Japanese Monk Takes Buddhism To Another Level

Buddhism in Japan is in crisis. Eventhough most Japanese identify themselves as Buddhist but very few actually knows what Buddhism is all about. Young people are abandoning from Buddhism which they perceive as un-cool and a religion for old people. In order to preserve the religion, monks in Japan are trying hard to get the Buddhist message to the young generation.

A Buddhist monk by the name of Kansho Tagai comes out with an unconventional idea of reaching out to young people - hip hop and rap music. In an interview with reporters, the monks says that when he first listened to a rap song sung in English, he couldn't understand a single word but he likes it. From there he realises that this type of singing could be used to sing about Buddhism and Buddhist scriptures as it will appeal to young people. This is his way of passing the Dharma to the new generation of Japanese.



Personally i do not see this method of spreading the worlds of the Buddha as a form of disrespect but rather a reliable way to make young people to learn about Buddhism. Though this monk might be the first to go all the way out to reach to the young people by doing what they like to do, he isn't the only doing so today. There has been a Christian priests going to bars to preach God's words to the bar patrons and i have read that a Muslim woman in Malaysia was looking for a young and preferable handsome Muslim iman to preach in entertainment outlets frequented by young Muslims and a handsome Muslim iman singing religious songs has achieved pop star like status in Indonesia.