Jōdo Shinshū; Buddhist crisis; secularization; socially engaged Buddhism; social capital
摘要
In a Japanese context, secularization has long been questioned but also accepted as a fact. Apart from being an academic discussion, the question of a crisis in Buddhism is a topic of concern primarily for Buddhists themselves. Japanese scholars and clergy have touched upon the topic for many years, and the very idea of a crisis of Buddhism is part of the tradition’s own raison d’être in its continuous regeneration and revival attempts. The aim of this article is to investigate concrete responses to contemporary challenges for Buddhist institutions, with a specific focus on Jōdo Shinshū Honganjiha. How does the institution respond to the challenges of ‘funeral Buddhism’ and dark images of religion? How does it cope with the gloomy visions of depopulation and continued secularization? How does it handle folk religiosity and individualized spirituality, and what role do the ministers have in a new social reality where traditional norms of authority and tradition are no longer automatic? Three types of responses are suggested and analyzed (orthodoxy, accommodation and renewal), before concluding about characteristics particular to Honganjiha, but structurally recognizable for Japanese Buddhism in general. The methods used to investigate these questions involve studies of Honganjiha written material (reports, books, articles, homepages), and discussions and interviews with Honganjiha ministers.
目次
1. Jōdo Shinshū and contemporary challenges 2
2. Responses to contemporary challenges 5 1) Official Jōdoshinshū; ‘Protestant Buddhism’ from Top-down 5 2) Accommodating Non-official Folk Religion and Individualized Spirituality 'From Below 5 2.a) Challenges of Lived Folk Religion 7 2.b) Challenges of Individualized Spirituality 9
3) Responses to Public Demands; Socially Engaged Buddhism 12 3.a) Shin Buddhist Lay and Public Religion 12 3.b) Post 3/11 and Negotiating Social Capital 16
