Synopsis and Comments on "The Bhagavad Gita" - Hinduism's deepest secrets that live on today! And its connection to Mahayana Buddhism!
The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Katsuhiko Uemura, published by Iwanami Shoten in 1992, 38th printing in 2022, is presented here.
Let's take a quick look at the book.
This book, the most famous of the Indian classics, is a world-class gem of Hindu scripture and has been recited by people of all religions since ancient times. The title means "Song of God. It teaches that it is possible for a person to attain the ultimate state of enlightenment while fulfilling the duties of this life without renouncing one's social duties. This is an easy-to-read new translation from the Sanskrit original, with copious notes and commentary.
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The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue that can be described as a profound work of Indian thought, as expounded in the Mahabharata, the great epic poem of India.
It consists of a dialogue between Arjuna, one of the protagonists of the Mahabharata, and his consort Krishna (actually an incarnation of Lord Vishnu).
The dialogue will of course begin against the background of the storyline of the Mahabharata. Although it is possible to read the Bhagavad Gita on its own, it is essential to know the main plot of the Mahabharata in order to appreciate it more deeply.
Previous article on "The Bhagavad Gita"Katsuhiko Uemura, "The World of the Bhagavad Gita: The Salvation of Hinduism" - A great book to learn about Japanese culture and its connection to Mahayana Buddhism!We introduced the manual in the following section.
In this book, the author points out the connection to Japanese culture and Mahayana Buddhism in the Bhagavad Gita.
It opens with a discussion of how Indian deities such as Indra (Teishakuten), Yama (Yama), Saraswati (Benzaiten), and Brahma (Brahma) have permeated Japanese culture. Immediately afterwards, he states This is an extremely important point for studying Buddhism and Japanese culture, so I will read it carefully.
I hope the above has shown you how the Japanese have worshipped and continue to worship Hindu deities on a daily basis. We live our lives surrounded by the gods of Hinduism.
We do not, however, simply worship Hindu deities. In fact, the prevailing ideas of Hinduism entered Japan through Buddhism and had a profound influence on Japanese religion and culture. You may not think so, but I believe that the Japanese have accepted the best parts of Hinduism through Buddhism. It is no exaggeration to say that the Japanese are "hidden Hindus," so to speak. One of the purposes of this book is to show this fact.
The Bhagavad Gita, which is the subject of this book, is a major Hindu scripture. Roughly speaking, it is thought that ideas such as those taught in this scripture influenced Mahayana Buddhism at some point in time. It is the idea that the Absolute, or the Supreme Being, is omnipresent and pervades everything, even individual things. In other words, the nature of God is within each of us. This idea strongly influenced Mahayana Buddhism at a certain time, directly or indirectly, and the result was thetathagatagarbha (buddha-womb, the potential within all living things to become a buddha)It can be said that it is an idea. All people have the potential to become a Tathagata, all people have the potential to becomeBuddha-natureThis is the idea that there is a "Buddha," "Shinnyo," or "Goddess of Mercy. This idea came to Japan through Buddhism, and was later adopted by the Tendai sect and other schools of Buddhism, which held that we are the Buddha, or Shinnyo, as we are.main culpritIt has had a profound influence on Japanese religious culture and the way of thinking of the Japanese people in general. For example, "Even though the Buddha is always present,present (e.g. government, administration)Imasama, such as "I will not be, that is, awarenaru" ("Ryohin Hisho"), spread throughout medieval Japanese society, and this way of thinking eventually permeated the populace.
Having made the above hypothesis - a hypothesis that is extremely certain - I will now examine its validity as I read and explain the "Bhagavad Gita".
Chikuma Shobo, Katsuhiko Uemura, The World of the Bhagavad Gita: Salvation in Hinduism, p. 21-22
It is no exaggeration to say that the Japanese are, so to speak, "hidden Hindus. One of the purposes of this book is to show that."
It's a shocking word, isn't it?
But in this book, these words feel all too real. The connection with Japanese culture and Mahayana Buddhism is explained very clearly.
And actually reading the Bhagavad Gita, I can see what Katsuhiko Uemura is describing. It really makes you think, "What? This is just as it is! I was surprised to see the same words over and over again.
Here are some of the passages that surprised me the most.
I am equal to all things. I have nothing to hate and nothing to love. But those who love me with faith are in me, and I in them.
Even if he is a very evil person, if he has faith in me, he should be considered a good person. For he is a man of righteous determination.
Iwanami Shoten, Bhagavad Gita, translated by Katsuhiko Uemura, 38th printing edition, 2022, p. 84.
Even the most evil of men, if he loves me with all his heart, he is to be regarded as a good man. For he is a righteous and determined man."
This is reminiscent of Shinran Shonin's theory of the righteousness of the wicked. Of course, it is not exactly the same as Shinran Shonin's theory, but it is a concept that could be connected to Shinran Shonin's theory.
Other ideas that are very close to the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism are discussed more and more.
I strongly felt that, after all, Buddhism was also born within the framework of Indian thought and culture. Of course, this is not a one-way passage from Indian mythology to Buddhism, but rather a mutual influence.
The Bhagavad Gita is quite compact, about 140 pages in paperback. Katsuhiko Uemura's translation is very easy to read, and there are more than 50 pages of commentary at the end of the book, which is very helpful.
Above.The World of the Bhagavad Gita: Hindu Salvation.and by Mizuho OkitaAn Introduction to the Mahabharata: An Introduction to Indian Mythology."The Mahabharata itself is a great work of art, and when read in conjunction with the Mahabharata itself, it is even better understood.
This was also significant in my study of Buddhism. No, it was a gem of a scripture that opened my eyes not only to Buddhism, but also to religion and human beings themselves. I find myself more and more attracted to Indian thought and culture.
This is a book I would highly recommend. Why not pick it up?
The above is a synopsis of "The Bhagavad Gita" and my thoughts on it - The deepest secrets of Hinduism that continue to live on today! And its connection to Mahayana Buddhism!" The above is a summary of "The Bhagavad Gita" and my impression of it.
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