tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post4437300054414779946..comments2024-03-21T00:18:25.414-07:00Comments on I See Japan...from L.A.: Buddhism may be dying out in Japanowenandbenjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09474307542498791351noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-42395091826150969442008-08-04T07:08:00.000-07:002008-08-04T07:08:00.000-07:00Thank you for the comment Jason. If the Japanese ...Thank you for the comment Jason. If the Japanese sprituality lies moastly with the deceased and in praying for their afterlife, I think that is a good thing and I don't see that as a problem.owenandbenjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09474307542498791351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-65210806102511214392008-08-04T07:03:00.000-07:002008-08-04T07:03:00.000-07:00Maybe Buddhism has become like another "obligation...Maybe Buddhism has become like another "obligation" to the Japanese? As anyone who lives here knows, many "holidays" are based on going to the graves of relatives. Most of the Japanese I ask about this say it really doesn't have any meaning to them. A few do say it has some meaning to them. <BR/><BR/>If I had to say where spirituality lies in Japan, it's in respect to deceased relatives and worry about their afterlife. <BR/><BR/>(full disclosure--I was a religious studies major)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-42529784720565341212008-07-24T07:21:00.000-07:002008-07-24T07:21:00.000-07:00Thank you for the comment Martin. I also feel tha...Thank you for the comment Martin. I also feel that Buddhism is just changing but not dying out. <BR/><BR/>Although Buddhism associated with the funeral is very important in Japan, I feel that it is because the people really feel spiritual about the process of death and they truly feel they are helping the spirits move on to the next life. I don't feel it is just routine or a habit. <BR/><BR/>I actually think that funerals in Japan have more meaning then most funerals in the United States. And I have been to both.owenandbenjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09474307542498791351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-38910735000254635412008-07-23T23:03:00.000-07:002008-07-23T23:03:00.000-07:00This particular journalist (Norimitsu Onishi) over...This particular journalist (Norimitsu Onishi) over at the NYT is famous for his anti-Japanese bias. There is some speculation about his background, you can google his name. I'm not sure what to make of him. <BR/><BR/>As for Buddhism in Japan, of course it is changing - people move to large cities, population changes, more choices in terms of lifestyle. And isn't religion changing everywhere...? Of course it is not "dying out", that is just very, very bad taste for a NYT headline.Martin J Fridhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14537556834410284837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-37454417961555787722008-07-16T06:59:00.000-07:002008-07-16T06:59:00.000-07:00Thank you Tracy. I hope it is just a shift as wel...Thank you Tracy. I hope it is just a shift as well.<BR/><BR/>Thank you Thomas. Unfortunately, I agree with you Thomas. To me, it seems that dedicated and deep Buddhist practice is not as common in Japan anymore.<BR/><BR/>Thank you Dateline. Certainly there are still many devout Buddhists in Japan. However, is it the trend that devout Buddhism is becoming more rare?owenandbenjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09474307542498791351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-65589300091380790422008-07-16T00:17:00.000-07:002008-07-16T00:17:00.000-07:00From my perspective at least, I don't see any sign...From my perspective at least, I don't see any signs of it dying out. My family is full of active Buddhists, and we're surrounded by neighborhoods full of well tended shrines. Each day I can hear, just out my window, prayers going on at least twice from a home nearby. Every time we visit temples, we see a really healthy amount of folks young and old who are there to visit for its beauty or history, but also to pray, be blessed, buy omamori, dispose of expired omamori, etc. I do understand that it's mostly older folks nowadays that are fervent about it, but I have to wonder if it's not rubbing off on the younger generation who is growing up in their homes. They may not care so much when they're young adults, but do you think they might fall back on it as they get older? I start to wonder how many generations people have been worrying about this same thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-69440395118542529742008-07-15T22:26:00.000-07:002008-07-15T22:26:00.000-07:00That's a good point Tracy.But I kind of agree with...That's a good point Tracy.<BR/><BR/>But I kind of agree with the article. Although Buddhism may be different, the fact is that not many people practice it or believe in it and do only practice it at a cemetery.Thomas Hammerlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05448828623411526253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26681372.post-67657835488018356892008-07-15T19:47:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:47:00.000-07:00I think it's difficult to comment on whether Buddh...I think it's difficult to comment on whether Buddhism is dying or not...my own feeling is merely that it is changing. Buddhism is a remarkably adaptable faith and has altered slightly over the centuries to fit lifestyles of the people in India, China, and Japan (among, of course, others). Hopefully this is just another little shift.Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15587408709457240972noreply@blogger.com