Anniversaries, Founders,Slogans and Visual Media in Shin Buddhism

8/3/2019 Anniversaries, Founders,Slogans and Visual Media in Shin Buddhism

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Elisabetta Porcu*

Anniversaries, Founders, Slogansand Visual Media in Shin Buddhism**

his atile exples sel-epesentatinal stategies emplyed by the tw majbanhes Shin Bddhism, the Hnganji-ha and tani-ha, pselytizatin andsel-pmtin. In patila, it takes int ant an imptant eligis event, the750th memial Shinan, wh is aknwledged as the nde this taditin,

whih will take plae in 2011-2012. his event is expled thgh the instittins

emplyment new visal media linked t ppla lte and slgans as ways nveying thei teahings. he slgans hsen n this asin by the Hnganji-haand tani-ha ae analyzed in thei histial and dtinal develpments in det shed light n hw eligis instittins adapt mmniatin stategies t sialand enmi hanges and eat t times isis. Sel-epesentatinal stategiesemege as attempts by eligis instittins t eah a lage adiene llwesand pssibly t aqie new adheents. At the same time imptant eligiseemnies ae signiiant the instittins t elet, maintain, and pssiblyenhane thei wn eligis athity.

Kyw: Shin Bddhism Shinan Renny Sel-epesentatinal stategies Memial sevies Visal media.

Itt

Memial sevies ndes and the pminent eligis iges tenpvide an asin emlating sme a denminatins basi assmptins

and epesenting itsel pblily. Amng the Japanese Bddhist taditins JdShinsh, Shin Bddhism, is ne the lagest. In 2011-2012 the 750th memial

* Visiting Shla, Rykk Univesity, Kyt.** his atile is an expanded and evised vesin my pape Annivesaies, ndes

and athitative langage in Shin Bddhism pesented at the 12th IntenatinalCneene the EAJS (Epean Assiatin Japanese Stdies, Univesity Salent Lee, 20-23 Septembe 2008). he eseah this wk was made pssible

by the sppt the Nmata Fellwship at Rykk Univesity, t whih I shldlike t expess my gatitde. I wish t thank Galen Amsttz, Matin Repp and UgDess thei insightl mments.

Japanese Religins, Vl. 34 (1): 53-73


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54 Japanese Religions 34 (1)

Shinan (1173-1262),1 wh is nsideed its nde, will take plae. Aswith the 700th memial Shinan in 1961 and 1962, and Rennys 2 500thmemial sevie in 1998, these memials ae sally ampanied by seveal inte-

nneted events, sh as the elease theate piees and the kinds ltalpdtins, inlding mvies, , and s n. Intenatinally egnized atiststen beme invlved: example, Mnakata Shik did paintings the HigashiHngan-ji n the asin Shinans 700th memial. Als, memials stimlateativities me patially linked t the lal enmy, sh as nsttin wks,gided ts, and pbli tansptatin, t ite jst a ew. At the instittinal level,these events ae ten ampanied by pbli statements by the denminatins,sme eganizatin thei stte, and new slgans t nvey thei teahings.

In this atile I will s mainly n Shinans 750th memial, taking int

ant in patila the tw maj banhes this eligis taditin, the Hnganji-

ha and tani-ha, and thei sel-epesentatinal stategies in the m slgans,visal media and the ltal events as ways pselytizatin and sel-pmtin.

Sf-Rtt, R Et Atty

Sel-epesentatins ae a elevant and eetive means tansmitting aeligis instittins laims and messages t its llwes. At a simple level, wean nside the pamphlets the inmative mateials whih ae available at

temples, hhes and shines. hgh these ms sel-epesentatin the

instittins nvey, within jst a ew lines, the essentials thei taditin. Visalimages vey ten nstitte a elevant pat these mateials, and athity is alsnveyed thgh them, example, when depiting imptant ltal ppeties,anient bildings, texts and s n. As elevant as wt they say is w they epesentthemselves and the impat sh inmative mateials have n thei eades bseves. Sphistiated and appealing websites ae als an eetive means sel-epesentatin and pmting eligins. Te epesentatinal gal seems ths tbe ne eahing a lage adiene llwes and nn-llwes alike.

Religis elebatins and eligis athity g hand-in

-hand. Celebatins

an be seen as mis athity, eleting what and hw instittins pesentthemselves t themselves and t thes.3 hey seve bth intenal and extenal

1. Memial Shinans death. Shinan Shnin 750kai dai nki 750(Hnganji-ha); and Shs Shinan Shnin 750kai g enki (tani-ha).

2. (1415-1499), Shinans eighth sess. He is als knwn as the send nde

Jd Shinsh bease it was nde him that the Hngan-ji tned int a pweleligis instittin.

3. In anthe ntext . Handelman (1998: 41-42).


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Porcu: Anniversaries, Founders, Slogans and Visual Media in Shin Buddhism 55

aenas. Te pestige they aqie at the extenal level seves t nslidate athityat the intenal level, within the eligis mmnity itsel, whih mpises thewhle net the instittin, the main temple, temples, and adheents. he me

visibility the event the me lasting and pwel eet it eates in tems eligis athity and its dability ve the yeas.

In this espet, we an mentin the biannal jnal A theHnganji-ha, ist issed in Septembe 2007 and ne the many initiativeslinked with Shinans 750th memial. Hee, the nnetin with Shinans 700thannivesay (1961) is evident. On that asin, ading t the eds pesevedat the Nishi Hngan- ji, 480,000 llwes m all ve Japan paid visit t thehead temple, and this time, it is stated, the administatin expets even mepatiipants.4 Othe pints inteest in this pesentatin ae: 1) Kyt, the ity

in whih the event will take plae, is a ity histy, tism, and nivesities thatwill in 2011 als beme a ity eligin (ky ); and 2) inthe same yea Shinans memial, Hnens 800th annivesay will take plae.hgh these nnetins, that is, thgh Shinans maste and thgh thelatin the event itsel, as ne the symbls lte, histy and eligin inJapan, the Shin Bddhist event aqies yet me pestige, even the einingits athity.

Sh eligis eemnies e the peet m issing ial statements.As tw instanes, I will biely intde hee the Jt Dt f t

Ftt Ay f t S Ky R (, Shin BddhistFedeatin), eleased n 22 Apil 2008,5 and the enewed vesin the Hnganji-has eglatins the eligis lie its llwes ( J S t kkt k), theJ S ky: wt y enated by the (head piest)tani Kshin n 15 Apil 2008.6

4. An. 1 (2007: 7).

5. S ky 40 ky 40 . http://www.shin.g.jp/kydan/102-40.html. Its 40th annivesay will in 2010. Fm2005 the Shinsh Kydan Reng (Shin Bddhist Fedeatin) hasndetaken the pepaatins this annivesay and Shinans 750th memial. I willetn late t this delaatin. he ten maj Shin Bddhist denminatins jintthe Shinsh Kydan Reng. hey ae: Jd Shinsh Hnganji-ha ; Shinsh tani-ha ; Shinsh akada-ha ; Shinsh Ksh-ha ; Shinsh Bkkji-ha ; Shinsh Izmji-ha ; Shinsh Jshji-ha ; Shinsh Sanmnt-ha ; Shinsh

Kibe-

ha

; and Shinsh Yamamt-

ha

.6. See the atile Shin Kysh g-seitei, in Hj (20 Apil 2008). he new J S ky an be dwnladed in


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Fm the Shinsh Kydan Rengs delaatin tw main gals emege: 1) pse a peael siety all hman beings aviding the se vilene; and 2) tspead the bt teahing thght the wld.7 Shinans ideal b (ellw

mpanins),8 that is, a mmnity eqals is highlighted hee and ntinsas a tt within the Hnganji-ha and tani-ha epesentatinal stategies.he nstant eliane n Amida Bddhas vw (bt ytt j y t tk ) and theaspiatin wld peae thgh Shinans teahings nstitte a elevant patin this delaatin. In this wld, haateized by the islatin hman beingsand mpetitin in siety, we the ead that Bddhism is the way t vemepblems exessive atinality in peple, and t beak thei islatin.

Anthe theme that appeas in this text is that lie, (). Tis is

ne the dminant themes the 750th memial, as an be seen in slgans thetani-ha (I, t kt ) t whihI will etn late, the Shinsh Bkkji-ha (N A Bt wwt , Nam Amida Bts is my lie)and the Shinsh Ksh-ha (I, , Ykb, Lie, Cnnetin, Jy). Lie is intended hee t mean nn-sel, thewking Amida Bddhas mpassin and his vw. It als means being nsis hman beings limits (that is, t be dinay beings, bb ) and t ealizepeae in the wld thgh the bt, as a mmnity -b -y (ellw mpanins and patitines), and thgh Bddhas wisdmdispelling the bsity hman knwledge.9

With egad t the Hnganji-has eglatins the eligis lie its llwes( J S t k kt k), the enewed vesin is an pdate ne enated in Apil 1967 n the asin the sping sevie (H y) the st time by the pevis , tani Ksh .10T

vais sizes m the website the Hnganji-ha pblishing mpany (Hnganji

Shppansha) http://hngwanji-shppan.m/sp/kysy/index.html.7. Shinsh Kydan Reng 2008.8. On the nept b and instittinal ems in Shin Bddhism ate WWII, see

example, Heidegge (2006: 292 ).9. Wtt w -b -y tt, bt ytt j y t tk

, k k k w jt kt kk t, kk t (Shinsh Kydan Reng 2008).

10. See the text in Jd Shinsh Hnganji-ha

-Kygak shink iinkai

(2004: 274-275). In Septembe 2007 the Hnganji-has eglatins( ) wee evised.


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Et f J S ( J S ky) ntains smebasi inmatin adheents, sh as the name the nde, the name thedenminatin, the siptes, the main image wship (z), the name

the head temple (z), the teahings (ky), and the main eates the denminatin. his new vesin dies m the ld ne in sme pints,sh as 1) the psthms title Kenshin daishi given t Shinan by theempe Meiji in 1876 has been deleted m his name; 2) a pat alled S has been added, in whih thee is emphasis n the Shin eligis mmnity as ammnity b (b ky) that aims t eate an eqal siety andt tansmit the teahings Shinan and devtin t Amida Bddha, his wisdm() and mpassin (j). An imptant step, whih is a sign theinstittins itial ethinking its wn past, is the deletin in the eglatins

that ditate believes shld bseve sela law ( j [kb][]).11 his passage, whih is elated t the zkt they (this will be analyzed belw), has been deleted in the new vesin tnlde the pess aknwledgment Shin Bddhist wa espnsibilities. Tedenminatin in 2004 has ially invalidated watime dietives m 1931 t1945 alling wa peatin.12 In this espet, the Hnganji-ha aknwledgedits wa espnsibilities in 1991 (the tani-ha in 1987) with an iial statementin whih it is laimed that the denminatin ended by velking the essene Shin Bddhism in patila thgh a misse the w ths (zk

t) they. On that asin, they enaged the eligis mmnityt advate peae ading t Shinans teahings: Y k b , May thee be peae in the wld, and maythe Bddhas teahing spead,13 whih is the slgan hsen by the Hnganji-ha tepesent Shinans 750th memial.14

11. In this espet, see the setin n Sf theJ S Hj- , whih was enated in Septembe 1946 and ame int e inApil 1947. (Shiati 1994: 3)

12. See Dess (2007: 148); Hj S (1 Jne 2004: 5). See als C (17 Janay 2008): t kkt t, k wt Mj k k t t zk t tk y kw, f w t k , j , j b kj

. Online: http://www.hgainipph..jp/NEWWEB/n-news/08/news0801/news080117/news080117_01.html (aessed in Deembe 2008)

13. See Dess (2007: 148; 147). Shinans wds m: CWS I: 560.14. his sentene is als mentined by the then , tani Ksh in a lette n the

asin the lsing eemny the peliminay elebatins Shinans 700th


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S 750t M t S15

Hj- S

Te wds Y k appea in Shinans Ctf Ltt (G-k ), in a lette addessed t Shshin-b .16 hewhle sentene eads: Y k , b (May thee be peae in the wld, and may the Bddhas teahingspead!). (CWS I: 560) As the Hnganji-ha explained in his eent bkY k : k t bkky ,these wds wee sed by Shinan ding a peid pisings t indiate t thebt llwes a path twad a peael siety. In the same manne they have

been hsen by the denminatin t mmemate Shinans memial in det nstt a peael siety in this age inseity and anxiety.17 Te paiststane is ths highlighted thgh these wds and in the hie this slgan.

Hweve, these wds wee als sed ding times wa and in peids isis sppting impeialism and the state pliy. Jst t ite an example, in Y gashakaishgi (My Sialism), an tani-ha piest and an ppnent Japanese impeialism, akagi Kenmy (1864-1914), eeing t Shinanspassage in his lettes, said that it was (ten) qted in p-wa agments. Hewte that, Althgh the passage abve is a gspel peae, have peple mistaken

it the snd a bgle mmanding s t attak the enemy? (akagi 2001: 60)In the Meiji peid, an age instittinal and natinal isis that als aetedthe Hnganji-ha and Bddhism in geneal,18 Shinans wds wee emplyed by the

memial at the tani sby (Apil 1958). See J S kt j (Jd Shinshs Piniples Lie). (tani Ksh 1958) http://www.hngwanji..jp/bdlie/shinj/images/seikatsinj.pd (dwnladed in Jly 2008).

15. Hee, de t spae estitins, nly thse the Hnganji-ha and tani-ha will beexpled. F the slgans the the Shin Bddhist denminatins see http://www.shin.g.jp/hy/index.html (aessed in Deembe 2008).

16. his is dated seventh mnth, 9th day. (CWS I: 560-561)17. See tani Kshin (2007: 228). See als the message the n 9 Janay 2005,

in whih he stated: Ding this pptnity [750th memial], thgh eleting nShinan Shnins hadships and ahievements, paising his vite while enewing eslve, and sineely eeiving the Jd Shinsh teahing, it is my hpe that we willendeav t widely tansmit it as a bean that gides s all in the ntempay wld nsin and tmil. http://www2.hngwanji..jp/english/message050109.html (inEnglish); the Japanese text is n http://www.hngwanji..jp/750hy/in/050116g

shsk/050109gshsk_a.html (aessed in Deembe 2008). As this theme, seeals seveal atiles in S ( example, Jne 2006: 18-19; Jne 2007: 19).18. See, example, the pesetin Bddhism (bt kk ) and the


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twentieth head piest, Kny(1798-1871) in his well-knwn estament KyS k k . Min and Ann Rges wite thatthis intded the nept the tansendent and the mndane as tw tths

(zk t) as the dhama-piniple dening the ppe elatinship membes

the Hnganji t the state.19 As they highlight, Knys sage Shinans wdsin his testament implies that thee shld be n nlit tensin betweeneligis mmnity and state athity.20 Knys passage eads:

Hene nding maste taght that we shld desie peae in the wld andthe spead Bddha-dhama. Given that, it is deplable that [sme peple]ae nsed and think that i they jst believe in Bddhist teahings, they an letmndane teahings be as they may. 21

Tis and the se the passages m Renny in Knys testament (sh as thesentene: On y bw, wea impeial law; within the depths y heat, teaseBddha-dhama), eveal his intepetatin the tw tths as mplementay.22 AsMin and Ann Rges (1991: 324) have highlighted in this egad,

Hnganji membes lill thei bligatins t impeial law thgh lyalty andbediene t the empe, and t Bddha-dhama thgh inne piety and devtint Amida. Ote and inne tths, the mndane and the tansendent, mtallysppt eah the.

Tey mment the pn the zk t they nd in Knys estament,whih they temed t be a pwel eligis symbl that was t shape theHnganjis espnses t the ises mden Japanese histy. (Min and AnnRges 1991: 325)

In 1909 the zk t they was pesented as ndamental in the ShinBddhist teahings in the S ykw , a bklet ntainingqestins and answes n the teahings whih was tanslated int English ndethe title A Ct f t S St (B). Hee the dminane ahievedby the nept zk t in Shinsh thght by the end the Meiji peid is

lea.23 It is in the 33d qestin that the ndamental aim the Jd Shinshteahings is highlighted:

deees n the sepaatin Shint and Bddhism (bt b ) in theealy Meiji peid.

19. Min and Ann Rges (1991: 319-322; in patila 321).20. Min and Ann Rges (1991: 324).21. ans. in Min and Ann Rges (1991: 321).22. Znkak (1290-1373) advated the idea that Bddha-dhama and impeial law

ae a pai dhama. Qted in Min and Ann Rges (1991: 311). See als Dess(2007: 56, 113).

23. See Min and Ann Rges (1991: 325 n). he English tanslatin is by A.K.


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33. Wt t S t? pt it biely, the ndamental aim Shinsh is t teah what is alled SzkNt. he tem Szk Nt is ne whih is sed by all Bddhist sets, bt

sally it signiies nly the explanatin the Law the Bddhas (i.e. the dtineswhih deal with Religis Faith, Enlightenment, et.); while in Shinsh alne thetem designates teahings whih shw hw eligis aith and daily ndt thebelieve as a itizen this wld may be made t hamnize. his is the peliameit Shinsh.Cnm t the laws the king, be qik in haity and ightesness, and in yheat believe lly the Vws Amida. Ry D. (Reishae 1912: 358)24

he pelia meit Shin Bddhism in mpaisn with the the Bddhisttaditins, was ths t hamnize the mndane and the tansendent, the sela

law and the Bddhist law, b and b. Shin Bddhism was, at the time,aing the gent pblem sviving and maintaining its wn eligis athitythgh its llabatin with the impeial state, a llabatin whih was destinedt last ntil the end Wld Wa II.25

With egad t the Hnganji-ha, in de t eine its patneship with theimpeial state, ths its athity, it tk meases t mdiy the siptes in thsepassages nsideed disespetl the empe and the impeial state and entiephases wee deleted m the texts. (Min and Ann Rges 1991: 328-329) Ten inlate 1941, the nal step was taken twad absltizing the empes athity, and

bth Hnganji-ha and tani

-ha shlas develped watime dtines thgh whih

the instittins sppted and eqied ll patiipatin thei adheents t thewa et. (Min and Ann Rges 1991: 331 .) Shinans teahing had been tnedint the handmaiden impeial absltism, and t identiy Amidas benevlenewith that the empe enabled t saalize evey saie as an at piety, whihinlded t die the impeial state. (Min and Ann Rges 1991: 333)

Ding Japans Fiteen-yea wa (1931-1945), the wds Y k , b and the pat Shinans lette bee them that states itwld be splendid i all peple wh say the nembts, d s nt with thghts themselves, bt the sake the impeial t and the sake the peple the nty (CWS I: 560) wee sed t pmte impeialism and eveene t theimpeial system and t jstiy wa.

Reishae (dwnladed in Deembe 2008 m http://www.ahive.g/details/MN40132m_0).

24. F the iginal Japanese text, see Nishimt Ryken (1909: 49-50).25. On this isse see, example, Shigaaki (2001: 46-47); Min and Ann Rges (1991:

325 ); Ienaga (1965: 15 ). Ienaga analyzes the sppt Bddhism gave t militaismand its peatin in diving the peple t wa ding the Sin-Japanese and Rss-

Japanese was. his peatin was maintained nsistently p t the Paii Wa.


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26. See Fkshima (1988; 1991; 1995. See, example, 1995: 53, 299, 315, 321). F smeexamples egading the senteney k , b , see Fkshima(1995: 65, 106, 319, 320; and 1991: 99,116). he thee vlmes Sj kyk tS (Watime dtine and Shin Bddhism), edited by the Senjikygak kenkykai Rykk Univesity, llet iginal mateial elated t thewatime dtine Nishi Hngan-ji.

27. See als the statement Hnganji-ha against sending Japan Sel-Deense Fesnits t Iaq, in whih Shinans wds ae sed t pmte peae (Hj , 20 Deembe 2003); and D 225 k k kt 225(225th Resltin the Hnganji-ha Diet, 27 Febay 1991). See Hj ,

10 Mah 1991.28. he nept behind the memial is Meeting the Fnde, Shinan Shnin Stt S .

hese, tgethe with the slgans taken m bth Shinans and Rennyswitings, wee sed as tls pmting the watime dtine (j kyk ). Sentenes like k t bt , the nenbts

the impeial hse; bt w kk , the nenbts as the ight law t ptet the nty, kk ttbt , the nenbts as ptet the nty ae tent be nd in Hnganji-ha dments that time.26

As emeges m these examples, Shinans wds and teahings have beenadapted t t with the demands the times. In times isis, wa, his wdsand thse the pminent iges, sh as Rennys, wee sed as means sppting the impeial and natinalisti system. Te same wds have been latesed t aknwledge wa espnsibilities, ndemn all sts nfits and was

and t expess paism.27

t- S

While the Hnganji-ha slgan has a lng and ntvesial histy, the nehsen by the tani-ha, I, t kt (iial English tanslatin: Nw, lie is living y) is new and nt dietlylinked with Shinans wds.28 In ne the iial statements the tani-haegading Shinans memial, Te ept the mmittee egading the theme

the memial (Gk t k k), theislatin and nihilism (kkk t kyk[z][]) whih haateize tdays individals ae emphasized. heee, it islaimed, peple shld egain pssessin thei wn ieplaeable nw, awakent the lie whih ntinsly lws int them, amplish a lie with thes,whih means veming nesel. Te wds the slgan, it is the stated, ae


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29. http://higashihnganji.jp/genki/5hkk.html.30. Explanatin n the lea let by Akini Imai (Bishp Higashi Hnganji Nth

Ameia and Hawaii Distits), Shinsh Otani-ha Shmsh (Higashi Hnganji):Nvembe 2006. See als the the Japanese lealets whih deal with the isse theimmeasable lie Amida Bddha in de t save all living beings (Ogawa Ihij , At w kt , May2006); ne entitled Ik y k (Yshida Kazhi ,Apil 2007), whee the theme is paaphased eslting in: I, t k kt and I, t w k kt ; again the lealets hilden emphasizethe eqality all living beings (see in patila the ne dated Nvembe 2007 wheeit is stated that: w tk by ).All these lealets ae als available nline at http://www.higashihnganji.jp/genki/2ea.html(aessed in Deembe 2008).

31. See the S Ky R k 20 ky 20 , 1989; the S Ky R k 30 ky 30 , 2000; and the S Ky R 40 ky 40 , 2008. hey an be dwnladed m the iial website the Shin Bddhist Fedeatin http://www.shin.g.jp/kydan/102.html(aessedin Deembe 2008). I have biely mentined the jint delaatin the 40thannivesay abve.

32. In this egad, . Dess (2007: 137-140).

expessins the bt itsel, the maniestatin Amida Nyais alling inthis pesent wld.29

In the English leafet available at the head temple the meaning the slgan is

explained by dividing it int thee stages: Nw 1) Nw is nly hee while y aeeading this leafet; 2) Lie is living y means that Lie is nstantly, ntinslyand pevasively in the innite nivese. As nditins emege, Lie wks as nesbdy, mind and spiit. And inally, 3) Nw, lie is living y is explained as aalling t live nes lie as ne is, egadless i lie is ging alng with [nes] wish nthappy sad. Te nstant saying Amidas name, the bt, is thenstant eminde this alling.30

he theme lie is ial in ntempay Shin Bddhism and appeasals in vais jint delaatins the Shinsh Kydan Reng (Shin Bddhist

Fedeatin). In patila, in thse issed n the asins its 20th, 30th, and40th annivesaies.31 Tese dments ae ial statements issed at imptantevents and ae theee signiant shedding light n the Shin Bddhist stanen pblems elated t ntempay siety.32 What deseves attentin hee is these the wd in these delaatins. We have mentined ealie that theJtDt the 40th annivesay illstates that in a wld haateized by theislatin hman beings and mpetitin in siety, Bddhism (Shin Bddhism)


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33. On the isse the it iqe against hmanism and anthpent ism in ShinBddhism see Dess (2006; 2007: 131-140).

is the nly way t veme pblems exessive atinality in peple (R t ztttk tzt k ), and t beak thei islatin. Hee, lie (te lie) is the

wking Amidas pimal vw (A Ny ). Sha dimensin lie is expsed thgh the bt and this is the penditin a wld ee nfits and disiminatin. (Dess 2007: 139) In this espet,i we nside the Jt Dt f t tt Ay f t Ftf t S Bt Ft, we an bseve that the nept lie () isndamental. As Ug Dess (2007: 139) has highlighted,

he e this text . lies in the atilatin the ideal a te lie ()ppsed t a pivatizatin lie ( yk), alng the lines pvided by the

-

dependent iginatin they ( y ) and its expessin ndin Shinans teahing thgh the ideal ellw mpanins and patitineswhih is hee intended t imply the eqality all beings.

It is t this te lie that the slgan the tani-ha ees. Hweve, while n nehand Shin Bddhist instittins ae pmting a visin the wld based n theeqality all living beings, as well as aspiing t peae in the wld, they evealan exlsivist appah t ntempay pblems when this nept lie andwhat lies behind it, is sed t am an identalist stane. Sh a stane advatesBddhism as the nly pssible way t eligis salvatin. he (westen) legay hmanism is pesented as a geneal negative ntepat whih ntins tenhane the pestige Bddhism, and Shin Bddhism in patila, at the expense the eligis taditins and the ltes.33 In the text analyzed abve, theitiism hmanism pies a ental plae and the spiit hmanism is takenas a mnlithi blk with n shadings, as a hmgenes, negative the whihbemes the pemise the amatin Bddhist spiitality as the exlsivesltin t the pblems the ntempay wld. (Dess 2007: 139; 140) Asimila stane is als pesent in the Jt Dt f t Ftt Ay ft S Bt Ft in the setin entitled H t kk: ky k tt (Pspeity and Islatin:Te Reslts Cmpetitive Siety). Hee, in the se identiying the ases an enmy haateized by mpetitin, anxiety in siety, the inease teism ate the 9/11 events, was and nfits in the wk hman beings,the dment laims the ptentiality Bddhism in slving the pblems ntempay siety:

It is within mden atinalism itsel, whee hman ndestanding has eahed itsdead end, that the dakness the hman mindwhih Bddhism has aed as a


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34. C. Shinsh Kydan Reng (14 Janay 2000). See als Dess (2007: 138).35. See Matsnami (2004: vii); P (2008: 23-24).

pblemis deeply ted (N t tt k k k, bkky t t kt j y fkk kzt

). (Shinsh Kydan Reng 22 Apil 2008)34

Despite a geneally pen attitde twads the eligins in Shin Bddhism, whatemeges hee is a eent theme sed in a nsevative way t ppse westenthght and pmte Bddhism. his appah eveals itsel lealy in a eentpbliatin the Japan Bddhist Fedeatin (JBF, Z bkkyk ), t whih the Hnganji-ha and tani-ha ae ailiated. In this gide(A G t J B) whih is addessed t a geneal English-eadingadiene, Bddhism stands abve all the eligis taditins, in patila

Chistianity and Islam. We an ead that while these tend t adhee t thei wnGd as abslte and almighty and seem t disegad the eligins as min inei, Bddhism, having a bade view whih inldes all sentient beings, iselatively genes twad the eligins.35 Hee, hweve, while ndemningChistianity and Islam disegading the eligis taditins, the aths haveemained entapped in the same disiminaty mehanism. (P 2008: 23) Intems athity, sh (mis)epesentatins ae sel t stengthen the pestige the eligis instittins invlved. As I have examined elsewhee (P 2008:23 ), past epesentatins Japanese eligins and lte a nn-Japanese

adiene have been sel at the same time at the intenal level. Tey ntinedt stengthen the pestige Japanese lte and eligins abad, as well as beingtls in the stggle pwe within Japan and in the Asian ntext, sh as in thease Japanese watime idelgy.

ning attentin bak t the slgans Shinans 750th memial, andnsideing thei epesentatinal and athitative ntins, we may say that inthe ase the Hnganji-ha it is the diet nnetin with its ndes wds thatvalidates the athity the memial sevie and indietly the instittin itsel.With egad t the slgan the tani-ha, althgh it des nt emply Shinans

wds dietly, its athitative ntin esides in the nept that lies behind it,that is, the expessin the bt itselas laimed by the instittin basedn Shinans teahings, the eliane n Amida Bddhas vw, the nept telie () and the ideal a eligis mmnity b. hese ae theeeexpessins an athitative langage thgh whih the eligis event nds sel-validatin, while the link between the instittin and its llwes stengthen. As anseqene, the eligis athity the instittin nslidates itsel.

In the next setin the le visal images in the pmtin Shin Bddhismand as a way t nvey its teahings will be expled.


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36. Babaa Rh (1977: 288) has highlighted the imptane tk in the teenthand sixteenth enties in the matin Japans natinal liteate. C. Kaminishi(2006: 6). Hweve, tk pemanes wee pesent as ealy as the tenth enty.

(Kaminishi 2006:19; . als Rh 1977: 295). F an explanatin the wd tk,see Kaminishi (2006: 6).37. See example, Kaminishi (2006: 16; 74 ).

S B V M

Te se visal images t ppagate eligins an be nd in vais taditinsand dates bak t anient times. We an take as pimay examples the illstatedbigaphies Hnen (H S ) Shinan (SS ), the tk in medieval Japanese Bddhism emplyed pselytizatin ppses. Ikmi Kaminishi (2006: 4) has spken JapaneseBddhism in the teenth enty as a visal ltal phenmenn, bease its emplyment tk, illstated stytelling (liteally: explanatin thghpites, pite explanatin) egading vais Bddhist themes whih weesed as a methd peahing with visal aids. Etk nt nly had edatinal

aims bt was als entetaining, a m medieval ppla lte.36

(Kaminishi2006: 5) nside the se paintings and illstated texts as visal pps(Rh 1977: 288) pselytizatin will seve hee as a link t illstate hw ShinBddhist instittins in ntempay Japan ae making se new media thisspe. Babaa Rh has expliitly spken new media liteate, whee thevisal illstatin liteate and its al delivey ame t eqal i nt spass inimptane the text itsel. Painting, sty, hante, and even the snding msialinstments mbined t eate a ttal adi-visal expeiene. (Rh 1977:288) Tis kind liteate, she has laimed, intended dawing the adiene deeply

int an ally deliveed naative and asing abve all an emtinal espnse inan adiene. (Rh 1977: 284)he Pe Land taditin emplyed the tk pemanes t pplaize

the teahings.37 he se adi-visal means this spe is ths an anientpatie within this eligis taditin and we may see its se mden ways mmniatin, sh as the televisin media, intenet and visal-vebal appahes(sh as slgans), as a ntinane this anient patie.

Similaly, in the eld Japanese eligins, at and adi-visal media as ways speading the teahings have als been sed by new eligis mvements. Nany

Stalke has analyzed the way sing at and what she alls visal tehnlgies pselytizatin, in Japanese new eligis mvements. Implying the se visal media, inlding at, exhibitin, phts and ilm t pmte themselvesand spead thei messages sial and spiital ematin. (Stalke 2003: 151)In this egad, she highlights the lse link between lie in mden indstialized


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38. As the mmeial aspet in medieval Japanese eligis wld, see exampleRh (1977: 303-304).

39. See Renny Shnin Kenky Iinkai (1998: 170-171).

40. he iia l manizat in Hnganji-

ha is Hngwanji-

ha. Hee, hweve, themdiied Hepbn system is sed, nless it is expessly indiated in Englishpbliatins the same instittin.

sieties and nsmeism that des enmpass eligis patie, laiming thatnsmptin many is an imptant m sel-epesentatin. In the ase new eligins, she nldes, they nsme and display as pat thei sial

identity and, in tn, adheents and ptential adheents nsme the eligin aspat thei sel-identity. (Stalke 2003: 164)

Tese efetins an be aptly applied t established Bddhist denminatinsas well as t the eligis taditins.38 In the ase Shin Bddhism, visaltehnlgies pselytizatin have been sed, and ae still sed, and nsmptinas a m sel-epesentatin is als t be nd.

Let s take int nsideatin the emplyment new visal media by ShinBddhist instittins t nvey the teahings, whih is als lsely linked t a m nsmeism and mmeial entetainment. Tis will be analyzed in the light

sel-epesentatinal stategies n the asin the ndes memial.In ppla lte, the (Japanese mis) and (animatin mvies)

indsties in Japan have eahed the pptins a mass phenmenn, andpdtins eating eligis themes have nd thei plae within it. F Rennys500th memial (1998), the animatin mvie Ry Mt (RennysSty), based n a sty by the best-selling wite Itski Hiyki (b. 1932),was mmissined by the tani-ha and dieted by Kznishi Osam . InKyt it was shwn m 25 Apil t 22 May 1998 and was pesented as a big event.39Me eently, the animatin mvie S : , t k (iial English tanslatin the Hngwanji40 Pess: S

-

H W Lt) was eleased n DVD by mmissin the Hnganji-ha(Mah 2008) as ne the pjets elated t Shinans 750th memial and is alsemmended by the Japan Bddhist Fedeatin and the tani-ha.

As we an ead in the bklet inlded in the DVD, this is neived asne the visal means sed by the denminatin t ppagate its teahings. Inthei wds: Tgh animatin and visal media, the Jd Shinsh Hngwanji-ha denminatin has sght t spead the wd Shinans teahing in an easyt ndestand mat. Meve, this pjet spanning ten yeas was peeded byanthe nineteen animatin mvies, whih wee stated in the 1980s and mpisea Bddhist Sty seies and a Nembts Sty seies. he denminatinspblishes nside these tw seies as an eph-making event in the histy Bddhist ppagatin whih established sh media [the ] as an imptant


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41. Bklet in lded in the DVD S : , t k . (HnganjiShppansha 2008: 11)

42. See the inteview in Dj (May 2008: 18-26).43. See Dj (May 2008: 21-22).44. See the vais senes n the DVD and its mmentay (Hngwanji Pess 2008:

15-20; Jp. 6-9). Spae hee nly pemits me t mentin these themes. Hweve, I will

analyze this and the Shin Bddhist se the media in me detail in my atile ShinBddhism and the Media: Cmmniatin Stategies in an Established BddhistDenminatin (in pepaatin).

means ppagating [the] denminatins teahing.41S : , tk is nsideed the wning ahievement the tw seies mentined abve.Meve, this wk is pesented as an innvatin whih is inseted in a new

ent visal ppagatin and whih allws the Hnganji-ha t pesent his

[Shinans] bigaphy in a style neve bee attempted. (Hngwanji Pess 2008: 11)Shinan is pesented hee as a gentle ld man and the veall image whih

emeges m this mvie is emtinal athe than intelletal. Te diet and thesiptwite als aimed t depit a wndel man (b t) ina gentle and natal way.42 Te themes the ae lie and the eligis pathindiated by Shinan.43 One me haateisti, as tld by the eats, is thei wisht ennte the av llwes any geneatin, m hilden t eldely peple.

he sty ves Shinans lie and is naated by Shinan himsel t tw

hilden wh lived in his neighbhd. Amng the main episdes whih appeain the mvie ae: Shinans hildhd; his 20 yeas endai patie n Mt. Hiei;his llwing Hnens teahing and the exile t the Ehig pvines (pesent -day Niigata peete) ate the petitin pesented by the Kk-ji inNaa, and the pesetins whih llwed; his engagement in the witing theKyy, Shinans maj dtinal wk; his ativities speading thebt; and his etn t Kyt. Shinan is ptayed in a taditinal way, andhis eveene t Hnen es thght the . his an als be seen aspaying hmage t Shinans maste sine Hnens 800th memial will be in the

same yea as Shinans. Ftheme the hie the themes taken m the ShinBddhist teahings and displayed in this mvie is qite taditinal. Tey expessthe Hnganji-has ial stane and epesent the eassing message it wishes tnvey t thei llwes. Te themes seleted and mmented pn in the bkletinlded in the DVD ae: Amida Bddhas pimal vw and the eligis salvatin all sentient beings thgh it; Shinans laim ate his exile that he was neithea mnk n a layman ( zk); the nept bith in the Pe Land(j j) whih an be ahieved thgh the exlsive bt patie astaght by Hnen (j bt); and the nept k k , the wiked pesn being the eal bjet Amida Bddhas vw.44


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45. See http://www2.hngwanji..jp/dainki/ (aessed in Deembe 2008)46. his is the manizatin sed by the Hnganji-ha.47. On this shl tea and its lse nnetin with the Hnganji-ha see P (2008:

Chap. 4).48. his eligis sevie stated in 1874. In 2008 120,000 peple visited the main temple.

See Hj (1 Jne 2008: 8). I, mysel, have patiipated in and bseved this

sevie vais times (bth the N pemane and the eing tea) and saw themassive patiipatinmstly by (bt nt exlsively) Shin Bddhist llwesinthese events.

his elatively taditinal appah is als a haateisti the Hnganji-has website dediated t this event, in whih taditin, depited thgh the linkwith the anient apital (Kyt), the ld image Shinan and the hie ls,

pevails ve mdenity.45Clsely linked with the , and with the ativities elated t the ndes

750th memial is a seies sveni items whih ae sld at the head temple inKyt: m pens t stikes, ntepads t led penils all depiting the haates the mvie; items displaying the wd A46 whih appeas in the slgan the memial and is sed hee as a keywd t be nd n ans, saies (jz), staps mbile phnes, apns, e bags, ie paks and s n. Even a speialmedial insane alled A and intended the adheents the denminatinwas lanhed n this asin and advetised in bth the abvementined biannal

jnal A and the ial gan the Hnganji-ha, the Hj

.What emeges m the examples given abve is a nsmeist se things

in the m sveni items, and the emplyment new visal media linkedt ppla lte t pmte eligis instittins. We an see, theee, thatnt nly in the new eligis mvements, as highlighted by Stalke, bt als inan established Bddhist denminatin like Jd Shinshne the lagest in Japanthe lse link between nsmeism and eligin is qite evident and theneessity t ind new ways ppagating the teahing seems t be gent in its

ntempay develpment.Othe, me taditinal ltal ms have been sel tls t pmte

eligins. In the ase Shin Bddhism, as is well knwn, the Hngan- ji has sedtaditinal at ms like N theate t pmte its teahings sine Rennys time,and within the Hnganji-ha stng ltal ties with the Yabnhi shl tea(Yb y )47 have been imptant elements in the develpment thisbanh. Jst t ite a ew examples, still tday at Nishi Hngan-ji the tea eed bythe Yabnhi shl in the Hinkak (Flying Cld Pavilin) and theN pemane in the sthen N stage ding the elebatins Shinansbithday, Gtane , in May attat a lage adiene believes and nn

-

believes alike.48 It shld be nted that this is als an asin many t visit


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49. See als Hayashi (1999: 44 n).50. Renny Shnin Kenky Iinkai (1998: 105). In this same magazine, thee is an

inteview with Itski Hiyki, pp. 106-111.51. I have disssed this isse extensively in P (2008).

52. See example, http://www2.hngwanji..jp/dainki/sl_tp.html whee, witheeene t the Hnganji-has slgan, it is stated that it was deided and established inde t ge an appeal t geat ptins siety.(aessed in Deembe 2008)

the Natinal eases in Nishi Hngan- ji, sh as the Hinkak, the Hngan-jiShin, as well as Imptant Cltal Assets sh as the Sth N stage, the ne dy landsape gaden, Kkei n Niwa (ige Canyn Gaden).

With egad t theate pemanes, n the asin Rennys 500thmemial, the dama Ry, iginating m Itski Hiykis play sipt Ry:W fkk f y (Renny: Fm the Depths MyAbyss, 1995), was staged by the theate mpany Zenshinza in Jly 1995 inKyt, and atewads ted vais theates thght Japan.49 Ate me than200 pemanes, it was estaged in 1998 and was highly emmended by bththe tani-ha and Hnganji-ha.50 Me eently, n the asin Shinans 750thmemial, and Hnens 800th memial, the pening the theate play H tS (Hnen and Shinan) was staged in Kyt in Jly 2007 at the

Minamiza theate as the st many pemanes whih have taken plae and willtake plae all ve Japan in the ming yeas. Te play has been pmted by bthheadqates instittins and by thei lal temples.

It shld be nted that all these pesentatins ae aimed at a Japanese adieneand that, while in Japan the se ltal events t pmte Shin Bddhismand as a way pselytizatin seems t have been qite eetive (as ne thelagest taditins, in tems bth nmbe adheents and temples), it did nthave a signiiant inlene pn its exptatin t Epe and Ameia. Hee,epesentatins Zen Bddhism have been mst sessl in thei adaptatin

a westen adiene, whih inlded a stng pmtin its allegedly exlsiveinfene n Japanese lte, binging abt the maginalizatin the shls.It is als thgh the se Japanese lte that Zen Bddhism has btaineda geat llwing tside Japan and has seeded in adapting an athitativelangage (that is, an expessin its wn eligis athity) t pmte itsel. Onthe ntay, this adaptatin has nt ed in the ase Shin Bddhism, and asa nseqene, its signiant ntibtin t the develpment Japanese ltehas ten been velked.51 While many events and pjets ae ndetaken innnetin with Shinans 750th memial within Japan and while the Japanesewebsites bth the Hnganji

-ha and tani

-ha ae always pdated with geat

attentin given t them at the instittinal level (als with the aim at attating alage adieneas lealy admitted n vais asins)52 nly sant attentin


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is given t thei English-speaking adiene. he English web pages bthinstittins ae nt pdated and vey ew English mateials ae available. hisan be indiative the at that Jd Shinsh sel-epesentatinal stategies ae

mainlyi nt exlsivelyintended an intenal, Japanese, se. Tis may alsbe seen as ne the easns the lak pplaity this infential eligistaditin tside its Japanese bndaies.

C

An examinatin sel-epesentatinal stategies sed n the asin imptant eligis events, in the m slgans and visal media, has been made.hese stategies emege as attempts by instittins t eah lage adienes

llwesand pssibly t aqie new adheentsmainly thgh taditinalpattens, sh as the link with taditin as sel-validatin athity (as in thease the slgan Hnganji-ha) and the se taditinal Japanese lte(N theate, the tea eemny), whih enhane the pestige the instittinsthemselves. On the the hand, the Shin Bddhist instittins taken intnsideatin hee have epesented themselves thgh ms ppla lte(even thgh, we mst add, with qite taditinal ntents) and new media t aesietal hanges. As well as nveying the teahings thgh mden visal media,sh as , Shin Bddhist instittins addess thei adheents and ptential

adheents thgh the le nsmeism, in the m sveni items displayingthe haates the itsel. Shinan and his teahings beme a m eligis entetainment, whih attempts t meet the needs a nsmeist siety.

With egad t the eligis instittins eatins t dieent peid isis, the se the Hnganji-ha slgan Y k has been expled.Signiiantly, bseving the adaptatin stategies in the develpment ShinBddhism within Japan, whee this taditin was stggling its wn svivaland t maintain its eligis athity, has been geat inteest. Te slgan thetani-ha with its emphasis n , the te lie, evealed the denminatinsstane n bth pblems in ntempay siety and eligis dtines thethan Bddhism. Amng the things, these, and sme the iial statements the Shin Bddhist Fedeatin, have shwn an identalist appah and theadvay the speiity Bddhism ve the eligis taditins, thghwhih thei eligis athity is amed. On the the hand, hweve, the ShinBddhist instittins have demnstated an pen attitde twads the eliginsand stngly pmted thei anti-wa stane, whih has implied a pess itialethinking thei past wa espnsibilities.

In nlsin, mmniatin stategies ae ndamental aspets eligispselytizatin, and instittins aim t adapt them t sial and enmi hanges.As has emeged m the examples pvided in this atile, these stategies ae


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even me elevant n the asin eligis eemnies ndes and thepminent eligis ges, whih nstitte a stage the eligis instittins tepesent themselves pblily. Tese ae theee mis efeting the instittins

wldview and attitdes egading gent isses t a lage adiene llwes andptential llwes, als in the attempt t maintain, and pssibly enhane, thei wneligis athity.

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Documents

Anniversaries, Founders,Slogans and Visual Media in Shin Buddhism