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| Kennyo Shonin, our 11th warrior Patriarch after Shinran, wearing a battle flag with three types of Nembutsu. This photo is dedicated to all fake Buddhists who hide their cowardice and heresies behind sweet peaceful words |
Question: Is violence justified? Are there situations when Buddhists can and should react violently? How about Buddhists carrying arms?
My answer: I will give you a sad answer. I don’t like to give such answers but I must do it. Yes, sometimes violence and arms can be used and must be used. We are not Buddhas who are beyond harm and live freely in both mind and body or any manifestations they assume for the sake of saving and guiding us. They can endure anything because they are beyond suffering. More than this, they can even make their body manifestations indestructible. Just look at the example of Padmasambhava who could not be burned or killed by any means.
However, we are ordinary beings living in samsara. We identify ourselves with our delusory bodies and our dear ones. Most importantly, we need freedom and liberties to follow and spread the Dharma. We invented states and laws to protect these rights and liberties and in the past many shed their blood to do so. Surely, if Hitler and the Nazis were not stopped violently we could not practice Buddha Dharma freely into our own countries. The insanity of the Nazi regime with the racial motivated killings needed to be stopped. Life in human form is extremely precious and we could not allow and should never allow anybody, be it a single person or a government to destroy it or take its freedoms and advantages. Governments and politicians are nothing else but our employees who were given the mandate of administering the common resources and protect the rights and liberties. These rights and liberties are NOT given by governments but naturally possessed by us since we were born. They are written in the natural way of things and the role of any government is to protect them and assure an environment in which we can live naturally each according to his/her own conscience. However, when a government goes against the people who is supposed to serve and starts disrespecting their rights and liberties then that government breaks the social contract and it deserves to fall either peacefully or violently if they don’t want to go peacefully. This is common sense. You don’t need to be a Buddhist to understand this simple logic. And if you are a Buddhist you should not deny it like you are some kind of detached Buddha in human form. In samsara you need suitable samsaric environments to promote the Dharma. As Shinran said:“Those who feel
that their own birth [ in the Pure Land] is completely settled should, mindful
of the Buddha’s benevolence, hold the Nembutsu in their heart and say it to
respond in gratitude to that benevolence, with the wish, ‘May there be peace in
the world, and may the Buddha’s teaching spread!’”[1]
Peace
is one of the most important conditions for the Dharma to spread, but sometimes
we need a war to establish peace – again look at Hitler’s example. We needed to
fight a war with him and his Nazis to establish peace. Also, peace does not
mean only the absence of a military conflict between countries. Social peace
inside the country must exist too, and that means for example, that people are
allowed to practice their religion freely, go to churches or temples, meet with
their sangha and teachers, follow and teach the rules of Buddhist morality
without the fear of persecution by government or other fellow countrymen.
Shinran himself criticized the emperor of his time when he banished Honen and executed two of his disciples:
“The emperor and
his ministers, acting against the Dharma
and violating human rectitude, became enraged and embittered. As a result,
Master Genku – the eminent founder who had enabled the true essence of the Pure
Land to spread vigorously [in Japan] – and a number of his followers, without receiving any deliberation of their
[alleged] crimes, were summarily sentenced to death or were dispossessed of
their monkhood, given [secular] names, and consigned to distant banishment. I
was among the latter.”[2]
Clearly that emperor and his ministers were evil. At that time the Pure Land followers did not have the means to resist to such arbitrary decisions, but during the later turbulent period of civil wars that plagued Japan, especially during the Onin War (1467-1477) and Sengoku Jidai (warring states period 1567-1615) they did resist and fought against armies of various samurai lords and even against the attacks of other jealous Buddhist schools like Tendai and Nichiren armies. These are historical facts.
Master Rennyo (1415-1499) who lived during the Onin War was a very peaceful person and he often advised for restraint. However, he also said:
“Since devils
and demons take advantage of unprotected places, we must build strong
fortifications. These will also serve as protection against robbers and
outlaws. One cannot take too much care. In any case, if in the future an
unfavorable situation arises, say the Nembutsu and die, for you will surely
attain salvation in good time. No matter how death befalls us, all ultimately
depends on our karma. For this reason, you
should not hesitate to give your life in battle for the sake of Buddhism.”[3]
Also, Kennyo Shonin, the 11th successor of Shinran Shonin led the armed resistance against Oda Nobunaga who attacked the mother temple of our school in 1570. He resisted 10 years against the forces of that anti-Buddhist psychopath (who previously sacked the temple complex of Mount Hiei) with an army of priests and lay warriors. Later the emperor intervened and asked both parties to make peace. Did Kennyo Shonin take the right decision? I think yes. His revolt and armed resistance showed that Jodo Shinshu followers were a force to take into consideration and later no other Shoguns dared to attack us. On the contrary, the next Shogun, Toyotomi Hideyoshi offered us a piece of land where we built a new temple (present day Nishi Hongwanji). So, yes, sometimes is good to show your muscles and have some arms around. It will make the enemies of the Dharma think twice before attacking us or take our rights and religious freedom.
In
the Mahaparnirvana Sutra Shakyamuni
Buddha himself said that we can wear arms for the protection of the Dharma and
Sangha:
“O good man! One
who upholds Wonderful Dharma does not receive the five precepts and practice
deportment, but protects with the sword, bow, arrow, and halberd those bhiksus
who uphold the precepts and who are pure.”[4]
“Kings,
ministers, prime ministers, and upasakas (laymen) protect those who deliver
sermons”.[5]
In another world and universe, there was a “bhiksu (monk) called “Enlightened-Virtuous”, who upheld the precepts well and was surrounded by many of his relatives. He raised the lion’s roar and preached all the nine types of sutras. He taught, saying: ‘Do not keep menials, men or women, cows, sheep or whatever might go against the precepts.’ At that time there were many bhiksus who were acting contrary to the precepts. On hearing this, they entertained ill-will and came upon this bhiksu, brandishing swords and staffs. At that time, there was a king called ‘Virtuous’. He heard of this. To protect Dharma, he came to where the bhiksu was delivering his sermons and fought against the evil doers so that the bhiksu did not suffer. The king, however, received wounds all over his body. Then the bhiksu, Enlightened-Virtuous, praised the king, saying: ‘Well done, well done, O King! You are a person who protects Wonderful Dharma. In days to come, you will become the unsurpassed utensil of Dharma.’ The king listened to his sermon and rejoiced. Then he died and was born in the land of Buddha Akshobhya and became His foremost disciple. The subjects of this king, his relatives and soldiers were all glad and did not retrogress in their Bodhichitta [resolve to gain Enlightenment]. When the day came to depart the world, they were born in the land of Buddha Akshobhya. At the time when Wonderful Dharma is about to die out, one should act and protect Dharma like this. The king at that time was I (Shakyamuni in a previous life) and the bhiksu who delivered the sermon was Buddha Kasyapa”[6]
So, as you see, sometimes, if the situation demands it, we must take up arms and defend the Dharma and Dharma teachers:
“All kings,
ministers, rich laymen, and devout followers may possess swords and staves for
protecting the Dharma”.[7]
“Those upasakas (laymen) who protect the Dharma should take the sword and staff and protect such a bhiksu who guards the Dharma. Even though a person has not received the five precepts, if he protects Wonderful Dharma, such a one can well be called one of Mahayana. A person who upholds the Wonderful Dharma should take the sword and staff and guard bhiksus”.[8]
However, as the sutra tells us, we should not do it with the intention to kill, but to protect. Even if death occurs, if one did not have the intention to kill, but to protect, the karmic consequence is light, as the same sutra tells us:
"Also, next, O good man! Two people have a fight with a sword and staff, cause bodily injury and draw blood, and death results. But if they had no thought [intention] of killing, the karmic consequence will be light, not heavy. The same is the case [here]”[9]
After reading the above passages we may conclude that YES, sometimes we need to use arms and violence to protect the Dharma and Sangha. Of course, we can also use those arms to protect ourselves and our dear ones, too. In the US you have the 2nd amendment which is a wonderful law that preserves your natural right to bear arms for self protection as well as your freedoms and liberties, including the freedom of religion. I think all countries should have a 2nd amendment in their constitution.
Please
always remember that human life is precious and hard to get even in billions of
kalpas, so try to use your arms wisely and compassionately, that is, try to frighten
the attackers so that they stop and run away. Of course, if that does not work
then try to injure them and if that does not work either, then as a last resort
you will have no more option left than shoot to kill. If you do that pray for him and make aspirations and offerings in his name. Never feel proud of this. Make a vow that after you go to Amida's Pure Land you will come back for him to help him.
I can tell you that I will never allow anybody, (although all beings were my mother and father in previous lives), to kill or injure my dear ones, nor limit my freedom of practicing the Dharma. If a private person attacks you or the Dharma, defend yourself. If government attacks your property, your family or the Dharma and Sangha, defend them by any means, including fire arms. I as a Buddhist priest and also as an ordinary sinful person, will never teach you to let your wife, children and friends die, nor will I ever tell you to not defend the Dharma and Sangha. No matter how the fake so-called peaceful Buddhists will call me – a fanatic, a violent person, a fundamentalist, etc – I will always tell you to defend your dear ones and especially to defend the Dharma and Sangha. Don't use Buddhism as an excuse for cowardice!
We live in crazy times when many governments imposed harsh, dictatorial restrictions on our private lives and freedom of religion. In my country for example, the army was taken into the streets to impose lockdown for two months and during those months an unconstitutional decree was given in which it was clearly stated that the right to private life and property is suspended! I never accepted that and I revolted. I wrote against that, I protested and threatened authorities and sabotaged their actions as much as I could because I could not accept such an evil thing! For me, as a freedom loving person the right to private life and property is NOT negotiable and cannot be suspended for any reason! Those who give up their freedom for safety deserve to have no freedom and no safety. Life should be lived with dignity, even in times of crisis. What we experience now in many countries is a stupid self-created crisis. Because of a flu, governments closed churches and temples while also took from us the right to breathe freely. In my country but also in other countries, armed police and gendarmerie entered churches and threatened believers. They also tried to stop two traditional annual pilgrimages. I wrote against this, I protested and threatened authorities as much as I could together with other people like me. I revolted and defended the Christian church not because I like Christianity but because I think that religious people should stand united against such government abuses. I do not wish one day to say something similar with Martin Niemoler: first they came for the orthodox Christians, and I did nothing because I was not an orthodox Christian, then they came for the Catholics and I did nothing because I was not a Catholic, then they came for the Buddhists, and then there was nobody left to defend me….
It is not by accident that the nowadays oppressive forces attack religion by using "its for your own safety" argument. If they successfully destroy traditional religions they will have a free hand to change society according to various modern ideologies. The Nazis too, invoked science to impose their aberrant views, so NO, I don't give up my freedoms and rights because some try to scare me that I might die because of a flu. Even during medieval times when humanity experienced plague and other grave illnesses, priests were available to give spiritual help to the sick. I too, as a priest want to be available, and have remained available all this time to anybody, no matter he was sick or not. I refuse to live my life in a cage clapping on the window like an animal in the zoo.
Yes dear good friends, fake friends, snowflakes and libtards, I Josho Adrian Cirlea believe that in these crazy times we should stand up and defend our rights and liberties, and especially our freedom of religion. We should stand up for our natural right to meet and worship in our temples without any dog muzzle on our face - really, who can breathe normally with a mask when doing full prostrations and saying the Nembutsu or when doing meditation or mantras if you are from other schools? Yes, in defending these natural rights we should be ready to use ANY means necessary, depending on the situation.
Yours in Namo Amida Bu,
Josho
[3] Rennyo and the Rise of Hongwanji – Shin Buddhism and Society in
Medieval Japan, by Michael Solomon. Pure Land Publications, Los Angeles,
1997, p.158
[4] Mahaparinirvana
Sutra,
translated by Kosho Yamamoto from Dharmakshema’s Chinese version, edition
printed by Dr Tony Page, 2004, verse 185, p.33
[5] Mahaparinirvana Sutra, translated by Kosho Yamamoto from Dharmakshema’s Chinese version, edition printed by Dr Tony Page, 2004, verse 188, p.33
[6] Mahaparinirvana Sutra, translated by Kosho Yamamoto from Dharmakshema’s Chinese version, edition printed by Dr Tony Page, 2004, verse 190-191, p.33
[7] Mahaparinirvana Sutra, translated by Kosho Yamamoto from Dharmakshema’s Chinese version, edition printed by Dr Tony Page, 2004, verse 191, p.33
[8] Mahaparinirvana Sutra, translated by Kosho Yamamoto from Dharmakshema’s Chinese version, edition printed by Dr Tony Page, 2004, verse 191, p.33
[9] Mahaparinirvana Sutra, translated by Kosho Yamamoto from Dharmakshema’s Chinese version, edition printed by Dr Tony Page, 2004, verses 500, p.84
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