0:00:12.709,0:00:15.776
I was born 35 years ago

0:00:15.777,0:00:18.611
in a Buddhist temple here in Kyoto.

0:00:19.831,0:00:22.686
I was raised as a child[br]of a Buddhist monk,

0:00:22.687,0:00:26.222
but graduated from Catholic[br]junior high and senior high schools.

0:00:26.223,0:00:28.053
(Laughter)

0:00:28.423,0:00:30.493
As a son of a Buddhist monk,

0:00:30.494,0:00:33.284
getting educated[br]in Christianity is very unusual;

0:00:33.285,0:00:39.678
however, everybody, including[br]my family, relatives and friends,

0:00:39.679,0:00:42.473
have been very supportive of me.

0:00:44.483,0:00:47.908
I have once been to Ireland[br]when I was a college student.

0:00:47.909,0:00:50.190
As you know,

0:00:50.191,0:00:52.728
Ireland is a religious Catholic country.

0:00:52.729,0:00:55.851
When I stayed at one local B&B,

0:00:55.852,0:01:00.061
I explained about my upbringing[br]to the lady, the owner of B&B.

0:01:00.601,0:01:05.682
Then her face turned pale,[br]and she said this:

0:01:06.682,0:01:09.833
"Why are things like that[br]allowed in your country?

0:01:09.834,0:01:14.022
If you do such a thing in Ireland,[br]no excuse would save your life!"

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That was her reaction.

0:01:16.490,0:01:22.009
Sad to say, I was too young[br]to refute her opinion then.

0:01:24.563,0:01:28.450
The Japanese religious[br]perspective is very unique.

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For instance, many Japanese celebrate[br]the birthday of Christ, Christmas,

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listen to the temples' gongs[br]on New Year's Eve,

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and pay the New Year's visit[br]to the shrines.

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People in other countries may say:

0:01:47.010,0:01:49.751
"How unprincipled the Japanese are!"

0:01:49.752,0:01:55.289
Japanese people generally[br]are religiously tolerant.

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Our attitude towards religions

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may be similar to the one towards food.

0:02:04.551,0:02:08.292
Take the example of the differences[br]between Japanese and Western meals.

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Take a look at a full course Western meal.

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You have a main dish[br]that's the highlight of a course.

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There isn't such a thing as a main dish[br]in a Japanese meal course.

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Take a traditional Japanese kaiseki-ryori:

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if you look at each one, from[br]the appetizer through the last rice dish,

0:02:27.600,0:02:30.737
none of them is considered as a main dish.

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Just like the way we view our dishes,

0:02:37.321,0:02:42.000
we don't hold any discriminatory view[br]towards any religion,

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and we instead treasure[br]common philosophies or moral values

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that are shared by all religions.

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So the Japanese view about religion[br]isn't, "Believe in something,"

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but instead, "Respect for something,"[br]or "Respect for others."

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This is the Japanese style[br]of viewing religions.

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So in Japan, many people[br]believe in various religions.

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but we all respect each other's.

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In fact in my temple, Myoshinji,[br]in spite of being a Buddhist temple,

0:03:11.668,0:03:15.876
we often recite a sutra[br]to deities of shrines.

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A lot of temples have[br]a shrine on their premises.

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Japanese Buddhism[br]is very unique in that sense.

0:03:27.171,0:03:32.449
There are exceptions, but Japanese[br]Buddhist monks are allowed to marry.

0:03:32.450,0:03:35.789
We refrain from eating meat and fish[br]during the ascetic training

0:03:35.790,0:03:37.486
and eat only vegetables,

0:03:37.487,0:03:43.153
but after finishing the training, we don't[br]have such strict principles to obey.

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In Japan, we detest wasting things

0:03:47.589,0:03:51.549
and throwing away food.

0:03:52.626,0:03:55.418
If anybody from India,[br]the birthplace of Buddhism,

0:03:55.421,0:03:58.719
sees the reality of the Japanese Buddhism,

0:03:58.720,0:04:02.509
he may say,[br]"This isn't Buddhism, is it?"

0:04:04.401,0:04:08.397
Throughout the Southeast Asia and India,

0:04:08.398,0:04:09.996
in Theravada Buddhism,

0:04:09.997,0:04:15.161
strictly following the principles,[br]studying the teachings, and meditation

0:04:15.162,0:04:17.946
are what they aim[br]to pursue in practicing it.

0:04:17.947,0:04:19.923
However, in Japan,

0:04:19.925,0:04:22.188
Buddhism lays a weight[br]on other daily practices

0:04:22.189,0:04:23.462
such as the commemoration

0:04:23.463,0:04:25.982
of our deceased family[br]members and relatives

0:04:25.983,0:04:27.538
and teaching propriety.

0:04:28.834,0:04:33.536
If this form of Buddhism[br]we have established in the past 1,500 years

0:04:33.537,0:04:36.016
is denied to be called Buddhism,

0:04:36.017,0:04:40.195
what can we call it then?

0:04:41.755,0:04:43.952
No matter what,

0:04:43.953,0:04:47.750
there isn't any other way[br]but to call this "Japanese Buddhism."

0:04:47.751,0:04:50.216
The Japanese Buddhism has been refined,

0:04:50.217,0:04:54.143
being influenced by Shinto,[br]the ancient Japanese religion,

0:04:55.150,0:04:59.722
and taken in the appropriate form[br]adjusting to the Japanese soil.

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So the earliest Buddhism

0:05:03.754,0:05:06.300
is different from today's[br]in its actual practice,

0:05:06.301,0:05:09.393
but the underlying core[br]of all forms of Buddhism--

0:05:09.394,0:05:12.411
wherever it's in India,[br]the East Asia or Japan

0:05:12.412,0:05:16.065
is based on the principles of wonderful[br]philosophy and teaching of Buddha.

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The differences between Japanese Buddhism[br]and India's reminds me of the differences

0:05:22.136,0:05:24.936
in the tastes of curry we eat and theirs.

0:05:24.937,0:05:26.528
(Laughter)

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In India very spicy curry[br]is preferred by Indians.

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Curry has also come from India,

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but if people from India eat[br]the Japanese curry, mild and sweet curry,

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that we are used to eating

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- I'm sure many of you like it -

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they would say, "This isn't curry."

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That's what they would think.

0:05:50.036,0:05:53.477
What would you call the Japanese curry

0:05:53.478,0:05:56.087
that we have become[br]so familiar with, then?

0:05:56.088,0:05:57.307
(Laughter)

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Again, there isn't any other way[br]but to call this "Japanese curry."

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The cooking method[br]and the ingredients may differ,

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but we cook the ingredients[br]in the curry sauce

0:06:10.777,0:06:13.980
and eat it with rice or bread.

0:06:13.981,0:06:17.305
India and Japan share this style.

0:06:18.545,0:06:23.418
I majored in agricultural science.

0:06:23.419,0:06:27.443
I once had an experiment about curry[br]when I was a college student.

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I'd like to tell you about the experiment.

0:06:30.018,0:06:31.943
We prepared two separate rooms.

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The first one was made[br]very hot and humid

0:06:35.896,0:06:39.088
just like the summer in Japan.

0:06:39.089,0:06:41.867
Its temperature and humidity were high.

0:06:41.868,0:06:44.830
The other one was made[br]into hot but not so humid.

0:06:44.831,0:06:48.343
Like India it was hot and dry.

0:06:49.903,0:06:52.871
Thirty students gathered[br]from the world's different cultures

0:06:52.872,0:06:56.311
were asked to stay in the Japanese room[br]of high humidity for awhile.

0:06:56.312,0:06:59.102
Then we asked them[br]to eat Indian and Japanese curries

0:06:59.103,0:07:01.386
to compare the tastes.

0:07:01.387,0:07:03.943
20 out of 30 students who ate

0:07:03.944,0:07:08.888
both the Japanese and Indian curry[br]in the humid room

0:07:08.889,0:07:12.685
said the Japanese curry tasted better.

0:07:14.265,0:07:16.958
On a different day[br]the same group of students

0:07:16.959,0:07:21.340
were asked to eat both curries[br]in the hot and dry, Indian room.

0:07:21.341,0:07:24.442
20 out of 30 students said

0:07:24.443,0:07:28.026
that the Indian curry tasted better.

0:07:28.027,0:07:32.207
The Japanese curry tastes better[br]in the Japanese room,

0:07:32.208,0:07:35.773
the Indian curry tasted better[br]in the Indian room.

0:07:35.774,0:07:38.105
That's the result we got.

0:07:38.106,0:07:41.464
Like this, food is greatly influenced

0:07:41.465,0:07:45.133
by the climate and the natural[br]features of the place.

0:07:45.134,0:07:48.546
Similarly, a religion is affected[br]by the climate and natural features,

0:07:48.547,0:07:52.228
and also the history, the culture,[br]and traditions of its hosting place.

0:07:52.229,0:07:56.024
Religions are refined by these aspects

0:07:56.025,0:07:58.709
while adapting to its hosting country.

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If we could share the Japanese, tolerant,[br]religious view we generally have,

0:08:04.341,0:08:08.333
with people all over the world,

0:08:08.334,0:08:13.222
I strongly believe that it would be[br]a wonderful offer to the world.

0:08:15.486,0:08:18.244
Several years ago,

0:08:18.245,0:08:21.041
an amazingly innovative programme of FM

0:08:21.042,0:08:26.125
started at Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture.

0:08:27.272,0:08:31.115
The very title of this programme is:

0:08:31.116,0:08:33.666
"Eight o'clock! Gods and Buddhas."

0:08:33.667,0:08:34.866
(Laughter)

0:08:34.868,0:08:38.818
Originally it was "Eight o'clock![br]Buddhism and Shinto, come together."

0:08:38.820,0:08:40.374
(Laughter)

0:08:40.375,0:08:43.708
Anyway, I am going to tell you[br]about this program.

0:08:43.714,0:08:47.993
It goes on air for half an hour[br]from 8:30 every Wednesday.

0:08:47.994,0:08:51.498
As you may know,[br]this programme works like this:

0:08:51.501,0:08:57.235
a Buddhist monk, a Shito priest,[br]and a Christian minister,

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listen to the callers' personal problems

0:08:59.427,0:09:02.279
and put their heads together[br]to find a solution for them.

0:09:02.280,0:09:04.218
(Applause)

0:09:04.219,0:09:05.386
Thank you.

0:09:07.696,0:09:11.986
Nobody had ever tried[br]this revolutionary idea before.

0:09:11.987,0:09:13.291
We normally see a case

0:09:13.292,0:09:17.355
in which a monk from a certain school[br]would give an advice to people,

0:09:17.356,0:09:20.917
but that three people dedicated[br]to completely different religions

0:09:20.918,0:09:26.041
get together to try to figure out[br]how to solve people's problems

0:09:26.042,0:09:28.292
is a very groundbreaking idea.

0:09:28.316,0:09:32.110
Such advices give the listeners[br]a strong sense of security, assuring them

0:09:32.111,0:09:38.276
that there are more than one[br]stereotype solution in the world.

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And this February,

0:09:43.081,0:09:50.294
another epochal event proposed[br]by me was held here in Kyoto.

0:09:52.089,0:09:53.252
It's this:

0:09:54.542,0:09:57.284
Inter Faith Ekiden marathon. (Laughter)

0:09:57.285,0:10:00.269
Japanese people[br]are very familiar with "ekiden,"

0:10:00.270,0:10:03.143
and Kyoto is actually[br]the birthplace of the sport.

0:10:03.144,0:10:06.483
A century ago this sport,[br]ekiden was born in Kyoto.

0:10:08.223,0:10:12.864
In this religious city that represents[br]the world of religions in Japan,

0:10:12.865,0:10:15.396
the birthplace of ekiden of Japan,

0:10:15.397,0:10:19.940
people of all sorts of religions[br]from all over the world gathered

0:10:19.941,0:10:22.479
and took part in this road relay race

0:10:22.480,0:10:24.864
planned only for religious people.

0:10:24.865,0:10:27.143
This doesn't mean one religion[br]against another.

0:10:27.144,0:10:28.786
Each team consists of 4 runners:

0:10:28.787,0:10:32.809
say, the first runner is a Shinto priest,[br]the second runner is a Buddhist monk,

0:10:32.810,0:10:37.988
the third runner is a Christian minister;[br]the fourth one is a Muslim imam.

0:10:37.989,0:10:42.509
With the idea that the same sash[br]could bring different religions together,

0:10:42.510,0:10:46.431
many teams were formed[br]and the race took place.

0:10:46.981,0:10:52.256
Today, we often say we need[br]to sit down and talk

0:10:52.257,0:10:55.441
in order to understand with each other,

0:10:55.442,0:10:57.556
but talking in a meeting room

0:10:57.557,0:11:01.811
wouldn't have much power[br]to make ourselves understood.

0:11:01.812,0:11:04.679
On the other hand, this kind of open race

0:11:04.680,0:11:08.242
is so clear for everybody to see[br]and understand with each other

0:11:08.243,0:11:11.899
because all of us become one,[br]running together in an open area.

0:11:11.900,0:11:15.627
And since there isn't anything[br]to do but running in the race,

0:11:15.628,0:11:19.774
the youth of religions inevitably have[br]a chance to play an active role.

0:11:19.775,0:11:24.494
Moreover not only in Kyoto[br]but also in Luxembourg,

0:11:25.243,0:11:28.083
the race with the same concept[br]has been held.

0:11:28.084,0:11:31.658
In fact through this kind of race,[br]a movement for all religions

0:11:31.659,0:11:35.015
to be in harmony with one another[br]is growing throughout the world,

0:11:35.905,0:11:38.171
In this time of turmoil,

0:11:38.172,0:11:42.598
the people of religions themselves[br]break their backs to make efforts

0:11:42.599,0:11:45.237
to make all religions[br]harmoniously co-habitable.

0:11:45.238,0:11:48.367
This is a very important thing.

0:11:51.997,0:11:58.319
Now, if I were to meet the owner[br]of the B&B of Ireland

0:11:58.320,0:12:00.708
whom I met in my college days,

0:12:00.709,0:12:05.918
I would unhesitatingly say with confidence

0:12:05.939,0:12:10.179
that it surely is important[br]to faithfully follow the teachings

0:12:10.180,0:12:13.520
of the religion you believe in;

0:12:13.521,0:12:18.677
however, there are[br]more important things in life.

0:12:18.678,0:12:22.285
That is no matter[br]which religion we believe in,

0:12:22.286,0:12:26.948
we have to respect and live[br]in harmony with one another.

0:12:27.458,0:12:31.069
In Japan there are many people[br]who believe in various religions,

0:12:31.070,0:12:34.522
but the differences among religions[br]rarely cause any trouble.

0:12:34.523,0:12:36.638
Such a thing hardly ever happens in Japan.

0:12:36.639,0:12:38.864
We often see on TV news

0:12:38.865,0:12:44.219
that a zealous religious group fights[br]another of a different religion.

0:12:44.220,0:12:47.455
This is happening all over the world.

0:12:47.456,0:12:50.106
I think they are getting priorities wrong.

0:12:51.036,0:12:55.182
The essence of religion[br]isn't to blindly believe in one thing.

0:12:56.322,0:13:01.075
The role of religions is to help[br]people live out their lives,

0:13:01.076,0:13:04.389
feeling safe and appreciative[br]with each other.

0:13:04.390,0:13:08.026
That's what religions are for.

0:13:08.027,0:13:14.541
The essence or role of religion is[br]to give people a sense of security.

0:13:16.006,0:13:21.735
Therefore, In Japan, we live[br]peacefully, with a sense of security

0:13:21.736,0:13:24.155
while respecting each religion,

0:13:24.156,0:13:27.790
although we have many kinds or religions.

0:13:29.040,0:13:32.823
Nevertheless, since the cultures[br]and the traditions differ

0:13:32.824,0:13:34.982
depending on the regions in the world,

0:13:34.983,0:13:39.132
the sense of security[br]can be gained in various ways.

0:13:39.133,0:13:42.487
The method shouldn't be only one.

0:13:42.488,0:13:44.974
For the past two years,

0:13:44.975,0:13:49.261
I have been invited[br]to the Vatican by the Pope.

0:13:49.262,0:13:53.449
This April I was invited by the Dalai Lama

0:13:53.450,0:13:56.813
to participate[br]in the symposium held in Kyoto.

0:13:56.814,0:14:00.816
The religious people in the world[br]are truly holding a high hope

0:14:00.817,0:14:03.335
for the Japanese views on religion.

0:14:05.015,0:14:06.742
So, from Kyoto,

0:14:06.743,0:14:08.863
a world's pre-eminent city of religion,

0:14:08.864,0:14:12.050
let us call for the world to permeate

0:14:12.051,0:14:16.258
our tolerant view about religion[br]throughout the world.

0:14:16.259,0:14:19.372
I definitely believe[br]that when it comes true

0:14:19.373,0:14:22.316
the world will be an even[br]more beautiful place to live.

0:14:22.317,0:14:24.005
Thank you very much.

0:14:24.006,0:14:25.479
(Applause)