Kanho Yakushiji

Kanho Yakushiji a a zen monk of the Japanese Buddhist order.He isnt an impersonator monk like the korean DJ News Jeans Nim who was an ex comedian.He is a rockstar monk who chants the heart sutra to rock music n electric guitars n synthesizer.He draws a younger crowd to temples and modernize the chants of sutras in new age music.its cool because he teaches buddhism as his intention is not as entertainer solely.Yakushiji is a practising head monk of a temple who modernises buddhist chants.DJ New Jeans Nim is a impersonator monk who aims to entertain. Listening to a two hour lecture will not draw the young people as much as listening to rock music infused buddhist chants like the heart sutra or lotus sutra.in buddhism the intention matters.just as the lesser vehicle hinayana or mahayana greater vehicle can be used to convey the teachings,the mode of communication differs. so Imee Ooi the Buddhist musician has popularize buddhist sutra through her songs and even translated some into Indonesian language and invited Kanho Yakushiji to perform together in her concerts so i think singing and dancing are ok but not in sexually provocative dances.the dances of Dunhuamg show apsaras carrying pipas and flute and traditional dances convey gracefullness. I just made a big discovery that 1,000 years ago in 865 AD,during the Heian dynasty ,a Japanese crown prince Prince Takaoka left his royal life to become a monk like Lord Buddha or Prince Gautama Siddharta left Kapilavastu to seek enlightenment.Prince Takaoka took the name of monk Bhikshu Shinnyo.He went to China to study Buddhism and decided at age 67 years old to do leave Guangzhou to go on a pilgrimage to India.He never made it to India as he passed away along his journey in South East Asia.i researched it from the Buddhist Channel and it seems his grave is in a cemetery in Johor.it was recorded he was attacked by a tiger.his grave is near Melodies Garden where i used to stay when i worked in Johor Bahru.When i go past Johor I will pay my respect to this eminent monk who was buried here in Malaysia .The China monk Fa Hsien also visited Malaysia at Langkasuka.his stop was in tan tan or present day Tanah Merah Kelantan.the other China monk I Ching stopped in Kedah on his way to Nalanda in India.