

“So people who work up the courage of violence with an afflicted mind may have the force to’ break through iron walls for the moment, but violence ‘eventually comes to an end. The mind of a strong person, being immovable, does not change. If men who are warriors cultivate this, why would they not attain a strong mind?

“Even people of outstanding heroism, when the killing demon of impermanence comes lose their usual power, their ferocity, and ability to exert any effort. When they try to open their eyes they cannot see anything; their ears can't hear, their tongues shrivel and can't speak. When the killing demon enters the heart and destroys the internal organs, breathing becomes difficult, pain invades their bodies, and under it they become unable to overcome and kill the demon of impermanence, unable to bear the great hardships of the mountain of death, drowning in the river between here and the afterlife, shamed at the court of the king of death, falling forever into the three evils and four dispositions, disgraced generation to generation, lifetime after lifetime, as self and as other, unable to escape. 

Would you say this disgrace is insignificant because shallow people don’t know of it ? Even in the illusory human society disgrace is nothing to take lightly; how much the more so is eternal disgrace ?

“Can someone ignorant of this logic be called someone who knows principle or embodies justice? Think ahead before you act.

If you know the principle, you should fear it. If you embody justice, use the fierce and firm mind-sword to cut down the enemy of birth and death and live in great peace.”

Somehow, this story reminds me of the - probably apocryphal - episode of the viper coming upon Takuan Soho and Miyamoto Musashi meditating together.

How about that ?

Buddhist Warrior Monks - the Ikko Ikki

Throughout history, religious fanaticism has been found in varying degrees and for various causes. Many fanatics often used religion and politics to build up sects of loyal followers in order to fulfill their aims. One such group was the Ikko-Ikki rebels of medieval Japan.

The Ikko-Ikki was a massive group of Buddhist fanatics, whose main goal was to topple the feudalist government that controlled Japan and spread the teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Being united by religion allowed the Ikko-Ikki to be more organized than other rebel group at that time.

The origins of the Ikko-Ikki can be found in the 1400’s, where small groups who followed the Jodo-Shinshu or “Pure Land” sect of Buddhism had united as one. They followed the belief that only wholehearted devotion to Amida Buddha would bring salvation. This single union permeated throughout their ranks, even in their name, which means “single minded league”

Their role as a military force reached its peak when they gained control of the entire province of Kaga in 1488, a territory they managed to hold for 100 years. In 1528, the Ikko-Ikki were so sure of their might they decided to attack the capital of Japan : Kyoto.

For the next 50 years the Ikko-Ikki grew in strength and numbers, recruiting many peasants who shared the groups views. The rebels soon became troubling to the various samurai Daimyo, among them was Oda Nobunaga, the first of the three unifiers of Japan. Nobunaga would commit a good portion of his military career to destroying the Buddhist fanatics.

The Ikko-Ikki had been very troubling to him. Through force they restricted his movements, not allowing him to gain control of Japan as he wanted. The rebels also used economical warfare to battle Nobunaga, such as withholding tax and rent.

They had also turned their temples into self-sufficient towns, concentrating them in all the places Nobunaga needed to control. Nobunaga infuriated by the Ikko-Ikki vowed to fight them "Yama yama, tani tani" : on every mountain and in every valley.

In 1570 after 11 years of battling with the Ikko-Ikki, Oda Nobunga took the fight straight to their temple fortresses. Although his first few attempts at crushing the rebels were disastrous, Nobunaga managed to first isolate the Ikko-Ikki and destroy their allies. Nobunaga was not tender. After restricting the inhabitants of Nagashima fortress to the inner buildings he ordered the whole thing to be set on fire. 20,000 men, women and children perished

In 1580 the Ikko-Ikki faced Nobunaga for the last time. Nobunaga managed to push the Ikko-Ikki back into the innermost part of their fortress. The samurai army waited, letting the rebels run out of ammunition and food. Eventually the abbot of Hongan-Ji surrendered. The terms of the surrender were bloodless. After 100 years of violence the Buddhist fanaticism that lead the Ikko-Ikki was no more.

Fanatical militant groups can be found in every culture and religion. And a group with a whole-hearted devotion to their religion and cause can be just as powerful as any army with a general, which makes this type of religious and political fanaticism a frightening phenomena.

From a lecture by Mike Maikeru Baker on Samurai Archives.Com