11 - Shin Buddhism (Jōdo Shinshū) in Europe: Organizational Issues

Summary

Abstract

Jōdo Shinshū [Shin Buddhism] remains little known in Europe, despite the size and importance of this Buddhist sect in Japan. The European situation also presents a marked contrast with its significant presence in the United States, largely based in the Japanese American community. Jōdo Shinshū can thus be seen as a global religious organization that has a significantly different profile in different regional settings. This chapter focuses on the reasons behind this, and considers the history of Jōdo Shinshū in Europe, and the organizational challenges it has faced there: how has Jōdo Shinshū sought to adapt to the European setting, and in particular how has it situated itself in relation to other Buddhist organizations within Europe and Jōdo Shinshū elsewhere?

Keywords: Jōdo Shinshū, Buddhism in Europe, regional adaptation, religious organization, ordination, ritual language

Introduction

This chapter presents a case study of the emergence in Europe of a network of local branches of one of Japan's major Buddhist sects, Jōdo Shinshū (also known as Shin Buddhism). Jōdo Shinshū is one of the largest Buddhist sects in Japan, dating back to the 13^th century. There are nearly 20,000 temples in Japan affiliated to one of the two major branches of the sect: Hongwanji-ha and Ōtani-ha (also known as Nishi Hongwanji or Honpa Hongwanji, and Higashi Honganji), both of which have their head temples in Kyoto, and are headed by descendants of Shinran, the founder of Jōdo Shinshū. There is no difference between the teachings of Nishi and Higashi Honganji – the split between the two derives from a succession dispute in the late 16th century. Hongwanji-ha is the larger of the two, and the branch with which this chapter is primarily concerned.

A form of Pure Land Buddhism, Jōdo Shinshū can be more broadly situated within Mahayana Buddhism. Its central teaching is reliance on Amida Buddha. The movement teaches that we are all embraced by Amida's primal vow, which assures rebirth in Amida's Pure Land. Rather than advocating a particular practice therefore, Jōdo Shinshū teaches that we can simply rely on, or entrust ourselves to, Amida Buddha. The aim of Jōdo Shinshū could be summarized as awakening to the power of Amida's vow, and reaching a state of entrusting oneself to Amida, commonly referred to in Japanese as shinjin.