Ittōen
Ittōen ( Japanese 一 燈 園 , dt. "Garden of Light") is a Japanese commune. The members and followers revere a philosophy of "unity of light". They live together in the village of Kōsenrin according to the principles of the pursuit of peace and humble service. An important part of this service is cleaning strangers' toilets.
Foundation and philosophy
Was established Ittōen 1904 by Nishida TENKO (* Feb. 1872 Nagahama, Shiga-ken , † 1968). He was dissatisfied with the corruption inherent in capitalism and challenged the generally accepted belief that to survive one has to work. He was influenced by the ideas of Ninomiya Sontoku and Leo Tolstoy . After three days of meditation, he came to an enlightening experience (Shammai) , through which he newly recognized the connection between child and mother.
Teaching
The basic idea - and at the same time the key concept - of his philosophy is the dissolving of interpersonal ikizumari (such as "[mutual] blocking"). Intellectual knowledge, power and money inevitably led to a “dead end” ( 行 き 詰 り , ikizumari ), and should therefore be avoided or dissolved. The members try to live penniless ( 無 所有 , mushoyū ) because a selfish person can never be happy. The origin of life lies in "light". Life is given to everyone, it is nothing to work for. However, work is a note of thanks ( 感謝 , kansha ) for this gift.
As a consequence, Nishida left home and home. His family was over-indebted and about to lose the farm. He himself had failed as the head of a land reclamation project in Hokkaidō . He was not (anymore) willing to “fight” against others for the purpose of livelihood, so he was free from duties ( 義務 , gimu ). Instead, he began to serve others through humble work ( 下座 , geza ). In particular, he specialized in cleaning toilets. In return, he only accepted what was necessary. Service became a way of connecting with others. For his teaching he used Zen derived - but reinterpreted - terms such as takuhatsu ( 托 鉢 ) for humble service outside the community.
According to the group's self-image, Ittōen is not a religious community. However, the practice of service is the basis of all religions. She describes her philosophy as non-dualistic ( fu-ni ). Great emphasis is also placed on natural healing methods (also through the laying on of hands).
development
Over the next 10 years of wandering, Nishida gained a crowd of followers ("homeless"). Within the group he is known by his first name as Tenkō-san . After this time he accepted the Johanryō, which was the size of three tatami mats, as permanent accommodation for himself and his wife († 1955) , as he thought about 1½ (almost 2.5 m²) per person was sufficient. A first seminar and dormitory for his followers was built in Shishigatani in 1913 . Over the years he expanded his teaching. The Rokuman Gyōgaku movement began in 1919 . In 1921 he laid out the teaching in the book Sange no Seikatsu (roughly: "Life of penance"). The number of his active followers ( dōnin ) - most of the young single people - then doubled to about 200 in the same year.
In 1923 a support group called Kōyūkai ("Friends of Light") was founded and a branch was founded in the Japanese-administered part of Manchuria , which organized seminars. A group-owned magazine O-hikari ("great light") appeared from 1919 to 1944.
Kosenrin
In 1928 he was given a piece of land east of Kyoto , on which the headquarters of the Ittōen commune is still located today . The settlement is known, which had 500-600 residents at the wedding in the 1960s (today around 300) under the name Kōsenrin ( 光 泉 林 ). The "Peace Park", with replicas of statues from Easter Island and a peace bell, is central to the approximately 33 hectare site . In the complex there are still almost 70 residential buildings and the group's own operations (apart from an amusement park that is operated in the south).
Tenko-san himself was one of the most active religious leaders in Japan from 1924–43 and went on frequent lecture tours. One of these trips took him to Hawaii and California in August 1926. Because of his pacifist tendencies, he became increasingly suspicious of the ultra-nationalist circles ruling Japan. The members of the commune served on the home front in factories from 1944 and returned to the commune in 1946. Tenkō-san himself was elected to the House of Commons in 1947, but was - apart from occasional toilet cleaning actions in the government buildings - a rather passive member. After the end of the Great Pacific War, the pursuit of peace became more prominent. A sesshin has been held every November since 1954 .
In the post-war period, donations to the group increased steadily. In 1955 an agricultural research center was founded, which specialized in the sale of rice seeds. This became an important financial pillar. There was also a construction company, a preschool and a small publishing house. A private elementary school was founded as early as 1930, a middle school in 1947, followed by a high school in 1952, which are also open to non-members. The curricula that include toilet cleaning from middle school onwards show certain anti-authoritarian and anti-intellectual traits, but are not aimed at the education of independent individuals.
The group itself is organized hierarchically according to the leader principle. The tobans represent the "light". The ordinary members are expected to leave the essential decisions to the tōban and to follow their advice. In order to become a full member ( dōnin ), one must have experienced (and overcome) ikizumari in life. Since 1955, the members of the group have also been listed as “one family” at the registration office. (Paying) guests are also temporarily admitted to seminars and multi-day training programs ( kenshukai ) in order to teach them the appropriate humility in serving customers. These seminars are now one of the main sources of income for the municipality.
After the death of Tenkō-san, who died as a result of a stroke in September 1967, his grandson Nishida Takeshi took over the leadership of the group. It was said that he lacked the charisma and enlightenment of his grandfather, but he did not seem to lack modesty. In decision-making processes, support came from a council of four ( yonnin-gumi ). In 1974 the group had about 270 members. A specialized research library has existed since 1988.
Critics have made the allegations that are often made against cults, such as brainwashing and exploitation of members. Furthermore, there is talk of a softening of ideals (through participation in the capitalist economic cycle) and meaningless rituals. Another point of criticism is the lack of a coherent philosophical basis - and the associated intellectual-dogmatic justification of the doctrine of “light”.
daily routine
The members wear headbands in uniform and black clothing called gi . The typical daily routine begins with a wake-up call at 5 a.m., soon followed by a 20-minute cleaning session. This is followed by prayers ( otsutome ) in the chapels (participation voluntary). The rituals and chants follow Buddhist models and the Vimalakīrti Sutra is often recited; also writings of the founder. This is followed by the vegetarian breakfast from the communal kitchen. The work assigned by the tōban begins at 7.30 a.m. (until 5 p.m.), interrupted by work breaks at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Use in the households of strangers is particularly important. The field assignments ( rōto ) are nowadays mostly carried out by the seminar participants, the members mostly serve in the companies. The lunchtime meal of those who stayed on the site is eaten together. At 18 o'clock evening prayers, mostly recitations of the start cardiac or Lotus Sutra . When the bell strikes at 9 p.m., people clap their hands together as a prayer. Bed rest is from 10 p.m.
literature
- Davis, Winston; Ittōen: The Myths and Rituals of Liminality; in: History of Religions, Vol. 14, No. 4 (1975), pp. 282-321 (Part I-III); Vol. 15 (1975), No. 1, S 1-33 (Part IV-VI) [in Part IV: Freud / Jung'sche Analysis]
- Eckart, PA; Buddhist reform efforts in Japan; Ostasiatische Rundschau, Vol. ~ 14 (1933), pp. ~ 399-401 [still called "Senkosha" there]
- Rafkin, Louise; Other people filth; Munich 2000 (Goldmann), ISBN 3-442-54142-5 ; therein: S 193-: Zen or the art of cleaning
Fonts
- Nishida Tenkō; Sange no seikatsu; 1921; English part: A New Road to Ancient Truth; London 1969 (George Allen & Unwin)
- What is Itto-en? Its theory and practice; Kyōto 1959 (Itto-en Pub. House)
- Suzuki Gorō; Te no hira ryōji; , Tōkyō 1974 ("Healing by the laying on of hands")
Notes and individual references
- ↑ 西 田 天香 - after he had learned that the first character of his name is written as that of the heavenly majesty ( Tennō ), he renounced the Sino-Japanese spelling and only used the Japanese syllabary (Davis, I, p 296)
- ↑ (Davis, I, p. 285)
- ↑ Originally the term referred to the (strictly regulated) begging rounds of monks.
- ↑ District of Kyoto. (Davis, I, p. 286)
- ↑ roku (six) refers to the six vows of Zen monks; one (ten thousand - figuratively also "infinitely many; myriads "); gyōgan is a paraphrase for abortion. (Davis, I, fn. 17)
- ↑ Rafkin, p. 201
- ↑ like that also done by schoolchildren from 15.
- ↑ Parents are only given grades on request in order to prevent competitive thinking. Teachers are called "uncle" or "aunt".
- ↑ Rafkin, p. 201; Detailed procedure: Davis, II, p. 303
- ^ Davis, I, p. 291
- ↑ The cleaning of modern toilets (with water flush) is not disgusting enough to show the necessary humility.
- ^ Davis, III, p. 291-
- ↑ Similar to the yukata used by pre-war Japanese workers. Plus shorts.
- ↑ Mostly from Nichida's Ichi jitsutsu (The One Fact of Life), 1955
