Exploring Altruism through Morning Temple Cleaning Practices

Table of Contents

1. Introduction - Research on Cleaning and Happiness

2. Demographics of Research Respondents

3. Indicators of Happiness

4. Classification of Cleaning - Public Space Cleaning Habits

5. Relationship Between Cleaning and Happiness

6. Text Analysis - Reasons for Recommending Temple Morning

7. Conclusion

8. References

1. Introduction - Research on Cleaning and Happiness

Mindfulness, adopted by companies worldwide, including Google, as part of their wellness programs, is defined as paying attention to the present moment without being caught up in it (Kabat-Zinn, 1991). While mindfulness is often associated with meditation, "cleaning" can serve as a more everyday form of this practice. Research has shown that individuals with high levels of mindfulness tend to experience greater happiness (Sugiura, 2018). This study aims to investigate and analyze the relationship between cleaning and happiness by observing the cleaning activities of participants in the "Temple Morning" program, where they experience the morning activities at a temple.

※ These survey results are published in the paper "The Relationship Between Cleaning and Happiness Based on the 'Temple Morning' Questionnaire" by Shoukei Matsumoto and Hiroko Onari, in the 14th issue of the Journal of Renge Temple Buddhist Research Institution (March 2021). A link will be provided once it is available online.

The "Temple Morning" program, which started in 2017 at Kōmyōji Temple in Kamiyachō, is now held at 24 temples across Japan. It is conducted at frequencies ranging from twice a week to once a month, with participation being free of charge. The program offers a unique morning experience at each temple, incorporating activities such as cleaning, chanting, and informal discussions with monks.

Temple Morning 

"Would you like to start your morning by cleaning at a temple?"—This is the invitation to participate in the "Temple Morning" program, held at various temples across Japan. The program offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the morning activities at a temple. For more information, visit: www.templemorning.com

2.Demographics of Research Respondents

In February 2021, an online survey was conducted among Temple Morning participants. There were 110 valid responses: 54 from men, 55 from women, and 1 non-response. The largest age group was participants in their 40s, with 38 respondents.

The temple with the most participants was Kōmyōji Temple in Kamiyachō, with 69 participants.

3. Indicators of Happiness

To measure happiness, we employed the "Interdependent Happiness Scale (IHS)" developed by Hitokoto and Uchida (2015). It is well known that the concept of happiness varies significantly across cultural contexts. In the United States, happiness is often viewed as something achieved through individual abilities, whereas in Japan and China, it is considered to arise from interpersonal harmony and luck (Uchida, 2009). In the Temple Morning program, participants not only experience personal mindfulness during the morning at the temple but also interact with the monks and other participants. To understand the sense of happiness that emerges from these relationships, the IHS was deemed suitable for empirical measurement and was therefore adopted.

4. Classification of Cleaning - Public Space Cleaning Habits

Cleaning can be done regardless of location or time. Many people clean regularly, not just during the Temple Morning program. Therefore, based on the survey responses, participants were classified into two groups: those who have cleaning habits in public spaces, such as parks and local shrines or temples, and those who only have cleaning habits in private spaces, such as their homes or workplaces.

5. Relationship Between Cleaning and Happiness

In this survey, the overall Interdependent Happiness Score (IHS) for Temple Morning participants was 3.73. According to research by Hitokoto and Uchida (2015), the average IHS for Japanese adults is 3.70, indicating that Temple Morning participants generally exhibit an average level of happiness. When analyzed by gender, the IHS for men was 3.79 and for women was 3.69, showing no significant difference (chi-square test p-value of 0.41).

The strongest factor affecting the Interdependent Happiness Score (IHS) was the presence or absence of cleaning habits in public spaces. Cleaning public spaces such as parks and local shrines or temples, in addition to private spaces like homes and workplaces, contributed to higher levels of happiness. (multiple regression analysis results: standardized coefficient 0.27, p-value 0.01)

Additionally, the desire to recommend Temple Morning program to acquaintances and friends positively affected the Interdependent Happiness Score (IHS) (multiple regression analysis results: standardized coefficient 0.20, p-value 0.04). This measure of recommendation was based on the participants' inclination to recommend, regardless of whether they actually did so. Therefore, the results suggest that merely wanting to recommend Temple Morning program can increase happiness.

However, correlation does not imply causation. In this study, the relationship observed is correlational. This means that while happier individuals may tend to have public space cleaning habits and may be more inclined to recommend Temple Morning to their acquaintances and friends, it is not clear which is the cause and which is the effect.

6. Text Analysis - Reasons for Recommending Temple Morning

Based on the results indicating a relationship between the presence of public space cleaning habits and happiness, we performed a text analysis on the free-text responses to understand why participants wanted to recommend Temple Morning. The findings are as follows:

Ranking of Reasons for Recommending Temple Morning program by Presence of Public Space Cleaning Habits

Group without Public Space Cleaning Habits: Rank Reason for Recommendation Occurrence Rate 1 Values differ for each person, so I don’t strongly recommend it. 18%

2 Because it's a good experience. 13%

3 Because it feels good and pleasant. 12%

4 Because it makes us feel refreshed. 12%

5 Because it's an extraordinary experience. 10% Group with Public Space Cleaning Habits: Rank Reason for Recommendation Occurrence Rate

1 Because I want others to experience the refreshing feeling. 13%

1 Because it provides new insights. 13%

1 Because it’s a good experience. 13% 2 Because it feels good and pleasant. 9% 2 Because it makes us feel refreshed. 9%

2 Values differ for each person, so I don’t strongly recommend it. 9%

2 Because I can talk with monks and listen to their teachings. 9%

For the group without public space cleaning habits, the most common reason for recommending Temple Morning program was "Values differ for each person, so I don't strongly recommend it." This was followed by reasons such as "Because it's a good experience," "Because it feels good and pleasant," and "Because it makes you feel refreshed," all reflecting positive personal experiences.

For the group with public space cleaning habits, the most common reasons were "Because I want others to experience the refreshing feeling," "Because it provides new insights," and "Because it's a good experience." These responses not only reflect their own positive experiences but also a desire for others to have the same positive experiences.

Next, the results of the emotion analysis on the reasons for recommending the Temple Morning program are presented below. Emotion analysis measures the five emotions expressed in the text: joy, liking, sadness, fear, and anger.

For the group without public space cleaning habits, the most strongly expressed emotion in their reasons for recommending Temple Morning program was joy. On the other hand, for the group with public space cleaning habits, sadness was the most strongly expressed emotion. The presence of joy can be understood in the context of feeling happiness from cleaning during the Temple Morning program and wanting to recommend it to others. However, it is puzzling why sadness was the most strongly expressed emotion in the group with public space cleaning habits, which showed a correlation with higher happiness.

We shared the results of this survey with Professor Uchida, who developed the Interdependent Happiness Scale. Professor Uchida pointed out that the concept of interdependent happiness includes the notion of altruism. This provides a clue as to why the emotion of sadness appeared in the results.

Altruism arises from a selfless relationship between oneself and others. (Ito et al., 2021) A contrived relationship results in selfish altruism. In other words, expecting something in return for giving is essentially forced altruism. Good altruism brings happiness to both oneself and others, whereas bad altruism allows happiness only at the expense of oneself or others.

Altruism is also closely related to compassion. Feeling sympathy when others are suffering is sorrow, and striving to alleviate that suffering is compassion.(Nakamura, 2010) All phenomena are interconnected, and we live within a web of interdependence. Therefore, practicing compassion involves considering the joy, sorrow, and suffering of others as one's own. (Ishigami, 2009)

For the group with public space cleaning habits, the reasons for recommending Temple Morning were not only because they found it to be a positive experience but also because they wanted to share that joy with others, reflecting altruistic tendencies aimed at relieving suffering and providing happiness. This psychological dynamic may explain the presence of the emotion "sadness" in the text analysis.

7. Conclusion

This research investigated the relationship between cleaning and happiness, revealing that individuals with public space cleaning habits tend to exhibit higher levels of happiness. This finding appears to be rooted in the practice of altruism and compassion. While it remains unclear whether happiness drives public space cleaning or vice versa, engaging in cleaning activities in parks, temples, or shrines may enhance one's sense of well-being. Moreover, such altruistic behaviors have the potential to contribute to solving broader societal issues, including environmental problems and challenges associated with an aging population.

8.References

Hitokoto, H. and Uchida, Y. "Interdependent Happiness: Theoretical Importance and Measurement Validity" Journal of Happiness Studies, 2015.

Iwagami, Chikou. Words Connecting "This World" and "That World" – Living with Buddhist Wisdom. Tokuma Bunko, 2009.

Kabat‐Zinn, J. Full. Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress. Delta, 1991.

Nakamura, Hajime. Compassion. Kodansha Academic Library, 2010

Sugiura, Y., Sugiura, T. “Mindfulness as a Moderator in the Relation Between Income and Psychological Well-Being” Frontiers in Psychology, 2018.

Uchida, Y., M., S. S., Markus, H. R., & Bergsieker, H. B. “Emotions as Within or Between People? Cultural Variation in Lay Theories of Emotion Expression and Inference” Personality and Social Psychology Journal, 2009.