stumbled upon this chilling program which I think is very important. this topic, the link between Zen Buddhism and Japanese Fascism, is to this day forbidden to be talked about in Japan, much less the world at large - and this information is for the first time being made available.
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this program sets forth the long-standing relationship between certain schools of Japanese Zen Buddhism and militarism, fascism and imperialism. Perverting some of the philosophical conundrums inherent in the Zen discipline, numerous masters have used those perversions as rationalizations for supporting Japanese imperialism and conquest. Accessing Josh Baran’s eloquent, insightful review of Brian Victoria’s Zen at War, the broadcast highlights the militarist and fascist sentiments and alliances of a number of the most highly regarded Zen practitioners, including Shaku Soen, the mentor of D.T. Suzuki. Suzuki himself engaged in rationalizations that justified slaughter. The philosophical and intellectual gymnastics that enable some Zen masters to support fascism and brutality are not unlike some of the attitudes and concepts used by some New Age gurus to justify and rationalize evil. It is important to note that some Zen schools supported Japanese militarism centuries before the advent of fascism in that country.
Program Highlights Include: Discussion of the Rape of Nanking—an atrocity rationalized as justifiable by the fascist Zen practitioners; reluctance on the part of some current Zen practitioners to face the legacy of Zen’s collaboration with fascism; Zen master Daiun Sogaku Harada Roshi’s support for Japanese fascism and conquest; the post World War II activities of Yasutani Roshi—a Zen practitioner who was very active on behalf Japanese fascism and reaction; the determination on behalf of some Zen practitioners to acknowledge Zen’s historical collaboration with fascism and militarism in order to purge that tendency from the discipline.
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real audio streaming here:
http://ftrsummary.blogspot.com/2006/06/ftr-553-first-refuge-of-scoundrel-part.html
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this program sets forth the long-standing relationship between certain schools of Japanese Zen Buddhism and militarism, fascism and imperialism. Perverting some of the philosophical conundrums inherent in the Zen discipline, numerous masters have used those perversions as rationalizations for supporting Japanese imperialism and conquest. Accessing Josh Baran’s eloquent, insightful review of Brian Victoria’s Zen at War, the broadcast highlights the militarist and fascist sentiments and alliances of a number of the most highly regarded Zen practitioners, including Shaku Soen, the mentor of D.T. Suzuki. Suzuki himself engaged in rationalizations that justified slaughter. The philosophical and intellectual gymnastics that enable some Zen masters to support fascism and brutality are not unlike some of the attitudes and concepts used by some New Age gurus to justify and rationalize evil. It is important to note that some Zen schools supported Japanese militarism centuries before the advent of fascism in that country.
Program Highlights Include: Discussion of the Rape of Nanking—an atrocity rationalized as justifiable by the fascist Zen practitioners; reluctance on the part of some current Zen practitioners to face the legacy of Zen’s collaboration with fascism; Zen master Daiun Sogaku Harada Roshi’s support for Japanese fascism and conquest; the post World War II activities of Yasutani Roshi—a Zen practitioner who was very active on behalf Japanese fascism and reaction; the determination on behalf of some Zen practitioners to acknowledge Zen’s historical collaboration with fascism and militarism in order to purge that tendency from the discipline.
_________
real audio streaming here:
http://ftrsummary.blogspot.com/2006/06/ftr-553-first-refuge-of-scoundrel-part.html