Inoue Shūten

Inoue Shūten (井上秀天, 1880-1945) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist scholar, socialist and anti-war activist from the Meiji period to the early Showa period.

Life
Inoue entered a Sōtō Zen temple at the age of nine and later studied Indian philosophy at Komazawa University. During his travels throughout south China, Ceylon, Burma, and India, he met Anagarika Dharmapala and was deeply influenced by the region's Theravāda Buddhist traditions. These experiences, along with his socialist tendencies, influenced his strong pacifism and his opposition to Japanese imperialism. Inoue was also part of the Japanese Socialist organization called the Kobe People's Club (J. Heimin Kurabu).

Inoue was deeply critical of Japanese militarism and of "Imperial Way Buddhism" which supported Japanese imperialism. He also criticized Suzuki Daisetsu for his defense of the idea that Buddhists could be effective soldiers.