The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-09
BUDDHISM IN JAPAN
A Curious Phase of the Bud
dhist Religion.
ACABLE ROPE OF HUMAN HAIR.
The Japanese IS Infidels and the
Prospects of Buddhism as an
American Religion.

KIoTA, November %, S8S.-[Special
Correspondence of The HERALD. i
1 have just finished an afternoon in the
company of Mr.. Akamatzu, who is one
of the most noted Buddhist priests OF
Japan. He is one of the heads of the
largest Buddhist sect of the country,
and he presides over the highest temple
in the Japanese empire. The audience
room of his temple, with its money
changers and its multitude of worphip-
ers makes one think of the scenes in
the great temple at Jerusalem in the
days of Christ. 1t covers half an acre,
and the ante-rooms and chambers of
the temple form a labyrinth of Japa-
nese apartments walled with gold leaf,
and decorated with costly carvings and
paintings by the greatest of Japanese
artists.
The Buddhist religion embraces
among its followers one-fourth of all
the people in the world. 1t contains
more believers than any other religion,
and it is the chief religion of Japan.
There are here $4,000 Buddhist temples,
and Kiots, which is a city the size of
Cincinnati, is said to have 500 temples
of this religion. Still, Buddhism came
into Japan 500 years after Christ was
born, though it originated 600 years
before that time. The Japanese
Buddhists have as many sects as
Protestant Christianity, and these vary
widely as to their doctrine and their
beliefs. The priests of many Of them
shave their heads until they shine like
so many billiard balls, and these lead
cellbate lives. Other sects believe in
marriage, and the sect of Mr.. Akamatzu
is one of the most liberal of the whole.
Its believers may be called the Unitar-
ian Protestants of Japanese Buddhism,
and its theories vary so widely from the
generally accepted ideas Of Buddhism
that my conversation with Mr..
Akamatzu can not fail to be interest
ing.
1t was in one of these gorgeous gold
walled rooms that met the great Bud
dhist, a short, slender, fuIl-bearded,
kind eyed man of 45. He was dressed
in long black gown OF sort of silk
grenadine, with sleeves which hung
down like those of Japanese lady, a
foot or so below the wrist. His feet
were clad in the whitest of foot mittens,
and he had left his sandals on the
directed to take off my shoes, and thus
IN fnobinn fopf W Enrnnnon
chairs and talked together. Mr..
Akamatzu had spent two years in Eng
land, about fifteen years ago, and he
spoke our language fuently. He
talked freely, using great many illus
trations OF the most commonplace
order, and aurprised me continually at
the liberality of his views and the wide
extent of his reading and information
He was very particular in his statement
that all Buddhists were not as he was,
and that many of the different sects
did not look upon religion and Chris
tianity as he did, but be said the Bud
dhists believe that they are all going
the same way and that the sects will
be finally united in the Nirvana.
asked as to the growth of Buddhism.
Mr.. Akamatz1 replied: Japan is in a
deplorable state. as far as religion is
concerned. The people of the better
classes are largely Agonostics. They
believe in no religion, and though the
bulk of them are nominally Buddhists,
they are really infdels. 1 believe that
any religion is better than no religion,
and there is at present room in Japan
for all the work that both the Buddhists
and Christians can do. When the two
religions have conquered the Empire
and the sects come together, there may
be trouble, but not before. We have
now our preachers, and the Christians
have their missionaries. There is q
vast field before US, and there is room
for both to do good. Our tea 3hipgs are
in many respects, the same. and We
both aim at the establishment of 6
better morality and the elevation Of
man."
"Your idea of religion is far different
from that of the other Buddhist sects
is it not2" asked.
Eyes" replied the priest, 1.-THE Bud
dha we worship is the anita Buddha
the boundless Buddha, the chief of al
the Buddhas. Anita means boundless
and we believe GnaC BuQQna 1s pound
less in all his attributes. We believe be
is god of boundless mercy, of bound
less goodness and purity, and of bou d.
less light. We believe that his light nd
life are perfect, and our religion is one
of faith and works. From the time oil
putting faith in the saving power oil
Buddha we do not need any power oil
self-help, but need only keep his mercy
IN heart and invoke his name in order
to remember him.. We believe in the
doctrines of cauEe' and effect. and that
the state of our present life has its
causes in what we have done in our
previous existences up to the present
On this account our religion forbids all
prayers for happiness in the present
life, because the events of the present
life can not be alt red by the DO wer OIL
others. We may better our condition
in the next life by attending to oul
moral duties in this, by loving eact
other, and by keeping the laws"
"Then you have the doctrine of trans
migration of souls?"
ttUaS oil Ruddbjcta hpiieva in that