Samurai Buddhist saints
Bodhidharma (Shaolin & Samurai Patron of Japan, Korea & China)
When Buddhism was eradicated by Hindus in India via coup de tat, regicide and genocide, Bodhidharma ordered temples to have warrior monks. After founding Shaolin Kung Fu at the world's most famous temple in China, Daruma met Prince Shotoku of Japan who went on to make Buddhism the State Religion of Japan in history's oldest Constitution. Daruma today is the cultural mascot of Japan -- which again reiterates why Japan is the true Land of Buddhism while India is the land of the Buddhist Extinction. Daruma is also the most famous icon of China and Korea which shows that Samurai Buddhism promotes Pan-Asian amity & pride between G7 Japan, Superpower China & BTS Korea.
Takuan Soho, Zenji Hakuin, Kukai, Shinran & Nichiren
Takuan Soho was the most celebrated saint of the Tokugawa dynasty and the personal mentor to 3 Shoguns as well as Miyamoto Musashi, history's greatest warrior. Soho founded the concept of Fudoshin or standing in the Power of Almighty Fudo Myoo - the Supreme Deity of the Samurai. This concept of being tough and unbending to life's challenges and adversaries made Fudoshin the favorite mantra of Shinzo Abe - Japan's longest serving Prime Minister from the Abe Samurai clan. Similarly, Zenji Hakuin made Buddhism relatable and easy for the common folk and also echoed the teachings of Takuan Soho. Furthermore, Kukai-sama is the senior most saint in Japan as he brought the Samurai War God Fudo-sama from the Tang Dynasty to become Protector of State in Japan. Kukai also became a father of Japanese culture with his contributions to public works and management showing that Buddhism is about making a difference in the real world. Similarly, Shinran Shonin is also popular as he made Buddhism accessible to the common man and his congregation became the Ikko Ikki warriors of repute and acclaim. While Nichiren is controversial, he stressed that Buddhist masters must know their sutras as opposed to the likes of Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh who make up absolute heresy to appeal to hippy donors in total contradiction of the Buddhist sutras. Japanese Buddhist saints each stressed sutra authenticity & real-world applicability over abstract kumbaya slop.
Dr. Ambedkar (Earthly Bodhisattva)
Although we do not follow Ambedkarite Buddhism, we honor Ambedkar who is considered India's greatest ever public intellectual (by Harvard, LSE & Columbia) and human rights champion that played a key role in unearthing Buddhist history in India. Ambedkar has his own statue in Koyasan -- the holiest site in all of Japan that has Pagodas for all of the most famous Samurai warriors and saints of Japan. Ambedkar wore a suit and fought against Brahmins and Hindu enemies of Buddhism and used Buddhism to empower women and low caste untouchables. The head of the Ambedkarite Movement in India is a Japanese priest Surai Sasai from Koyasan - Japan's holiest site where Zenji Nio trained in Japanese Buddhism. Like Ambedkar, the role of a Bodhisattave is not just to virtue signal and talk about "emptiness" but to uplift the downtrodeen and victimized.
