SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

96 Sōtō Zenthe religious, cultural and educational facilities. This exerteda considerable influence on Japanese religion. Religion is acultural phenomenon. Therefore the interchange of differentcultures will contribute much to the development of religion.The impetus given to religious development by the advancementof science and culture must never be overlooked.Religion concerns itself primarily with a world transcendingscience. Religion cannot for that reason, however, opposescience. The more primitive the religion, the more numerouswill its superstitious elements be. It is very infantile to say thatthere can be no religion without belief in miracles and supernaturalpowers. Religion which cannot embrace science will not beable to lead the future culture. Religion can only be purifiedwhen it is freed from superstitious elements. However, nomatter how much science may advance, religion can never bereplaced by it, because it covers ground that is completely aliento science. Religion must lean more on science, but so long as itcannot free itself from unscientific ideas, it will not be able tocarry out its mission. The evolution of science and culture willsurely stimulate the growth of religion and will transform andpurify it.The elevation of moral concepts is also a very importantfactor in the development of religion. Morality is the set ofsocial rules which men must follow. It is manifested by desiringgood, accumulating virtue and fulfilling oneÕs duty. In Japan at