Do Buddha and God quarrel?

Some say don’t buy a good-luck charm each time whenever you visit temples and Shinto shrines, because Buddha and Gods of the charms will start quarreling. Do Buddha and God quarrel or fight? Is this true?

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these are typical Japanese good-luck charms

Even if it is just a myth, I haven’t had any good-luck charms since I heard about the quarrel. If I were a God or a Buddha I would not be happy when people prayed to others. If they have the same spirit as human beings－ jealousy, disappointment, grudge, fear, anger… I think I can understand their feelings.

Here’s a token experience I’ve had. After a co-worker’s farewell party, one of our co-workers told us, “Let’s visit and pray to a Shinto shrine!” Our party was mainly for a lady quitting the company for childbirth, and near a famous Shinto shrine. Whether or not I was drunk, I didn’t want to do that. So I told some of them, “I am a Buddhist, so I can’t pray to the Shinto shrine. If I pray, Buddha will be angry.” They told me, “Shut up and come with us, drunkard!!” They must have believed that I refused to pray because I was drunk. They also said “Buddha doesn’t care about praying for our co-worker.” Finally I was taken by the hand to the Shinto shrine. If I were not drunk, would they have tried to understand what I was saying? I think not. Most Japanese people don’t care about deities’ feelings.

As you know, most Japanese people are not interested in religious faith. That’s why Japanese people celebrate any religious events. Some of my friends are not Christians, but they held their weddings at a church with Christian’s vow. Then they took their new-born babies to Shinto shrines or the temples to pray for baby’s healthy growth. In my family’s case, my brother entered a Buddhist kindergarten, but I entered a Christian kindergarten. While I was in the kindergarten, I went to the church on Sunday morning. I was also singing hymns and praying to God before lunch. How about now? － I only remember one song that was sung before lunch time.

During the holiday season, sometimes my friend tells me “I will visit a famous Shinto shrine, so I will get a good-luck charm for you. What kind of charm do you want?” At that time, I always decline it. Even though I am not a pious Buddhist, I usually don’t pray to Shinto shrines. If I need praying or a good-luck charm, I will visit Ikegami Honmonji temple and buy it there, which my family belongs to. I don’t want to offend Buddha, and I hope the Buddha of Ikegami Honmonji temple treat my ancestors － father, grand parents, aunt － favorably and carefully. It is like having a child who is living in a foreign country with a host family; I would be hoping for the homestay accommodation to treat my child very nicely.

Of course I know that God and Buddha are not human beings, when I think deeply. Therefore they are worshipped by many people and becomes the object of prayer. Maybe God never envies Buddha, and Buddha is also never jealous of God, however I still think about the feelings of God and Buddha at a human being level, then again, it is myself who can not buy a good-luck charm after all.