What I find deeply hilarious about all this is that, if one had studied the histories of any of the major religions, one would find that Buddhism and Christianity, or Hinduism, are both inherently pick-and-mix religions. They adapt to wherever they move to. They incorporate local customs and beliefs and little gods into their overaching systems. IN Hindu-Buddhism, little gods taken in become bodhisattvas are minor deities; in Christianity they have been known to become saints.
This is what it means to be a syncretic religion. That's what syncretism means. Syncretism is a fundamental tactic of large-scale religions to convert the locals, by absorbing them. Hinduism is the most absorbing religion ever, but the others aren't that far behind.
To think that central doctrine creates a purity is precisely what causes the problems in religious institutions that lead to schisms, reformations, counter-reformations, and so forth. Again, any student of the history of religions should be able to see this. It's why the Vatican is now is so very much trouble.
Japanese Buddhism is VERY different from Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism. Not even the interpretations of the right-fold path are always the same.
Interesting you should bring this up, Art. I wear around my neck a medal of my patron saint, Francis of Asissi (it has a relic) and also a lovely jade carving of ... Kuan Yin, to whom, for personal reasons, I am very close. Japanese Cathloics, during a period of persecution, disguised their honoring the Virgin Mary by honoring Kuan Yin. How's that for syncretism? In a former life my church would have accused me of heresy or something. Must be my Jesuit training. (Are you familiar with Matteo Ricci and the Jesuit missionaries to China in the 17th century?)
What I find deeply hilarious about all this is that, if one had studied the histories of any of the major religions, one would find that Buddhism and Christianity, or Hinduism, are both inherently pick-and-mix religions. They adapt to wherever they move to. They incorporate local customs and beliefs and little gods into their overaching systems. IN Hindu-Buddhism, little gods taken in become bodhisattvas are minor deities; in Christianity they have been known to become saints.
ReplyDeleteThis is what it means to be a syncretic religion. That's what syncretism means. Syncretism is a fundamental tactic of large-scale religions to convert the locals, by absorbing them. Hinduism is the most absorbing religion ever, but the others aren't that far behind.
To think that central doctrine creates a purity is precisely what causes the problems in religious institutions that lead to schisms, reformations, counter-reformations, and so forth. Again, any student of the history of religions should be able to see this. It's why the Vatican is now is so very much trouble.
Japanese Buddhism is VERY different from Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism. Not even the interpretations of the right-fold path are always the same.
Interesting you should bring this up, Art. I wear around my neck a medal of my patron saint, Francis of Asissi (it has a relic) and also a lovely jade carving of ... Kuan Yin, to whom, for personal reasons, I am very close. Japanese Cathloics, during a period of persecution, disguised their honoring the Virgin Mary by honoring Kuan Yin. How's that for syncretism? In a former life my church would have accused me of heresy or something. Must be my Jesuit training. (Are you familiar with Matteo Ricci and the Jesuit missionaries to China in the 17th century?)
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