Shoko Asahara

**Shoko Asahara**
Shoko Asahara
Born	March 2, 1955; Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
Occupation(s)	Founder, Aum Shinrikyo

Shoko Asahara (麻原彰晃 Asahara Shōkō) (born Chizuo Matsumoto (松本智津夫 Matsumoto Chizuo) on March 2, 1955) is the founder of Japan's controversial Buddhist religious group Aum Shinrikyo (now known as Aleph). Asahara has been convicted of masterminding the 1995 Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway and several other crimes, and has been sentenced to death. His legal team appealed the sentence, but the appeal has been declined, and he is currently awaiting execution. [1]

Early years

Asahara was born into a large, poor family of tatami mat makers in Japan's remote Kumamoto Prefecture. Afflicted at birth with infantile glaucoma, he was blind in his left eye and only partially sighted in his right. As a child, Asahara was enrolled in a school for the blind. Some anecdotes describe Asahara as a bully toward other students while in school.

Asahara graduated in 1977 and turned to the study of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. He married in 1978. His religious quest reportedly started in these early times, when he was intensely working to support his family. He dedicated his free time to the study of various religious concepts, starting with Chinese astrology and Taoism. Later, Asahara practiced Indian esoteric yoga and Buddhism.

Relatively little is known about this period of Asahara's life.

Relentless religious search

Asahara's attitude toward religion was not typical among Japanese people. While religion does not play a significant daily role in the lives of ordinary Japanese people, except on days of religious ceremonies such as funerals and weddings, Asahara's goal was to "achieve the ultimate enlightenment" mentioned in multiple ancient religious texts. He tried various schools, meditations and approaches in order to find an effective way to this enlightenment.

An example may be found in his pursuit of Agonshu, a Buddhist religious group which he joined in the early 1980s. The most serious of its religious practices was the practice of 1000 consecutive days of offerings. Those who offered money daily throughout this period were promised enlightenment. Despite the financial hardships, Asahara completed the course, but enlightenment never came. He later recalled the story to his disciples to illustrate the importance of faith: despite serious doubts regarding the effectiveness of practice and the religious organization itself, he continued to the very last day.

Several years passed and Asahara's efforts started to bring results. He continued to live in a small one-room apartment in Tokyo's Shibuya district with his wife and two daughters. It was during that period that he gained the support of his first, most loyal disciples. He started to teach them yoga. Financial hardship continued to constrain his efforts, as Asahara refused to accept any payment for his coaching: this was contradictory to the religious principles he had been taught — specifically, that only those who have achieved enlightenment may accept material offerings.

Birth of Aum Shinrikyo

In 1987 Asahara returned from a visit to India and explained to his disciples that he had attained his ultimate goal: enlightenment. His closest disciples offered him money, which he could now accept, and Asahara used this money to organize an intensive yoga seminar that lasted several days and attracted many people interested in spiritual development. Asahara himself coached the participants, and the group quickly started to grow.

That same year Shoko Asahara officially changed his name, and applied for government registration of the group Aum Shinrikyo. The authorities were initially reluctant to grant the status of a religious organization, but eventually granted legal recognition after an appeal in 1989. After this, the monastic order was established and many of the lay followers decided to join.

Aum Shinrikyo: the doctrine

The doctrine of Aum Shinrikyo is based on original Buddhist sutras (scriptures) known as the Pali Canon. Other than the Pali Canon, Aum Shinrikyo uses other texts such as Tibetan sutras, Yoga-Sutra by Patanjali, and Taoist scriptures. The sutras are studied together with comments written by Shoko Asahara himself. The learning system (kyogaku system) has several stages: only those who complete a preliminary stage may advance to further steps if they successfully pass the examination.

Shoko Asahara has written many religious books. The best known are Beyond the Life and Death, Mahayana Sutra and Initiation.

Asahara's teachings stress the importance of ascetic practice, similar to those of a Kargyudpa — a Tibetan Buddhist school. Modern technology, such as computers and CD players, can be used to complement the ancient meditations. To justify the achievement of a certain stage of religious practice, practitioners must demonstrate signs such as cessation of oxygen consumption, reduction of heart activity and changes in the electromagnetic activity of the brain. The intensive practice (retreat) rooms are equipped with corresponding sensors.

Tokyo subway gas attack, accusations, and trial

Main article: Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway

On March 20, 1995, members of Aum attacked the Tokyo Subway System with the nerve gas Sarin. Twelve commuters died, and thousands more suffered from after-effects. After finding sufficient evidence, authorities accused Aum Shinrikyo of complicity in the attack, as well as in a number of smaller-scale incidents. Tens of disciples were arrested, Aum's facilities were raided, and the court issued an order for Shoko Asahara's arrest. Asahara was discovered in a very small, completely isolated room of the building belonging to Aum, meditating.

Shoko Asahara faced 27 murder counts in 13 separate indictments. The prosecution argued that Asahara "gave orders to attack the Tokyo Subway", in order to "overthrow the government and install himself in the position of king of Japan". Several years later, the prosecution introduced another theory — that the attacks were ordered to "divert police attention" (from Aum). The prosecution also accused Asahara of masterminding the Matsumoto incident and the Sakamoto family murder. According to Asahara's defense team, a group of senior followers initiated the atrocities, keeping them a secret from Asahara.

Some of the disciples testified against Asahara, and he was found guilty on 13 of 17 charges (four were dropped) and sentenced to death by hanging on February 27, 2004.

The trial has been referred to as the "trial of the century" by the Japanese media. Yoshihiro Yasuda, the most experienced attorney on Shoko Asahara's defence team, was arrested and was unable to participate in his legal defence, though he was subsequently acquitted before the end of the trial. Human Rights Watch criticized Yasuda's isolation. Asahara was defended solely by court-appointed lawyers.

Shortly after the beginning of the trial, Shoko Asahara cooperated with his defence counsel and provided explanations regarding the doctrine of Aum Shinrikyo, aims of the organization, and other matters. Later he resigned from the post of Aum Shinrikyo representative in order to defend the group from forceful dissolution. Since then, Asahara has ceased to speak even with his family members and supposedly spends his days in meditation. Media reports have referred to Asahara "sitting with eyes closed" or "incoherently mumbling" during his trial hearings.

The legal team appealed the ruling on the grounds that Asahara was mentally unfit, and psychiatric examinations were undertaken. During the examination, conducted by a psychiatrist, Asahara never talked. However, he communicated with the staff at his detainment facility, which convinced the examiner that Asahara was maintaining his silence out of free will (as stated in the report). The appeal was declined by the Supreme Court of Japan on September 15, 2006.

External links

Aleph: the organization's official website, with an English section
A Japan Times article about two documentary films on Aleph.
Crime Library article on Shoko Asahara and Aum Shinrikyo