Peculiar Japanese Religion

Peculiar Japanese Religion

BY II. G. IVINS, PRESIDENT OF THE JAPAN MISSION

Missionaries who come to Japan fall into a world of new thought, and new religion, a world full of interest, and rich with opportunity for the student. The idea that truth is precious above all else with which we have been impressed, leads us to investi- gate this great realm of mystery, as far as we are able, limited as is our knowledge of the Eastern languages. Thanks to men who have given their lives to the spread of Christianity in the Orient and who have delved into the store house of Eastern thought, we are able to learn something of the beliefs of this great mass of humanity whom we are pleased to term heathens.

We are indebted for much of our information concerning the religions of Japan to the late Rev. Arthur Lloyd, who came to this country in 1885 and worked continually on his study of the religions of the Empire until his death, in October of last year (1912). He has put the results of his tireless research into sev- eral most scholarly volumes which are of great value to Christian missionaries in this country.

As Mr. Lloyd's studies unfolded to him the depths of Bud- dhist (Japanese) he was impressed with what he considered a marked likeness, in the teachings of the Shinshu sect, to the writings of St. Paul, and with one point which differed radically from the belief of other Buddhist sects. This apparent closeness to Christian teachings led Mr. Lloyd to double his exertions in an effort to gather some evidence to indicate a real connection be- tween Christianity and the origin of this Shinshu sect. Though he was unable, in his long search among the temples of Japan, to discover the copy of the writings of St. Paul, which he fondly hoped he might uncover, he did gather much information which greatly strengthened his belief that the Shinshu creed was founded on Christianity rather than on Buddhism as taught by the great Shakyamuni.

This peculiarity of Shinshu, which Mr. Lloyd has explained in his effort to show that Christianity influenced, if it did not furnish the foundation for, the whole creed, is worthy the atten- tion of any student of religion, especially to one who holds the views taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

To make plain to our Western readers the foundation of the contention that the teachings of Jesus made themselves felt in Japan hundreds of years ago, it will be necessary to state, at least

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one of the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism, and then show how diametrically opposed is this thought which pervades the Shinshu teachings.

The doctrine of which I speak has been thus translated, "By oneself evil is done ; by oneself one suffers. By oneself evil is left undone; by oneself one is purified. Purity and impurity be- long to oneself ; no one can purify another." This is one way of expressing the idea that fills Buddhism, that man must not look to anyone or anything outside of himself for help in his effort to conquer self and obtain the Buddhahood. There is in the great Indian religion no idea of a God who helps man, in his struggle to obtain perfection, no Father to forgive when his children err, no Savior, faith on whose name will bring salvation. Man must make the fight alone, depending upon his strength only for his entrance into Nirvana and Buddhahood. The idea of vicarious sacrifice, and of salvation by faith in a Redeemer, seems to be entirely absent.

Knowing such to be the unvarying creed of Buddha (as far as we have learned it), we do not expect to find, even in Japan where that creed has been so corrupted, any idea of a Redeemer, as we understand the term. But study reveals to us that here, where we least expected it, is a sect "the youngest and by far the most popular of them all" which "carries out to its logical con- clusions the principle of salvation by faith in the vow of Amida, the One Buddha." Shinran, the founder of this sect, who is said to have been born 1173 A. D., composed a hymn which contains a summary of the teachings of Shinshu. We find in this poem such statements as, "He [Nagarjuna, about A.D. 120] taught that the way of salvation by one's own efforts is like a toilsome jour- ney by land, that the way of faith in the merits of another is as an easy voyage in a fair ship over smooth waters, that if man put his trust in the fundamental vow of Amida, he will enter at once by Buddha's power into the class of those destined to be born into the Pure Land," and "[Vasubandhu taught] with a view to the salvation of men through the faith in another's merits which Amida bestows upon us." Without inquiring into the nature of the "Vow of Amida" which is the object of saving faith, we rec- ognize in the passages quoted, as in almost every verse of the hymn, a Savior, one who saves if men will believe on his "funda- mental vow." Here is a Christian idea, and it seems impossible to account for it as having its source in Indian Buddhism. The question arises as to how it found its way into Japan. It is here, it is Chrisitan, no matter how corrupted in the working out, and there is an opportunitv for some one to take up the subject where Mr. Lloyd left it, and trace it to its introduction into this country. The presence in Japan of this "salvation through faith in

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another's merits" gives US a new interest in the religions of this empire. P.elirving, as we do, that the plan of salvation was known to man from the beginning, we think it not improbable that the teaching of Shinshu in respect to a Savior (and the Shinshuist claims that this teaching originated near 500 B. C), is of divine origin. We think that, had Mr. Lloyd known of the teachings of Joseph Smith concerning this subject, so that he could have gone beyond St. Paul looking for his Savior, he might, with his untiring work, have solved the problem which occupied so great a part of his life's effort.

TOKYO, JAPAN

This is a picture of Elder O. D. Romney, president of the New Zealand Mission, his wife and three sons. Sister Romney and William, their youngest son, expected to sail from Auckland for home, via Van-

couver, Nov. 21. Elder Romney will return by way of Europe, visiting the Holy Land, taking with him his two eldest sons, O. D., Jr., and Melbourne, both having been born, and filled missions in New Zealand, since Elder Romney first circumnavigated the globe, 22 years ago, returning then from his first mission.

STAKE SUPERINTENDENTS Y. M. M. I. A.

Top row, left to right: David L. Pugh, Kanab; Walter W. Mor- rison, Sevier; Franklin Whitehouse, Tooele; Center: J. M. Hixson, Summit; third row: Le Roy Dixon, Utah; Hubert C. Burton, North Davis; Hugh B. Folsom, Liberty; bottom: Dr. William M. Cragun, Bear River, all of Utah.