Michio Takeyama's great 1966 novel Harp of Burma follows the fortunes of a company of Japanese soldiers as they surrender to the British and await repatriation to Japan at the end of the second world war. Not only is Takeyama's story a fascinating portrayal of the war at this time from a Japanese perspective, it is also a strikingly vivid account of the Buddhist religion of Burma, where the story unfolds.
Burmese Buddhism
Takeyama's entire novel teems with accounts of implicit Burmese Buddhist flavor, such as the appearance of numerous facets of the faith such as Buddhist monks and temples, and how the main character Mizushima actually dresses like a monk when scouting for danger with his harp. One of the first places where religion takes center stage however, is not until the third chapter of the second part of the book, "The Green Parakeet."
At this point in the novel, the company of soldiers have surrendered themselves to the British as prisoners of war and entertain the locals in the village near their camp by singing them songs. On seeing a monk (who ends up in fact being a missing and much longed for comrade) in the crowd one day while singing as usual, the narrator comments on the devoutness of the Burmese: "We were much impressed by the way the people of this country respect the priesthood. Their almsgiving is no mere act of charity but one of gratitude to those who do penance for the salvation of all living beings. They don't just hand over their gifts; they kneel and offer them" (Takeyama 45).
This devoutness is observed throughout the book, a trait among the natives without which Mizushima, later revealed to have traveled freely throughout the country in the guise of a Burmese monk of elevated rank, would likely have either starved or even worse from want of the charity offered to the clergy.
"How then shall we live?"
In the same chapter, the narrator goes on to describe a perpetual discussion which the soldiers have regarding which is more profitable: to be raised as the Burmese, whose young men all spend a portion of their youth as monks, or to be raised as the Japanese, whose young men all spend a portion of their youth in the military. The discussion veers close to becoming a dialogue on tradition versus modernity, on whether following traditional values or seeking to move forward is the better path. As Takeyama writes, "But which of these attitudes, of these ways of life, is better for the world and for humanity? Which should we choose?" (Takeyama 47).
While the argument usually ends up in a stalemate among the men of the company, for Mizushima the question of how better to live seems to have been answered in the letter he writes to his comrades as dictated in the third and final section of the novel. He defends the Burmese way against the Japanese modes of thought at the time, writing, "We Japanese have not cared to make strenuous spiritual efforts. We have not even recognized their value. What we stressed was merely a man's abilities, the things he could do -- not what kind of man he was, how he lived, or the depth of his understanding" (Takeyama 129). To Mizushima, the latter are the things he believes supersede the former for the worth of a man's character.
A Higher Calling
Mizushima, having been separated from his company and having escaped both the British army and the clutches of a savage group of cannibals, experiences a sort of "higher calling" in the Burmese jungles on his journey to return and reunite with his friends. Seeing the unburied bones and corpses of his fellow countrymen strewn around the jungle like so much common litter, Mizushima takes it upon himself to bury and hold funerals for his Japanese brothers. In order to move freely throughout the country, he poses as a Burmese monk, thus enabling him to receive food and shelter through charity throughout the country. While all throughout his journey he was simply posing as a monk to get by, the irony is that he decides to stay in Burma, even while his friends are repatriated to Japan, to not only continue his task of burying the unknown dead, but also to become a genuine Burmese monk.
It is in the letter of the final portion of the novel where Mizushima explains himself and his transformation: "As I climbed mountains and forded rivers, and buried the bodies I found lying smothered in weeds or soaked in water, I was harassed by tormenting questions. Why does so much misery exist in the world? Why is there so much inexplicable suffering? What are we to think?" (Takeyama 129-130).
The questions raised in Mizushima's mind about suffering are questions central to the Buddhist faith, which seeks to bring enlightenment through the elimination of suffering through the elimination of the desires which inherently cause it. The quest for the answers to these questions, however unanswerable, is what leads Mizushima to make the choice to stay in Burma. As he continues to write, "No matter what suffering, what unreasonableness, what absurdity we face, we must remain undaunted and show strength of character by meeting it with tranquility. It is my hope to realize this conviction by devoting myself to a religious life" (Takeyama 130).
Takeyama's Harp of Burma is as close a reader can get to an understanding of Burmese Buddhism through the avenue of a modern novel. Set appropriately against an immediately post-World War II background, the questions the novel raises about the value of traditional values versus modern progression, of pacifism versus aggression, and the adherence to one's convictions, despite the cost, are as relevant today as they ever have been.
Sources:
Earhart, H. Byron. Japanese Religion: Unity and Diversity. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004.
Takeyama, Michio. Harp of Burma. 1966. Boston: Tuttle, 2001.
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