Coronavirus: medieval Japanese thinkers had similar reactions to plagues isolate or party – The Conversation UK
Posted: October 31, 2020 at 6:26 pm
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, many people who have elderly parents will share the sentiment below:
Things that make the heart lurch with anxiety: When a parent looks out of sorts, and remarks that theyre not feeling well. This particularly worries you to distraction when youve been hearing panicky tales of plague sweeping the land.
You may be surprised to learn that this plangent quote comes from a text written more than 1,000 years ago by a Japanese author and court lady named Sei Shnagon.
The medieval Japanese experienced crises that inflicted tragedies and unexpected deaths on many ordinary people. In his essay Hjki, for instance, the 13th-century author and poet Kamo no Chmei vividly describes sorrows and affliction suffered by citizens in Kyoto, who experienced a series of disasters such as great fires, whirlwinds, famines, earthquakes and plagues.
In the west, life-threatening crises are often considered challenges to religious faith how can we believe that there is an all-powerful and all-loving god if there is so much pain and suffering in the world? This is the problem of evil for believers in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Medieval thinkers in Japan also contemplated crises within a religious framework but their perspective was radically distinct. They regarded sudden and tragic deaths in crises as exemplifications of impermanence ( muj), which is, along with suffering ( ku) and non-self ( muga), one of three marks of existence according to Buddhism.
Chmei writes, for example, that deaths in the midst of crises are reminders that we are impermanent and ephemeral beings comparable to tiny floating bubbles in a ceaseless stream of water flowing down a river.
How did the medieval Japanese react to disasters and tragedies? Interestingly enough, some of their responses are similar to our reactions to the COVID-19 crisis.
Chmeis response to disasters and tragedies was to become a hermit, which is comparable to the self-isolation approach that has been recommended for the global pandemic. Chmei maintains that the best way to live peacefully is to stay away from any potential danger and live in isolation. He chose to live a simple life in a tiny ten square-foot house in the mountains. He writes:
Small it may be, but there is a bed to sleep on at night, and a place to sit in the daytime. The hermit crab prefers a little shell for his home. He knows what the world holds. The osprey chooses the wild shoreline, and this is because he fears mankind. And I too am the same. Knowing what the world holds and its ways, I desire nothing from it, nor chase after its prizes. My one craving is to be at peace, my one pleasure to live free of troubles.
tomo no Tabito, an eighth-century court noble and poet, provides a sharp contrast to Chmei. His approach to disasters and tragedies is hedonism. He is reminiscent of people today who wilfully eschew self-isolation and instead throw parties without fearing the pandemic. One of Tabitos waka poems reads:
Living people Will eventually die. Such are we, so While in this world Lets have fun!
By having fun, Tabito means enjoying alcoholic drink. In fact, the above poem is among his Thirteen Poems in Praise of Sake. Tabito presents his hedonism as a form of anti-intellectualism. He says that people who seek wisdom but do not drink are ugly and that he does not care if he will reincarnate as an insect or a bird as long as he can have fun in his current life.
On the face of it, hermits and hedonists live in diametrical opposition to one another. Yet both firmly accept the Buddhist view of impermanence. Hermits think that the best way to live our ephemeral existence is to eliminate unnecessary worries through self-isolation their interest is not in increasing pleasure but in minimising worries. Hedonists think that the best way to live our ephemeral existence is to enjoy ourselves as much as possible their interest is not in minimising worries but in maximising pleasure.
Which approach is more commendable? From a Buddhist viewpoint, hermitism is clearly better because Buddhism teaches its adherents to relinquish all worldly concerns. By detaching themselves from civilisation, hermits can pursue equanimity ( sha), a perfectly balanced mental state free of emotional disturbances. This can be cultivated to advance one along the way towards nirvana.
Hedonism is not, on the other hand, commendable because it only amplifies our worldly concerns. Hedonists cannot reach nirvana because they try to forget about impermanence only by intoxicating themselves.
Yet self-isolation may have its own shortcomings. Saigy Hshi, a 12th-century poet and Buddhist monk who also pursued hermitism, writes:
And vow renouncement of the world but cannot let it go Some who have never taken vows Do cast the world away.
Saigy is criticising himself in this waka poem. He wonders if a hermit like himself is really better than ordinary people. He worries that in making such a radical move as renouncing the world and living in isolation he has revealed a stronger attachment to the world than ordinary people have. Ordinary people living ordinary lives sometimes appear less concerned about worldly desires than reflective intellectuals like himself.
COVID-19 is certainly a new phenomenon and has presented new personal crises and worries which individuals must face. Yet classical literature reminds us that people in the past also experienced crises and catastrophes, forcing them to ponder how we should live.
The rest is here:
- Other Buddhas Across the Cosmos - Tricycle - October 31st, 2020
- Maniprabha and the Power of Devotion - Tricycle - October 31st, 2020
- Dzigar Kongtrul: The Path of Patience - Tricycle - October 31st, 2020
- The Meaning of Dukkha - Tricycle - October 31st, 2020
- Ambedkar showed the way, others must follow - The Indian Express - October 31st, 2020
- Halloween weekends Blue Moon to last through Sunday - Gephardt Daily - October 31st, 2020
- Buddhism - Queensborough Community College - November 1st, 2015
- Buddhism - Crystalinks - November 1st, 2015
- Buddhism - Infoplease - November 1st, 2015
- Intro to Buddhism - San Francisco State University - November 1st, 2015
- Buddhism and the Brain SEEDMAGAZINE.COM - November 1st, 2015
- Five College Buddhist Studies | www.fivecolleges.edu - November 1st, 2015
- Tenets of Buddhism - November 1st, 2015
- Buddhism - News - Times Topics - The New York Times - November 1st, 2015
- Buddhism Chicago - Diamond Way Buddhist Center Chicago - October 30th, 2015
- chicagobuddhist.org -- Chicago Resources - October 30th, 2015
- Meditation and Modern Buddhism in Seattle - KMC Washington - October 27th, 2015
- Buddhism Seattle - Diamond Way Buddhist Center Seattle - October 27th, 2015
- KMC New York | What is Buddhism? - October 25th, 2015
- What is Buddhism | About Buddhism - October 25th, 2015
- Sacred Texts: Buddhism - October 25th, 2015
- Buddhism - LeaderU.com - October 25th, 2015
- Welcome to Losel Maitri Tibetan Buddhist Center - October 21st, 2015
- Birmingham Buddhist Centre | meditation and buddhism classes ... - October 21st, 2015
- Minnesota Zen Meditation Center - October 20th, 2015
- Buddhism - Kadampa Buddhism - October 2nd, 2015
- Buddhism New York, NY Buddhist Meditation NYC | Diamond ... - September 10th, 2015
- The New York Buddhist Church - September 10th, 2015
- Buddhism - Religion Facts - August 29th, 2015
- Henderson NV Buddhist Temples Page 1 - MyHuckleberry.com - August 26th, 2015
- Home - Las Vegas Buddhist Sangha - August 26th, 2015
- Buddhism and the Buddhist Teachings of the Diamond Way - August 24th, 2015
- Buddhism Origins, Buddhism History, Buddhism Beliefs - August 24th, 2015
- Buddhism - Conservapedia - August 24th, 2015
- CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Buddhism - August 24th, 2015
- Buddhism - Shambhala - August 17th, 2015
- Buddhism: Pictures, Videos, Breaking News - August 13th, 2015
- True Buddha School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - July 25th, 2015
- If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him Daily Buddhism - July 20th, 2015
- Buddha and Ashoka: Crash Course World History #6 - YouTube - May 6th, 2015
- Buddhism For Beginners (Part 1: The Buddha & The Three Jewels) - Video - May 4th, 2015
- May 03, 2015 Fundamentals of Buddhism (34) by Venerable Sayadaw Ashin Acchariya at TDS Dhamma Class - Video - May 3rd, 2015
- Buddhism Movie - Video - May 2nd, 2015
- Our Western philosophical trajectory: Nietzsche, Buddhism and satori - Video - May 2nd, 2015
- Buddhism and alien abductions | by Ajahn Brahm - Video - May 1st, 2015
- MOSAIC - Tibetan Buddhism 4.19.15 segment 4 - Video - April 27th, 2015
- Del III: Buddhism - Video - April 27th, 2015
- "Buddhism and Catholicism" False Religion Exposed by Pastor Anderson - Video - April 26th, 2015
- Alan Watts - The differences between Hinduism and Buddhism - Video - April 26th, 2015
- koyasan cable carUNESCO World HeritageKoyasan Shingon Buddhism Kongobuji explained - Video - April 24th, 2015
- Religion Project- Buddhism - Video - April 24th, 2015
- Intro to Buddhism: "10 Houses of Suffering" (23m All-in-One Version) (NEW) - Video - April 22nd, 2015
- ACI 1 C9 The Principal Teachings of Buddhism - Video - April 22nd, 2015
- "Buddhism in Light of the Bible" False Religion Exposed by Pastor Anderson - Video - April 22nd, 2015
- ACI 17 C6 Great Ideas of Buddhism Part 2 with John Stilwell - Video - April 21st, 2015
- Buddham Saranam Gacchami Chant - The Three Jewels Of Buddhism - Buddhist Temples Bangkok - Video - April 21st, 2015
- MOSAIC - Tibetan Buddhism 4.19.15 segment 3 - Video - April 21st, 2015
- MOSAIC - Tibetan Buddhism 4.19.15 segment 1 - Video - April 21st, 2015
- Buddhism expressed in modern art sensitivity. - Video - April 21st, 2015
- "Buddhism in Light of the Bible" Baptist sermon preaching against Eastern Religion - Video - April 20th, 2015
- Canaanland Moors Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith - Video - April 20th, 2015
- "Buddhism and Catholicism" Baptist Preaching against Monks & Monasteries - Video - April 20th, 2015
- Converting Islam-She Was A Model, Business Woman, Rich--Followed Hinduism,Buddhism etc. - Video - April 14th, 2015
- Is There Salvation in Buddhism? - Video - April 14th, 2015
- Dalai Lama blesses Palpung Sherab Ling monastic seat - April 13th, 2015
- Thai Buddhist monks criticized for lavish behavior - April 13th, 2015
- Introducing the 9th Global Conference on Buddhism | 8 & 9 Aug 2015 | Perth | 9gcb.org - Video - April 12th, 2015
- How a skeptical anchorman became a Buddhist - April 11th, 2015
- Kadampa Buddhism - Video - April 11th, 2015
- Buddhism Talk - Birth-Death-Impermanence - Part 1 - Video - April 9th, 2015
- Buddhism at a glance. - Video - April 6th, 2015
- Checkbook Buddhism offers Thais a stairway to heaven but brings corruption to temples - April 6th, 2015
- Discovering Buddhism Module 5 Death and Rebirth - Video - April 5th, 2015
- 119.64 /$ (5 p.m.) - April 5th, 2015
- What Faith Means in Buddhism (Q&A at New Zealand Massey University) - Video - April 3rd, 2015
- Buddhism SO UPGIFT ribbyskolan - Video - April 2nd, 2015
- Chequebook Buddhism offers Thailand citizens stairway to heaven - April 2nd, 2015
- Chequebook Buddhism offers Thais stairway to heaven - April 2nd, 2015
- Buddhism and Hinduism Intro - Classwork - Video - April 1st, 2015
- Grasping emptiness with an empty mind - April 1st, 2015