Japanese Buddhist monks and modern religious adaptation

Lah, Kyung. "Buddhist monks use hip hop, alcohol to attract followers. CNN. com.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/01/21/japan.hip.monks.buddhism/

The modern, Western media enjoys portraying modernity and religion as perpetually at odds: either in a humorous way, by showing nuns walking next to rollerbladers on the streets, or in a serious way, such as when it reports upon the position of the Catholic Church on the subjects of abortion and birth control. However, not all religions see secular and sacred life in such a sharply divided fashion. Buddhism, although it has a monastic component, has also existed as a religion 'of the world' for many centuries. The samurai warriors of Japan integrated their Buddhist beliefs with their military service, for example. However, when Buddhist monks are shown drinking, inevitably a reporter feels compelled to create a cute slogan, such as: "Sutras are shaken and stirred at the Monk Bar" (Lah 2010).

Kyung Lah's article "Buddhist monks use hip hop, alcohol to attract followers" from CNN suggests that Buddhism is in crisis in Japan, because so many temples have closed. Yet Buddhism is also a philosophy. Unlike Western religions which tend to define themselves by rituals that are seen as 'sacred' and in conflict with secular values, Buddhist methods of practice of meditation and reflection are not only confined to formal worship contexts. The article also portrays drawing young people to temples with hip-hop as a radical idea. But Buddhism and popular culture have always had an interactive relationship in Japan: people might use Buddhist amulets for good luck, for example, as well as solemnly meditate upon a koan. While Kansho Tagai, the subject of the Lah article, may be innovative in his appropriation of American urban culture for the 21st century, his approach is not unique within the Buddhist tradition. Another monk says: "it's important that we come down into the secular world and live in modern society. An altar doesn't mean you have a temple.