March, 2008
FRAUD AND FAITH: Developing Shoken
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima
It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain. Uncertainty has arisen in you about what is
doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon
tradition, nor rumor, nor what is in a scripture, nor upon surmise, an axiom, specious reasoning, a
bias towards a notion that has been pondered over, upon another's seeming ability, nor [even] upon
the consideration, “The monk is our teacher.” Kalamas, when you yourself know, “These things are
bad, these things are blamable, these things are censured by the wise, undertaken and observed,
these things lead to harm and ill”—abandon them. ~A passage from the Kalama Sutra
The other day, I watched a movie at home with my wife. The film starred Nicholas Cage as a con
man and we were absorbed by his acting ability. As the story unfolded, we couldn’t guess which way
the plot would turn. We admired a scene in which he skillfully defrauds his targets of their money,
and the close teamwork with his partner in crime. However, although we can enjoy these scenes
because they’re meant to be entertaining, if this type of crime actually happens, we cannot let it
pass with a smile.
In recent years, an unforgivable form of fraud has happened often in Japan. A younger person
calls an older person and says, “It’s me. It’s me, your grandson.” Without giving his name, he
pretends to be their grandson, and asks for money to help with a traffic accident or some other
emergency. He asks them to keep it a secret from the police and his parents.
The elderly Jiichan or Baachan hearing this story worries that if something isn’t done, something
awful may happen to their grandchild. They immediately deposit money into the account number
given them by the fake grandchild.
In Japan, there are many grandchildren and grandparents who have very little contact with one
another. As a result, this type of fraud is possible. If only the grandparents had developed some sort
of relationship with their grandchildren, they may have questioned or could have doubted the phone
call was actually from their grandchild. They would probably have been able to realize the
deception. This type of crime dramatizes the modern-day changes that are occurring in family life in
Japan. At an increasing rate, family life in Japan is becoming more uncertain. This confusion is
caused by the breakup of the traditional Japanese extended family.
Grandchildren are a treasure for grandparents, everywhere. It is only natural that when the two
don’t live together or near on another, the grandparents miss their grandchildren. To take
advantage of these types of feelings is extremely cruel. These swindlers are playing with the
affections of the grandparents. The most obvious cure for this type of con is for the grandparents
and grandchildren to develop a good relationship.
Even religion is not immune to fraud and deceptive practices. In countries with freedom of religion,
such as Japan and the United States, there are many different religions. There are many different
new religions all the time. We hear of many of these new religions defrauding their members of
money and other material assets. We have heard of various cults taking advantage of their
membership. As a result, more and more people who are suspicious of religious organizations and
beliefs.
Religion is like fire. Fire and religion are both necessary and can be helpful in our lives. But if we
are not careful about how we interact with or handle either one, something harmful can occur.
In Buddhism, there is an important teaching called Shoken. Shoken means correct thought and
correct understanding. To develop Shoken, we must first develop a questioning attitude. As it says
in the Hymns of the Pure Land Masters: Obstructions of karmic evil turn into virtues. It is like the
relation of ice and water: the more the ice, the more the water; the more the obstructions, the more
the virtues. This karmic evil is like doubt: the more the doubt, the more the faith, as in the case of
water and ice. I believe that doubt is the origin of faith.
In the Kalama Sutra which I quoted from at the beginning of this article, Shakyamuni Buddha
taught that we must not accept his teaching just because it is his teaching, or because it is tradition,
or because others have said we should believe it. We should only accept his teachings when we
personally have no fault to find with them; when we believe they are useful for our lives; or when
they will result in happiness. Only then should we accept them.
There is an expression, Shinjirumono wa sukuwareru, which means, “a person who believes they
will be saved.” This refers to people having blind faith in their religion. The Kalama Sutra shows us
that Buddhism is not a religion of blind faith. In this day and age, a religion that deceives its
believers with confusion or takes advantage by exploiting their personal vulnerabilities, will not
survive.
I believe Buddhism will survive. I also believe that the Nembutsu teaching which Shinran Shonin
inherited is the very true teaching for us. Yet we must continue to have an attitude that is willing to
question. I hope that you each have the mind that doubts and questions.
In Gassho,
| Dharma Message |
