Japanese philosophy has historically been a fusion of both indigenous Shinto and continental religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Shinto revolves around supernatural entities called the kami (angels, demons, dragon, fairy, devil etc.). The kami is believed to occupy all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations. The kami are worshipped at kami dana – household altar and family shrines. Buddhists believe that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but that if one achieves a state of enlightenment (nirvana), the cycle of birth and death gets over. Taoism holds that humans and animals should live in balance with the Tao, or the universe. Taoists believe in spiritual immortality, where the spirit of the body joins the universe after death. Confucianism built on an ancient religious foundation to establish the social values, institutions, and transcendent ideals of traditional Chinese society.
This passage speaks about the Japanese term “Gaman,” which translates to mean “patience, perseverance and tolerance,” refers to continuing difficult situations with self-control and dignity. A Zen Buddhist teaching, Gaman is a strategy of remaining resilient and patience during hard times which is characteristic of emotional maturity. It emphasises on perseverance and self-discipline in the face of hardship or adversity. Gaman is about staying strong and not giving up, even in difficult circumstances.
The Japanese philosophies about acceptance and improvement have been popular globally. Many rich and famous people have been following to live a wholesome life by following Japanese philosophy.
Indian Billionaire Harsh Mariwala is one amongst many. The Marico Chairman transformed his brand Marico among the top ten in India and global brand in the FMCG sector. Marico has a strong presence in the personal care, food, and beverage industries, with major brands including Saffola, Parachute, Hair & Care, Nihar, Livon, Set Wet, Mediker, and Revive. Mariwala believes in the seven Japanese concepts Kaizen, Ikigai, Oubaitori, Wabi-Sabi, Hara-Hachi Bu, Shikata Gai Na, and Shin Rin Yeku, which he lives by. According to Mariwala the term Gaman is the art of surviving difficulties with patience and dignity. “It is a virtue to persevere during seemingly unbearable times and display emotional maturity, discipline and self-control. You have a greater capacity for patience than you believe.” He set up the consumer products business practically from scratch. Over the past four decades, he has not only built Marico into one of the leading FMCG companies in the country but has also transformed what was essentially a family-managed business into a professionally managed one. Mariwala, who has seen the FMCG space transform over the past few years, says Marico views every disruption as an opportunity. He says he has practiced Daman inherently.
Gaman is a powerful concept that can help individuals cultivate a sense of inner strength and resilience in the face of adversity which Japanese have developped. on July 16 1945, the nuclear age began with the world’s first nuclear weapons test explosion in the New Mexico desert. Three weeks later US attacked with the atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In minutes, the city vanished. The explosion produced a supersonic shock wave followed by extreme winds that remained above hurricane force over three kilometers from ground zero. A secondary and equally devastating reverse wind followed, flattening and severely damaging homes and buildings several kilometers further away. The intense heat of the Hiroshima bomb reached several million degrees Celsius and scorched flesh and other flammable materials over three kilometers away. Many of those who survived the nuclear attacks would die from radiation-induced illnesses for years to come. Three days later atomic bomb used at Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945, was “Fat Man”. The bomb was dropped by a USAAF B-29 airplane named “Bockscar”, piloted by U.S. Army Air Force Major Charles Sweeney. The bomb weighed 10,000 pounds and had a diameter of 60 inches. It utilized the explosive power of dynamite to create pressure on a ball of Plutonium. The bomb was called ‘Fat Man’. Albert Einstein said after the Hiroshima, Nagasaki bombing that “The time has come now, when man must give up war. It is no longer rational to solve international problems by resorting to war.”
Due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan is substantially prone to earthquakes and tsunami, having the highest natural disaster risk in the developed world. With numerous hardships facing natural disasters, foreign attacks, Japan has strongly built its foundation of righteous existence and adopted the philosophy of Buddhism through some time-tested principles of the art of living in the Japanese context which holds good for all cultures and humanity.
Japanese are extremely hard-working people by adopting the philosophy of Daman. They have faced everything from nuclear attack, earthquakes to tsunamis, but they’re emerge more stronger than ever. Japanese have revolutionized the electronic industry: Canon, Casio, Citizen, Fujifilm , Fujitsu, Hitachi ,Olympus, Sony, Panasonic, Nikon etc.
In true sense Japanese have endured hardships with patience and dignity, individuals can find meaning and purpose in the experience and use it as an opportunity for personal growth and transformation. Gaman can be applied in many ways in practical life, from the way we approach personal challenges to the way we respond to societal issues. In Japan, Gaman has been used to describe the stoical resilience of individuals during times of adversity, such as natural disasters, economic hardships, and war.
In 2011 when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake and tsunami that struck Tōhoku, killing nearly 16,000 people in Japan, there were no reports of looting or arbitrary price scraping. Instead of panic and fear, the attitude in Japan after the devastating natural disaster seemed to be one of calmness and grit. The Gaman mentality is at the base of that attitude. In fact, resilience during vulnerability and chaotic acceptance helped Japan through clear and lawful civility that derives from Gaman.
In Japanese culture, showing Gaman is considered a sign of maturity and strength. It’s taught to children very early elementary school. Gaman is trained early in life. In Japan, patience and perseverance are part of education from elementary school.
