Buddhist Warfare by Michael Jerryson & Mark Juergensmeyer

Author:Michael Jerryson & Mark Juergensmeyer [Jerryson, Michael & Juergensmeyer, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780195394832
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2008-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

The available information indicates that, unlike what happened during the Anti-Japanese War—when some Buddhists had questioned the authenticity and legitimacy of a Buddhist airplane (which would cause the massive destruction of human lives)—no such voice was recorded this time. Buddhists in general seem to have supported the campaign; some regretted the difficulty in fulfilling their assigned quotas due to different reasons, such as lack of income. While expressing their difficulty and sorrow, however, these Buddhists never criticized the campaign itself. They did not complain about being rather forcibly assigned donation quotas, nor did they articulate any unwillingness to make such contributions. Quite the contrary, despite bemoaning their poor economic situations, they promised to do their best to donate their assigned share of the money.43 Meanwhile, some of them who were unable to pay their share donated their products—such as raw rice and wheat—as substitute compensation. Buddhists in Guangzhou City had been asked to donate 100 million yuan, but by the end of November 1951, only 20 million yuan had been collected. The Study Society of Buddhists in Guangzhou then decided to organize a sale of vegetables, with all income to be donated to their quota. For three days, May 29–31, 1952, a vegetable sale was held in Liu Rong Temple , and 12,183,700 yuan were collected.44 By January 1952, Buddhists in Beijing proudly announced that they had already contributed 58,711,600 yuan and thus almost completed the assigned donation task earlier than scheduled.45

At the same time as the campaign for the donation of the Chinese Buddhist airplane, another campaign was under way throughout China to encourage young monks and nuns to join the Volunteer Army. The phenomenon of Buddhist clergy joining the army to defend the nation against a foreign invasion had already been seen during the Anti-Japanese War. This time, however, more sangha members were recruited, demonstrating how Buddhists, endowed with patriotism, had supported the Communist government. Shortly after China’s involvement in the war, a nationwide campaign for military recruitment among young Chinese people took place and attracted the attention of the Buddhist sangha, especially the young monks.

Having gone through a number of sociopolitical campaigns and regular Marxist studies, young monks and nuns gradually transformed themselves, both physically and mentally, into new citizens of the Chinese nation, ready to sacrifice their religion and even their lives for their country. Their religious commitment became secularized and the sacredness of monkhood disappeared from their daily lives, which became no different than that of ordinary secular Chinese. The only exception was that they continued to wear Buddhist robes; in some places, they even wore the same clothing as ordinary secular Chinese. These young monks and nuns were then considered by themselves and by others as common family members of the Chinese nation.

Meanwhile, Buddhist leaders, advised by the government, constantly encouraged the socialist transformation of the sangha. They insisted that Buddhists accept the leadership of the Communist Party by following the instructions of the government and by taking part in political campaigns sponsored by the regime.

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