This is Randi Hacker with another Postcard from Asia from the KU Center for East Asian Studies.

Tired of the excessive asceticism and restrictions many Buddhist sects require in order to achieve enlightenment? Well, then jodo shinshu is the sect for you. It follows the doctrine of reliance on Amida Buddha rather than on the self because its founder Shinran, simply had no faith in humanity’s ability to save itself. Also known as “The Easy Path,” the sect has pretty much no rules: Alcohol? Okay. Physical pleasure and marriage. Hai! Deprivation and physical training? No way. One of their temples , if you will, is the Vowz Bar in Tokyo run by jodo shinshu monks. Here you can smell incense instead of peanuts, chant rather than sing karaoke and order alcoholic beverages with names like Perfect Bliss and Infinite Hell. Vowz is a transliteration of the Japanese word “bozu” which means monk. So drink up. Buddha will be your designated driver.

From the KU Center for East Asian Studies, this is Randi Hacker. Wish you were here.