Rapping Monk of Japan!
This is a Japanese monk named Kansho Tagai, also known as Mr. Happiness (or MC Happiness).
Kansho Tagai heads a 400-year-old Kyoouji Temple in central Tokyo (Japan) and over the years he has seen a steady decline in his people’s interest in the temple. He realized that it was the younger generation who found temples too foreign…and because they didn’t understand Buddhist texts (sutras), the youths found Buddhism as a whole, hard to relate with…
Kansho Tagai told news reporters that upon hearing rap music for the first time, he didn’t understand a word as it was all in English…it then made him realize that it was probably the same with lay people hearing Buddhist sutras. It naturally came to him to appeal to the youths by making Buddhism more modern.
2,000 years ago, Buddhism had already incorporated music into their ceremonies with Buddhist monks in Japan using traditional Japanese music. Today Kansho Tangai is updating it to Japanese rapping!
Initially the other monks found it hard to accept Kansho Tangai rapping in the main hall of their historical temple…but after seeing the success of his unconventional methods, they have started to support the idea. It is within the main hall of the Kyoouji temple that Kansho Tangai and youths would come together and rap. The audience can be seen to participate and bob their heads to Kansho Tangai rapping Buddhist sutras in modern Japanese.
Kansho Tagai has said that “Many ordinary people come here for the first time for one of the concerts and then later come for a day-long Buddhist retreat and then learn more about the religion”.
“In the modern world, we need to deliver. If people won’t come to my temple because it still feels like a foreign place, I must take Buddhism to the people. I am a delivery man”.
What a cool and very kind approach that Kansho Tagai has taken. He has plans to have tap-dancing and samba within the temple as well. Other Buddhist temples have started to adopt Kansho Tagai’s philosophy: not sacrificing Buddhist teachings but presenting it in an open and modern way. Some have opened bars that serve alcohol to attracts those who like to go out drinking at night…and some monks and nuns have done fashion shows to attract the fashion-conscious youths.
The Buddhist teachings have not changed, it is just the way they are presented. If the end result is that more people get drawn to Buddha’s teachings…why not?? Unconventional methods are not wrong methods. If the old way doesn’t work…then out with the old and in with the new! hehe
Watch the video below and let me know what you think..
Tsem Rinpoche
watch here:
http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Japan_rapping_monk.flv
or view the video on Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjpl23Zjn5A
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, Richard Morrissey. Richard Morrissey said: RT @tsemtulku: My personal blog: : Rapping Monk of Japan! http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/2011/01/mc-happiness-in-tokyo.html [...]
Time Changes, people changes and lifestyle changes. The purity of Buddhism never changes but I am so glad to see the methods of teaching such an old traditional and beautiful means of being a better person being changed by the Rapping Monk of Japan.
It is possible to have a world of better people living the Buddhist path.
I love this, what a cool guy. A great way to reach out to others that may not typically be open to Buddhism. Love this
Thank you for sharing.
Japan, after the 2nd World war, has greatly changed, due perhaps to the great influence of the westernised and modern authorities governing and managing methods then. Japan today, can be said to have been reborn into a very modernised generation, with its elegant standard of living, lifestyle, livelihood or whatever you call it, more extravangant and up to date than any country in the World – and more successful too! As our wisdomised Kansho Tangai has said, “In the modern world, we need to deliver. If people won’t come to my temple because it feels like a foreign place, I must take Buddhism to the people. I am a Delivery man.” As also mentioned in the blog, Tangai’s above philosophy is not sacificing Buddhist teachings, but using more modern, open, suitable and attractive way and style to promote Buddhism to a new generation of people of today’s era! The Buddhist teachings have not changed, but he has to change its way to appeal to the new generation of people. If the mountains don’t come to Kansho Tangai, he must go to the Mountains. SYABAS TO KANSHO TANGAI, AND OUR DEEP GRATITUDE TO RINPOCHE FOR SHOWING US THE WAY!
In countries like Japan that has been moving upwards so fast and one of the most modern country in the world. You cannot get the younger generation to join you in Dharma unless a more modern type of concept is applied. I was just wondering whether Japanese Buddhism has any rules that they cannot drink alchohol. Tibetan Buddhism abstains you from doing so many things that a Japanese monk can do. The thing is when you drink you will blur your mind. Then how can you pray and practice. I don’t think I am able to comprehend maybe because I still have the old ways of thinking. On the other hand I notice those centres that are liberal and not so uptight in the rules grow faster than those still in the olden era.
Rap is wonderful. a ‘rap battle’ reminds me of a Monastic debate. Each person is slinging logic at the other person at lightning speed, no time for contemplation.
Hey Everyone who watched the video should check out this video by Beasty Boys called Bodhisattva Vows. Amazing song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPmELalsXOg
Kansho Tagai did whatever that works to get his message to the public and promote Buddhism. It is a huge risk he is taking but it has born good results to him. Just like Rinpoche whose teachings are relevant in the 21st century. The world is changing and the way Buddhism is presented is also different but the core teachings of Buddhism has not changed.
What a cool monk….spreading the dharma through rap. In this modern age, it would be impossible to spread dharma like it was 2,500 years ago as it will not captivate the modern generation. This monk did whatever it takes to spread the dharma and his method works. He reminds me of Rinpoche, who uses different methods and approach to teach the dharma. To quote Kansho Tagai “In the modern world, we need to deliver. If people won’t come to my temple because it feels like a foreign place, I must take Buddhism to the people. I am a Delivery man.” Well, the essence of Buddha’s Teachings remain the same, only the method is different.
To me this is very skillful ways to attract people to Buddhism. From where I grow up, Buddhism is being coined as boring, and as such, not many young people get into Buddhism since young. By changing the methods while still keeping essence of Buddhism, we can attract more younger people to practice generosity and compassionate from a much younger age.
I rejoice for Kansho Tagai for his creativity and persistence. I am sure he had quite a lot of rejections when he started this but he persisted and now he is creating results!
Kansho Tangai is a modern monk. Rinpoche’s approach is also the same. Rinpoche did it in his way and Kansho Tangai did it in a Kansho Tangai way. Amazing! It shows me everyone is different; everyone is unique with their way. I accept.