andy_d

I agree, I don't think zen caused militarism. The military caused militarism.

Where the confusion arises is because zen has always been at the heart of Japanese warrior culture. That doesn't mean that it caused it, it just means that the medieval Japanese fighting man found zen to suit his needs, and in fact probably made him a better fighter.

Similarly, European warriors placed Christianity at the heart of their warrior culture. To a certain degree, it still is.

Undoubtedly, zen was important to those who led Japan into the events of WWII, but the only thing that zen itself is guilty of is of associating with these misguided people.