The Other Faith 3 March 1980

Trevor Leggett was head of the Japanese Department of the BBC.

This is one of his broadcasts to Japan

Zubari 3 March 1980

Hello listeners – the warm weather here still continues. I hear that it has been warm in Japan too, and I shall be able to see an early Japanese summer beginning perhaps, when I go to Japan this May. (I hope it is not an early tsuyu, though!)

One reason for my trip is that I am now completing the translation of a big modern book on the world of Buddha; it is by three authors, one of whom is Professor Nakamura Hajime, who is a Bunka Kunsho holder. The book in Japanese, Buddha no Sekai, will appear in Japan shortly. It is published by Gakken. We hope to bring out the American edition next year, and there will be a French and German edition, made from my English translation. At least, that is the plan.

It’s interesting that when I am asked by British people, ‘Why are you going to Japan?’ and I mention this book, they are often very interested, and ask what is in it. But Japanese are often quite indifferent.

It is the same in reverse with Christianity. In the Bungei Shunju for some time now there has been a series about the Bible and the life of Christ. Japanese people are interested, because it is something foreign; but when I tell this to British people, they tend to be indifferent.

I think this is because of childhood associations. As a small child, I can remember being bored by the church services on Sunday; I could not understand the English of the church service. It is mostly the English of 300 or 400 years ago, and quite difficult in places even for adults. For instance ‘naughty’ then meant ‘sinful’; now it just means something itazura or urusai, and is only used of small children.* I recall the tremendous boredom – an hour is a long time for a boy of nine years. We children used to look at the elaborate stone ornaments of the church, and the stained-glass windows, and wonder vaguely what it all meant.

Japanese have told me that it was the same with the Buddhist services when they were children. And they added, “We didn’t like the smell of incense)”.  (At least in our Anglican services, there was no incense!) They told me too that the priest was generally old. Our Christian clergymen too always seemed to us very old. Of course, children think anyone over 40 is very old indeed.

So, the equation seems to be the same:

In Japan, for Japanese people: Buddhist temple = boredom;

In England, for English people: Christian church = boredom.

The Buddhist temple, or Christian church, is mainly of interest because many of them are artistic treasures. And I may add that British people when looking round a church at its sculpture are often better behaved than many Japanese in a temple, who, being very devout and sincere people with impressive lives, really try to live Christianity. And in the same way, Western Buddhists too are often very devout and sincere, and they try to live Buddhism.

Going to a big traditional temple in Japan, we find that the regular believers are quite few. The temple often seems to be empty. The great hall has almost no one in it. But in London we shall find two medium-sized rooms packed with fifty or sixty British Buddhists sitting in the Buddha-fashion on cushions, and tremendously keen and regular in their attendance.

In the same way, the churches here often have only a dozen people in the congregation, some of whom seem to go out of habit. But the Japanese Christians are very keen.

It seems that in both countries the old-fashioned services in temple or church no longer attract the public. Curiously, in Britain the sale of bibles increases by 20% each year. The people want to read the Bible, but they do not go to church. And in the same way in Japan, I notice that the sale of Buddhist books increases. But the people do not want to go to the traditional services in the old temples.

Well, I suppose it is a reflection of the fact that when forms become too old-fashioned, people long for something new. There are a number of very popular books coming out now about Buddhism and Christianity.  The idea is, that Christianity can learn something from Buddhism.

When I go to Japan this May, I shall look to see whether there are any books about Buddhism learning something from Christianity.

© Trevor leggett