Techno-Buddhism in Japan!
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
I love it when people try new and creative ways to bring Buddhism to a new crowd. The world today is full of distractions caused by technological advancements, so it is apt that this Japanese Buddhist priest has adopted a techno-music approach, drawing from his DJ background, to attract a younger Japanese crowd to his sermons and temple.
He is not the only one to have done so. Kansho Tagai, aka MC Happiness from Kyoouji Temple in central Tokyo, uses rap music to educate his flock about the Buddhist sutras. Others such as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Gomo Tulku and Singa Rinpoche have also used modern methods – film-making, pop music and hip-hop respectively – to do the same. I applaud their efforts and I hope that many other Buddhist teachers will also bring the Buddha’s wisdom to a new audience through creative and modern methods, and not be dissuaded by public opinion as to what a Buddhist teacher can and cannot do.
Enjoy the article.
Tsem Rinpoche
Japanese Buddhist Temple Holds Techno Memorial Services
By Spooky on February 10th, 2017 Category: News
In an effort to make his Buddhist temple more accessible to the wider public and draw younger generations to religion, a former DJ turned Buddhist priest has been holding “techno memorial services” at his temple in Fukui City, Japan.
Attending one of the unconventional memorial services organized at the Shō-onji Buddhist temple by 49-year-old Gyōsen Asakura feels more like a warehouse rave than a traditional religious experience. A kaleidoscope of psychedelic lights bathes the golden decorations of the temple, and electronic music ranging from IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) to breakbeats blends with chantings of Buddhist scripture.
The sight of a Buddhist priest wearing his traditional garb, but also sporting a pair of large headphones while operating a DJ station during his sermon only adds to the psychedelic feel of attending a techno memorial service at Shō-onji. It’s definitely a strange experience, but one that is fulfilling its purpose of bringing people, especially youths, back to religion.
Photo: Gyōsen Asakura/Readyfor
For Gyōsen Asakura, a big fan of electronic music and a former DJ, blending techno and Buddhism was a no-brainer. Despite some criticism to his “unorthodox” ways, the 49-year-old priest only sees this combination as a modernized recreation of the image of the Pure Land of Perfect Bliss, and an interpretation of the divine land of Amida Buddha that can resonate with the people of today.
“Buddhism says ‘The Pure Land (a heaven-like celestial realm) is a world of light.’ It is said people used to use the most advanced technologies available to them at the time in order to ornament temples with gold leaf and thus recreate this ‘world of light.’ What I want to do with this project is use lighting and contemporary technology in order to make it possible for people to get a more accurate image of what Lord Buddha’s world looks like,” Asakura says.
Photo: YouTube screengrab
However, his techno memorial services, which combine colorful lights, projection mapping, and techno music with Buddhist scripture are an expensive affair that requires a variety of high-tech gadgets and software. The high cost of organizing such an event, has only allowed him to hold two techno memorial services so far – once in May and once in October of last year. The response has been very positive, but in order to keep his project going and improve it, he needs money.
Gyōsen Asakura recently started a crowdfunding campaign on Japanese website Readyfor, asking 300,000 yen ($2684), but with 14 days to go, he has already surpassed his goal. 38 backers have already pledged 373,000 yen to his cause.
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/JapanMemorialService001.mp4
If you’ve ever wanted to experience a techno memorial service, Asakura plans to hold his next one on May 3, 2017, so if you’re in Fukui City, be sure to stop by his Shō-onji. I’m sure it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.
Source: http://www.odditycentral.com/news/japanese-buddhist-temple-holds-techno-memorial-services.html
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Priests like Gyōsen Asakura are only following the methods of the Buddha, who had to teach in 84,000 eays to reach the people with diverse inclinations and karma.
To me, it is just another way to reach the people as he has pure intention to bring people to Buddha and his teachings in a way that appeals to them. Before most of us find the dharma, we have our own expectations and projections and fears. As we were ignorant of dharma, we were expecting the priests to behave a certain way and our projections that we are expected to have a lot of limitations that would be way out of what we think we like. This is meeting the younger generation half-way. The Buddha taught the middle way, anyway.
So, it’s really innovative of Gyōsen Asakura to use what he is familiar with to reach the masses.
Wow! This is such a creative way to spread Buddhism. In Japan, there are so many distractions. I can imagine how challenging it is to teach Buddhism using traditional methods.
There should be a market for those who like this type of music and techno visual effects. Seeds of enlightenment are planted in their mind when they listen to the music and attend the memorial service. How skilful!
Due to ever changing trends and attitudes, Buddhism also need to evolve to serve the younger people and generation. And to do so, it has to make Buddhism appealing to the young, who might be curious to learn more once they attracted it. If we do nothing to bring more people to buddhism , we cannot complain why less people are practicing buddhism or why there is a decline in Buddhism. Also why the young will gyrate to other religions or systems of belief, who are making themselves known to the world and if I may say reinventing themselves in the face of change.
This is an innovative way to spread the Dharma. By listening to the music I never guessed that it could be related to Buddhism and the Pure Land. This is a way to connect with Buddhism in a new and fun way for younger people and those who have more modern day interests.
Great way to spread the Dharma. Thank you for sharing the work of this Buddhist priest.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. Wow! This new Techno-Buddhism in Japan is really cool although I’m not a fan of Techno music. It doesn’t matter what methods being use to spread Buddhism as long as the Buddha’s teachings gets through to the people of this degenerate age. I myself personally love Rinpoche’s Dharma talks because Rinpoche always give examples related to our modern lives which we can relate to and the message gets through easily and we can understand.
With folded palms,
Vivian
在弘扬佛法方面，大家不难发现日本寺院和一些僧人总会“推陈出新”，目的无他就是为了吸引年轻群众，把大众跟佛法的距离拉近。如果不是仁波切经常分享一些非一般和非传统的弘法方式或其他新奇的事物，我想我也不容易接受这位DJ分享佛法的方式，甚至可能以异样眼光看待。
特别是仁波切分享关于我们的投射如何影响我们的看法的开示给了我思想上的冲击－－我们认定“上师必须是这个模样”、“佛教教会必定要那样一个方式来弘扬”等，这些观点和看法，经常僵化和框住了我们的看法和视野；进而阻碍了修行上精进。其中一个仁波切让我受益良多的开始就是密勒日巴的修炼故事。这位他对上师必须有怎样一个样、上师必须用某个特定的方式传法的既定和僵化看法，是他吃了不少苦头。
显然，我们面对的最大障碍来自我们的心，内在的障碍形成了外在的障碍－－阻碍了自己接受上师赐予的看得见和看不见的教诲，以及将这些佛法教诲融入内心和修持中。即便在日常生活中，我们对事物应该要如此这般的投射也让自己吃尽了苦头，譬如我们认定作为一位伴侣／人生应该如此这般，不该如此那般；当人事世事发展不如我们所想心里就开始纠结，就开始痛苦起来……
想了解更多的朋友可以看仁波切2008年在尼泊尔的宝贵视频开示：https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/our-neurotic-mind.html
想了解更多的朋友可以看仁波切2008年在尼泊尔的宝贵视频开示： https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/our-neurotic-mind.html
Yaay! Why not? The Japanese love their concerts. Their concert scene is really vibrant and they are very supportive of artistes. I’m not into synthesized music or genres like techno or EDM which seems to be the in thing nowadays. I like real instruments, real musicians, real guitar riffs, lol. But if that’s what appeals to some people and can start them off on a dharma journey, then why not? Even if some are just in it to be entertained, it’s a subtle way of imprinting mantras into the psyche of these people, i.e. like planting seeds which can ripen in future. That can’t be a bad thing.
Afterall, the Buddha also taught tens of thousands of different teachings to reach out to different mindsets.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful news. In fact, one of the main reasons I was drawn to Kechara Buddhist center is Rinpoche is able to convey the ancient Buddha wisdom through the modern way which easier for us to relate to our current situation. Although I am not the techno music fan, I like the concept of bring the ancient Buddha wisdom throught the current technology to draw the attention of youngsters. The youngsters are our future main crowd or target audience in order to keep continuity of Buddhism. We should spread Buddhism or Dharma in skillful way to benefit more sentient beings.
Thank You Rinpoche for this wonderful and exciting news again.
Techno- Buddhism in Japan seems to be a likely solution to the problem of drawing people, especially the young, in these distracting times, to Buddhism. It s a creative approach and is full of music, light and psychedelic colours, which are what will attract the young.
The techno- memorial service (held recently by the Buddhist priest Asakura, in his temple of Sho-onji), with its techno-music, did seem to fulfil the wish of Asakura to draw the younger people to his sermons and to the temple, strange and most unconventional though the “method” might be.
What Asakura hopes to recreate is the Pureland of Amitabha , with all its lights, a Pureland that would resonate with the people. Indeed the whole scene of psychedelic lights bathing the gold decoration of the temple and the electronic music somehow blended with the chanting of Buddhist scripture. The only problem is that each memorial service is costly and yet, so far, the funds are flowing in for the next event!
There is no one fix way to spread the teaching of Buddha. Even in ancient China, Buddhism is spread using different ways for example martial arts, drawing, calligraphy, etc. Although I am not a fan of techno music (like Alice said, I also get headache for listening to them), there are many people especially the youngsters are very attracted to it. So having different methods of spreading the Dharma is definitely much needed.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this piece of good news!
The concept of adopting unconventional means to spread the Dharma is not new. If one were to look into history, it is apparent that all the different schools of Buddhism have their fair share of Dharma being spread via methods deemed unconventional. Take for example, the mahasiddhas of Tibetan Buddhism like Marpa, Naropa, Milarepa etc and controversial personalities like the Chan Buddhist Monk, Ji Gong etc. Thus, the creative delivery of the authentic Dharma in the form of laser lights and techno music by this Japanese monk to appeal to the younger generation is in essence, another extension such concept. What has always been the main consideration and emphasis in any Dharma undertaking is the motivation behind it. Naturally, if the motivation is to benefit others by giving them the pure authentic Dharma, the non-mainstream delivery methods should not be frowned upon. After all, Buddhism is more about fluidity rather rigidity when it comes to perceptions.
A creative and modern way to connect Buddhism to younger generation.
I have the same point of view that some of the sounds in this techno-music gives me a headache. Notwithstanding, when I think of we learn and practice dharma with pure motivation, it will bring good result to benefit many others. For this instance, Gyōsen Asakura has adopted a techno-music approach to attract the younger Japanese crowd to his sermons and temple. With his pure motivation and effort as well as not to misuse the dharma, it will definitely benefit many others and dharma will grow and spread out.
As they say, different strokes for different folks. For me, some of the sounds or notes in the score generated by the synthesizer gives me a headache! lol But I must laud this priest’s effort for making it an unforgettable experience.
The Techno music and laser light effects was very cool, it made Buddha looks like he is in a disco tech MTV. I believes there is no right or wrong in this context, only which method is more effective to attract people into Buddhism. As the younger generation in Japan is very tech savvy and into quick fun techno music, the Buddhist priest has made a good decision. On a outer level, Buddhism always adapt different method so to incorporate into our daily life, but always maintain the teachings from Buddha Shakyamuni. So for whatever we do, we should also always review our method to benefits more people in need.
Amazing and very creative memorial service. Never thought Buddhism can be translated in techno music and technology. Very unconventional. Ultimately it is the message and the intention of the action, to bring dharma and to reach out to more people.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this modern method.
Wow!!! Really cool and hip style to promote Buddhism!It would be a wonderful experience if we can attend the next techno memorial service, in Fukui City,Japan. How cool if we have it here in Malaysia in the future! Lol 🙂 Thank you Rinpoche for this very interesting article!
Wow …wonderful indeed with advanced technologies ,now making possible and more accessible for more people especially younger generation to be connected and attracting them back to religion. Gyōsen Asakura was of the many DJ ‘s who did a wonderful job by organizing techno memorial services at Buddhist temple. He was a former DJ turned Buddhist priest through creative and modern methods introducing Buddhism to more people.
it’s will be a wonderful experience if we can attend the next techno memorial service, in Fukui City,Japan.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for the sharing. At first glance, Techno Memorial Services by Buddhist Priest in Japan is an unusually bold way to reach out to the seemingly “unreachable” crowd but who make up a considerable size of the societal fabric of Japan. However, nowhere in the scripture is written that Buddhism is a conventional religion which demand followers to be orthodox in the method. In fact, we see Buddhism shape-shifted when it was introduced to China. Buddhism philosophy is a way of life that works in any day or age, untainted by modernisation, therefore, shape-shifting the traditional memorial service to suit the evolving audience with the motivation to inject Buddhist values and Buddhism teaching is a worthy idea.