In twentieth century Japan, Buddhist military chaplains were present on the battlefield from as early as the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 and lasting up through the end of World War II. The focus of this article is less on the history of these chaplains than the manner in which they interpreted the Buddha Dharma so as to allow them and their sectarian sponsors to play this role. This is followed by a more detailed examination of the recent emergence of a Buddhist chaplaincy within the U.S. military, asking whether there are any similarities, especially doctrinally, between the military chaplaincy in the two nations.
The purpose of this examination is to identify issues related to those elements of Buddhist doctrine and practice that make the existence of a Buddhist chaplaincy both possible and, at the same time, problematic. Equally important, it reveals one facet or dimension of the manner in which institutional Buddhism has served the political and military interests of those countries in which it is present, and still does so.
目次
Introduction 156 Buddhist "Holy Wars" 157 The Buddhist Chaplaincy in Japan Origins 160 Moderna Era 162 Organized Resistance 167 Individual Resistance 168 The Creation of a Buddhism Chaplaincy in the U.S. Military Background 171 Changing Attitudes 172 U.S. Air Force 186 The "Spiritual Cost" to Buddhism 188 Conclusion 192
