This study examines the role of True Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu), both in terms of its organization and doctrine, in the mobilization of the people of the Choshu domain in the last stage of the Tokugawa Bakufu. By the term "the people" I refer here to the subordinate classes, peasants (farming, fishing and mountain villagers) and townspeople (merchants and artisans), excluding the ruling samurai class. When faced with the need for coastal defense against the coming of the Europe and America powers, Murata Seifu (1783-1855), one of the political leaders of Choshu, stressed having the people die willingly for the "Imperial country" and tried to use Jodo Shinshu to that end. He focused on the influence of Jodo Shinshu on the people. On the other hand, the Buppo gogoku ron (Theory of Defense of the nation by Buddhism), which was based on the works of the Jodo Shinshu priest Gessho (1817-58), emphasized the effectiveness of doctrine of the Rennyo (1415-99) and encouraged adherents to mobilize for coastal defense. After the Bunkyu era (1861-64), the formation of various army corps progressed within the domain, and the corps that centered on priests were also formed. The activity of Jodo Shinshu priests was prominent, and the disciples of Gessho played a leading role. Here, the ideas that formed the structure of Rennyo's doctrine of rebirth in the Pure Land in the next world and loyalty to "Imperial country" in this world served as one basis for their activities. Moreover, the activities of Jodo Shinshu priests in the stabilization of rule and military mobilization increased as the mobilization of the people progressed during the war between the Western powers and the Shogunate. Thus, Jodo Shinshu played a role in domain's mobilization of the people. This historical reality appears to demonstrate an example of the interrelationships between political power, the people, and religion during the transitional period to the modern era. In short, one discerns here a structure in which religionists who were themselves under the control of political authority led the people to submit to that rule and to military mobilization based on a constant, ideological standpoint. I think this study is likely to become a source on which a broader consideration of Japan's modernization will be based.
