2001 December

The Lost of Trust  [011204-07]

The most significant damage caused by this U.S. military action is the lost of trust in order. Already only a few people believe in the possibility of diplomatic solutions by political negotiation. Even if something is unjust, that will be justified by power. It, however, lead our world to very dangerous situation. Now that we cannot rely on religious authority like in Middle Ages, only political trust based on the idea of democracy is only effective for the world peace.

The tide of democracy and freedom brought by America is already stable stream of our history. However, it is not so stable as American people expect, and there can be various kinds of possibility to realize them. Ironically, U.S. force confuses this tide and incurs wars diffusing the seeds of hatred. Usually, after the failure of military rebellion, a war of speech would begin. But rebel elements will not give up the way of terrorism, as long as western people ignore their voices. Any way, they will not submit to U.S. forces easily. Already in Palestine, the disputes turn for worse. Bush administration presses other nations to regulate terrorists strictly, but it may drive some of them into rebellion. Even if not so, many people will have ill feelings against America. On the other hand, U.S. government will not eradicate terror network completely. It will grow under the antagonism against U.S. The pressure to other governments by U.S. may increase the supporters for terrorists.

What I mostly fear is we lose the channel to pressure terrorists. Bush ministry may crush Iraq. However, it means that terrorists have nothing to lose by their action. As long as terrorists work according to unified organizations, we can restrict their behavior controlling it. But, without such organizations, we must fight against not-unified terrorists network. Under this network, each individual member does not know others well, but can obtain dangerous tool for their action. Moreover, this kind of network can spread anywhere absorbing the energy of hatred. We can eradicate it only by controlling individual mind, but it is impossible. The fear of terrorism gnaws at U.S. administration and its obsessive behavior will cause the estrangements of other governments from people.

The bud of terror grows in civilized countries. Here are many people who are alienated from their societies and thin human relationship, which is convenient for terrorist’s activities. U.S. force can crash terrorist’s basements in developing countries easily, but it is hard to find hidden terrorists in their own land. You will understand it, if you remind of some AUM members who are suspects of Sarin event in Tokyo subway. Some of them have not been arrested yet. Also, U.S police are struggling with the investigation of anthrax even now.

The poverty of developing countries is not unique cause of terrorism. Rather, the spiritual poverty in civilized countries is more important factor. Individual independent terrorists may cause their actions freely with the aid of terror network. How we can copy with their unveiled hatred?
 

After the Lost of Trust  [011207]

Now in Palestine, the chaos of hatred is turning for worse without hope. American military action based on the assumption that all terrorism is absolute evil introduces Israel‘s unrestricted suppression against Palestinian terrorists. We can see here the world after the lost of trust in order. For both terrorists and Israel army, only violence justifies their action.

The lost of order will cause dispute in developing countries and make stir up the fear of terrorism in civilized countries. The real result is "Timores omnium contra omnes (The fear of everyone against everyone)."
 

December 8  [011208]

 Since resent George’s death Beatles have been the legacy in our history. Today is the day when John had been killed. Considering the world after Sep 11, I cannot but feel how high his ideal is. Although he did not have happy infant days, he overcame it and found the ideal of peace. The people who usually enjoy peace cannot feel actually its importance. On the other hand, the people whose living places are battlefields cannot afford to feel peace. Only the people who had the experience suffer from the lack of peace can imagine peaceful world.

Now for American people, today is remembered as Pearl Harbor’s Day. But it’s also the anniversary day of Lennon’s death.
 

Hebrew’s Mission  [011209-8]

Which is more guilty the crime under the name of nation and the crime that aggravated under the ignorance of nation. The example of the former is Holocaust, but it is hard to find other examples. In the case of the latter, we can find many examples in the history of modern war. The difference of these crimes should be considered, when war criminals are judged in courthouses. However, it does not change the fact that many people were massacred in battlefield.

I heard that some Hebrew insist that Holocaust is different from other war crimes such as the massacre in China. But I reject this opinion. There is no difference among mass slaughters. Actually, even if there is government that will extinct some groups of people like Nazis, it cannot declare its aim publicly to us now. But it will scheme to kill the people as possible and will drive out survivors from their land. Only political restriction in international society prevents it from Holocaust.

It is said that Hebrew have the consciousness of the chosen people. Also some American people share it as the people who reclaim new world. I will not deny their elitism itself, but believe that the people who regard themselves as chosen must remind of the Jesus’ attitude to wash others feet. They must endure trials but, on the other hand, have firm will to serve others with their hard experience. If not, it falls into simple arrogance.
 Both many Israeli and American people denounce terrorism by Palestine, and support Israeli strong measures against them. But their terrorism cannot justify Israeli attitude to harm usual Palestinian.

The Israelis who support strong measures against Palestine lose their mission as chosen. Hebrew had been the salt of the world, but now not so. They do not recognize why God allow the tragedy of Holocaust. If the people who know the pain of persecution best persecute other, as they had been, God will not regard them as chosen. Now Hebrew lie in the crisis of disappear.
 

For Co-existence, Against Solipsism  [011212-13]

U.S. does not have the idea of co-existence. For co-existence, we must respect universal law and refrain from solutions only by force. However, U.S. is so strong that it cannot notice this fact. President Bush denounces terrorists as if God give him the right to judge to others unconditionally.

Unfortunately, U.S. diplomacy depends on the idea of power politics among nations, but the most serious problem appears not from the terror supporting nations but from oppressed individuals. Hatred has no border. U.S. may be able to subdue all nations but not individual people.

On the other hand, U.S. arrogance already has been found in measures against environmental problem. It insists that the development of technology will solve this problem. However, new technology will bring other more serious problems.

Until now, American society has abandoned their troubles into outer world. To keep clean in their great island, it exploits wealth from outer lands through dollar, and uses the war against terrorism as an excuse for diverting the inner complaint to outer world. U.S. will utilizes others for its purpose, but will not subject others wish. America has already built solipsist’s world.

Solipsists do not have the idea to live with others, because they do not have idea of ‘others’ truly. Even if they believe in the existence of ‘others’, they are only ‘objects’ to be utilized for their pleasure. Sometimes the pleasure is realization of their dream that they provide material wealth and democratic American world to others.

The only way to escape from solipsism is to analyze the information from outer world and checking it each other. And so you need to replicate the situation of outer world by yourself. Many Americans are satisfied with the scene of Kabul where people welcome North-alliance. But it is usual when new force enter this city. You need to consider the fact that some foreign reporters were killed during transferring to Kabul. It shows how the peace is disturbed out of this city. Kabul does not represent whole of Afghanistan. And you need to think over how many people fall into refugees in this severe climate and are suffering from malaria that is prevalent among them. They are edge of life or death. If you are relieved watching women who are released from Taliban, you will be overlook mothers who lost their children. Collecting information and checking it can infer these entire tragic situations.
 

Who can denounce Terrorism?  [011217-19]

It is easy to blame terrorism. But for Palestinian, is there other way to take against Israel now? Their terrorism is last way to protest. It should be called suicide message. They are urged not only by the emotion of hatred but also by despair to communicate with Israelis. They appeal their existence to Israel with killing themselves.

If Israel government prepared some way to appeal their discontent, terrorism is nothing but crime. But Israel government kills much more people than Palestinian terrorists did. Who can justify terror attack only because it is done by nation? It is said 21st century will not be the age of nations, but historical reaction rages all over the world. Modern nations, from U.S. down, strengthen their power with the excuse of terrorism. Against individual terrorism, nations oppose. But against the terrorism by nation, nothing opposes.

The most unfortunate is that some civilized nations, such as U.S. and Israel, deprive the way to appeal unfairness peacefully from oppressed people. When U.S. government decided to revenge terrorists standing on the same level of them, the order to solve dispute peacefully has been lost. Civilized people must pay the cost to lose this order.
 

The triadic Division between Matter and Spirit   [011225-27]

 The confliction between north and south countries reflects the division between material civilization and spiritual culture. The people who enjoy material richness fall into ignorance of the value of spirit. On the other hand, the people who suffer from poverty depend on spiritual teaching, which sometimes cause dogmatism.
 In Japanese TV report, I watched two children’s opposite opinion. An American pupil cannot understand why they are hated at all and said that U.S. should be enough to give food to poor people. On the other side, a pupil who read Koran in religious school said they are happier than American children, because they can live according to God’s will. The former feels all problems come from material insufficiency, but the latter thinks they can be satisfied only with religious Scripture. Nobody notice middle way to live with simple food and free mind.

Observing American people who blame terrorists unconditionally, they have not thought of the situation that rich countries trample many poor people not only materially but also spiritually. Even if rich American people do not have will to harm them, economic activity by rich people can confuse the way of poor people’s life as a result. Their rage to outer world is a product of ignorance. Have they imaged the suffering of outer world? They cannot image the suffering and regard all people live as they do without it unconsciously. Therefore, they think terrorists only as insane people who are out of their imagination.

On the other hand, the people who consider the background of terrorism calmly seem to have thought of misery situation already. They recognize human sin that generates terrorists causes evil cycle of hatred. At the same time, they recognize the possibility to fall into terrorists by the emotion of hatred.

Hounen who is the founder of Japanese Jodo Buddhism had decided his life by his father’s behavior. He was killed in front of Hounen himself, but he told his son not to be revenged on his murderer before dieing. Probably, he knew the sadness to kill others. In those days, it was frequent to kill someone due to a struggle for power and distrust of others. It was unstable whether to kill or to be killed. I think that he recognized the sadness of human sin. Therefore, he prohibited to revenge. However, it is impossible for the people who do not know human sadness that may be called the sense of tragedy or sin.

Some American people who seek solves of worldwide problems only by material power will drive poor people to religious dogmatism. Both people should notice the both side of tragedy, which is caused by the division between matter and spirit.
 

The Emotion of Greed   [011228-29]

American people are furious against terrorists. But the emotion of rage cannot remain so long. On the other hand, the emotion of revenge can endure so long time. The former is caused only by one terror attack, but the latter have been accumulated for long years. Nevertheless, U.S. government decides to carry out the war and beat its enemy. Some American people are satisfied with it, but actually it strike only a top of hatred against them, and the emotion of hatred will generate more strong and persistent enemies against U.S.

The true fear will begin after American people are bored with the war that their government began. American society may be exposed both by outer and inner terrorists. The omen can be found in anthrax terror. The emotion of hatred in U.S. against discrimination may grow in their own country, and at the same time, many foreigner nations including allies will keep distant from Great Island Country, U.S.

According to Buddhism teaching, greed is the worst emotion, which is strong and persistent. Innocent but ignorant American people allowed their government to use military force for their emotion of rage. However, this emotion will not endure so long. On the other hand, greed people who controls U.S. public opinion will make prolong the war as possible for their profit. Innocent people should have noticed both side of enemy out and in their country.

The emotion of greed is confined in U.S. by their Christian moral, but out of it, that is free. American greed have generated and accumulated the emotion of hatred in outer world, and it returned to U.S. as the emotion of rage. It seems that this cycle will repeat enlarging. How many people notice the existence of the worst emotion ‘greed’. And who can stop its reckless growth.

The hope that is left for us is the fact that the emotion of rage, hatred and greed work immediately, but the power of love will work more persistently and certainly. The flame of the former emotions may burn our field completely. And more, those emotions grow like weed in our world. However, this situation will not persist so long. Even if weeds grow thickly, leaf buds will grow certainly under them. The flame of negative emotion can reduces forest to ashes, but it can revive some day if it has enough rain of love.
 
 

[On Dec.  6]

How are you doing? Iwata desu (this is Iwata).

Recently, we received peaceful news in Japan. Princess Masako of Japanese Imperial family bore new baby. Since the terror attack in U.S., we had not have sooth news, but it is a light to relieve us. Not so many Japanese people are glad this news as you might guess watching TV and some are indifferent to it. But I can find some banners to congratulate the birth of new baby, which sets my mind at ease.

You may think Japanese Emperor has some right to govern Japanese society. But he does not have right to commit politic. He has only authority to represent Japanese people as symbol. Rather, therefore, some people say Emperor and Imperial family are discriminated from the point of civil right. In fact, they do not have the right to vote. It is because the authority of the Imperial Household had been utilized in Japanese history. It is found not only in modern epoch before World War
2, but also through the whole Japanese history. The time when Imperial Household had right to rule Japan actually is very limited.

Then, after the World War 2, Japanese constitution decided Japanese Emperor as the Symbol of Japan and restricted its right strictly. I cite the first chapter of Japanese constitution that stipulate Japanese Emperor.
 

CHAPTER I. THE EMPEROR

Article 1. The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power.
Article 2. The Imperial Throne shall be dynastic and succeeded to in accordance with the Imperial House Law passed by the Diet. Article 3. The advice and approval of the Cabinet shall be required for all acts of the Emperor in matters of state, and the Cabinet shall be responsible therefore.
Article 4. The Emperor shall perform only such acts in matters of state as are provided for in the Constitution and he shall not have powers related to government. The Emperor may delegate the performance of his acts in matters of state as may be provided by law.
Article 5.  When, in accordance with the Imperial House Law, a Regency is established, the Regent shall perform his acts in matters of state in the Emperor's name. In this case, paragraph one of the preceding article will be applicable.
Article 6. The Emperor shall appoint the Prime Minister as designated by Diet. The Emperor shall appoint the Chief Judge of the Supreme Court as designated by the Cabinet.
Article 7.  The Emperor, with the advice and approval of the Cabinet, shall perform the following acts in matters of state on behalf of the people:
    Promulgation of amendments of the constitution, laws, cabinet orders and  treaties.
    Convocation of the Diet.
    Dissolution of the House of Representatives.
    Proclamation of general election of members of the Diet.
    Attestation of the appointment and dismissal of Ministers of State and other officials as provided for by law, and of full powers and credentials of Ambassadors and Ministers.
    Attestation of general and special amnesty, commutation of punishments, reprieve, and restoration of rights.
    Awarding of honors.
    Attestation of instruments of ratification and other diplomatic documents as provided for by law.
    Receiving foreign ambassadors and ministers.
    Performance of ceremonial functions.
 Article 8. No property can be given to, or received by, the Imperial House, nor can any gifts be made therefrom, without the authorization of the Diet.
 

You will be able to surmise how important to decide the position of Emperor after the War from the fact that Japanese constitution had to decide its position primary.

Now the Imperial Household Law becomes the talk of Japanese people, because it does not allow the existence of Empress but there are not proper male successor in Imperial family. Moreover, Princess Masako is already a little old to expect more children.

Fortunately, the amendment of the Imperial Household Law will not so difficult, because many Japanese people allow the girl will be Empress in the future. But the problem will not cease with the amendment. The most important point to consider Japanese Imperial family is they must perform ideal family in front of Japanese nations. It is most different point from British Royal family. Both families represent national authorities, but British family does not need to perform ideal family,
although they need to show typical human family. Japanese Imperial family is hereditary national entertainer to perform Japanese ideal. In this sense, they might be discriminated.