Steven Heine and Dale Wright (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Zen Masters contains ten articles by prominent scholars about the most significant “product” of the Zen tradition—the life and teachings of the masters or patriarchs who have made this ...
More
Zen Masters contains ten articles by prominent scholars about the most significant “product” of the Zen tradition—the life and teachings of the masters or patriarchs who have made this kind of Buddhism the most renowned in the world. In contrast to most other forms of Buddhism, sacred literature in Chan or Zen primarily consists of religious biographies, or stories about the lives of Zen masters. The emergence of these narratives, often in anecdotal style, concerning the practices and teachings of the patriarchs in the late Tang and early Song dynasties in China provided new and vivid models for what it meant to be awakened. Iconic images of these often irreverent, blasphemous patriarchs spread quickly, and became the basis of a new school that rose to prominence throughout East Asia. The focus of these collected essays is a critical examination of the “image” of the Zen master as it has been projected over the past millennium, in both classic literature and the lives of modern examples, in order to capture a sense of the history and evolutionary quality of narratives about Zen patriarchs. What it means to be a Zen master is something that changes over time and is related to social context. The masters are selected from different historical periods and geographical areas, ranging from medieval China to early modern Japan and contemporary America. Essays in this volume highlight which elements of Zen identity came into focus during various periods of history, and attempt to show how each of these factors stands in relations to earlier and later Zen personalities. The audience for this volume will include both specialists and more general readers. The potency of the Zen master’s image is so far-reaching that there will be an enthusiastic readership from all quarters of interest in Buddhism and in the image of sainthood more generally. Teachers of comparative religion, those analyzing diverse images of spiritual practice, and instructors of the history of the Buddhist tradition will be able to use this volume for classroom purposes. Practitioners of Zen will find the volume particularly helpful in their efforts to imagine and engage what Zen enlightenment means for understanding human behavior and comportment.Less
Zen Masters contains ten articles by prominent scholars about the most significant “product” of the Zen tradition—the life and teachings of the masters or patriarchs who have made this kind of Buddhism the most renowned in the world. In contrast to most other forms of Buddhism, sacred literature in Chan or Zen primarily consists of religious biographies, or stories about the lives of Zen masters. The emergence of these narratives, often in anecdotal style, concerning the practices and teachings of the patriarchs in the late Tang and early Song dynasties in China provided new and vivid models for what it meant to be awakened. Iconic images of these often irreverent, blasphemous patriarchs spread quickly, and became the basis of a new school that rose to prominence throughout East Asia. The focus of these collected essays is a critical examination of the “image” of the Zen master as it has been projected over the past millennium, in both classic literature and the lives of modern examples, in order to capture a sense of the history and evolutionary quality of narratives about Zen patriarchs. What it means to be a Zen master is something that changes over time and is related to social context. The masters are selected from different historical periods and geographical areas, ranging from medieval China to early modern Japan and contemporary America. Essays in this volume highlight which elements of Zen identity came into focus during various periods of history, and attempt to show how each of these factors stands in relations to earlier and later Zen personalities. The audience for this volume will include both specialists and more general readers. The potency of the Zen master’s image is so far-reaching that there will be an enthusiastic readership from all quarters of interest in Buddhism and in the image of sainthood more generally. Teachers of comparative religion, those analyzing diverse images of spiritual practice, and instructors of the history of the Buddhist tradition will be able to use this volume for classroom purposes. Practitioners of Zen will find the volume particularly helpful in their efforts to imagine and engage what Zen enlightenment means for understanding human behavior and comportment.
T. Griffith Foulk
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195304671
- eISBN:
- 9780199866861
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304671.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chapter 1 summarizes the modern scholarly opinion that throughout its history, the Zen tradition rejected religious ritual as a legitimate means of carrying out its unique Buddhist mission, and ...
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Chapter 1 summarizes the modern scholarly opinion that throughout its history, the Zen tradition rejected religious ritual as a legitimate means of carrying out its unique Buddhist mission, and subjects this view to a contemporary historical critique. The author's thesis is that modern Japanese Zen scholars constructed the anti‐ritual theme in Zen in order to make Zen more relevant to the modern age in the eyes of both the ruling elite in Meiji/Taisho Japan and Western intellectuals who tended to be dismissive of religious ritual. Pushed in this direction by their own historical circumstances, modern Zen scholars portrayed the entire Zen tradition as anti‐ritual in basic intent and practice in spite of the historical record that belies this view. The author proceeds to describe the history of Zen ritual and presents a catalog description of ritual activities that are practiced in contemporary Sōtō Zen.Less
Chapter 1 summarizes the modern scholarly opinion that throughout its history, the Zen tradition rejected religious ritual as a legitimate means of carrying out its unique Buddhist mission, and subjects this view to a contemporary historical critique. The author's thesis is that modern Japanese Zen scholars constructed the anti‐ritual theme in Zen in order to make Zen more relevant to the modern age in the eyes of both the ruling elite in Meiji/Taisho Japan and Western intellectuals who tended to be dismissive of religious ritual. Pushed in this direction by their own historical circumstances, modern Zen scholars portrayed the entire Zen tradition as anti‐ritual in basic intent and practice in spite of the historical record that belies this view. The author proceeds to describe the history of Zen ritual and presents a catalog description of ritual activities that are practiced in contemporary Sōtō Zen.
David Riggs
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Menzan Zuihō (1683–1769) was one of the most illustrious writers and reformers of the Tokugawa period. However, despite his accomplishments, Menzan is not remembered in Sōtō Zen circles as an ...
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Menzan Zuihō (1683–1769) was one of the most illustrious writers and reformers of the Tokugawa period. However, despite his accomplishments, Menzan is not remembered in Sōtō Zen circles as an innovative figure, and the Tokugawa period was for many years dismissed as a backward embarrassment. In the Sōtō Zen community, Dōgen is taken as the source of all authority, and today, as if to emphasize that attitude, the school often refers to itself as “Dōgen Zen.” Menzan is perhaps the beginning of the modern understanding of Dōgen. His approach to learning and his emphasis on historical sources continue to this day to be characteristic of the Sōtō school, and his writings about doctrine and details of monastic practice are the foundation of the contemporary school.Less
Menzan Zuihō (1683–1769) was one of the most illustrious writers and reformers of the Tokugawa period. However, despite his accomplishments, Menzan is not remembered in Sōtō Zen circles as an innovative figure, and the Tokugawa period was for many years dismissed as a backward embarrassment. In the Sōtō Zen community, Dōgen is taken as the source of all authority, and today, as if to emphasize that attitude, the school often refers to itself as “Dōgen Zen.” Menzan is perhaps the beginning of the modern understanding of Dōgen. His approach to learning and his emphasis on historical sources continue to this day to be characteristic of the Sōtō school, and his writings about doctrine and details of monastic practice are the foundation of the contemporary school.
William M. Bodiford
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195304671
- eISBN:
- 9780199866861
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304671.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chapter 9 provides an example of ritual transformation in the movement of Zen from one culture to another. After describing dharma transmission in East Asia by highlighting the theme of the family ...
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Chapter 9 provides an example of ritual transformation in the movement of Zen from one culture to another. After describing dharma transmission in East Asia by highlighting the theme of the family explicit in it and then focusing on transmission in the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen, the author describes a newly created ritual for the confirmation of dharma transmission in the Sōtō sect of North America. This ritual—called the Dharma Heritage Ceremony—was created in the recognition of participants that an “accessible Western ceremony” to recognize and confirm dharma transmission was essential to the ongoing success of their Zen practice in North America. This essay asks, “What issues arise when Zen teachers attempt to transplant these various aspects of dharma transmission into twenty‐first century North America?”Less
Chapter 9 provides an example of ritual transformation in the movement of Zen from one culture to another. After describing dharma transmission in East Asia by highlighting the theme of the family explicit in it and then focusing on transmission in the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen, the author describes a newly created ritual for the confirmation of dharma transmission in the Sōtō sect of North America. This ritual—called the Dharma Heritage Ceremony—was created in the recognition of participants that an “accessible Western ceremony” to recognize and confirm dharma transmission was essential to the ongoing success of their Zen practice in North America. This essay asks, “What issues arise when Zen teachers attempt to transplant these various aspects of dharma transmission into twenty‐first century North America?”
David E. Riggs
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195304671
- eISBN:
- 9780199866861
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304671.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chapter 8 seeks to uncover the historical origins of kinhin, the ritual of walking meditation as it has been practiced in the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen. Practiced today between periods of zazen, ...
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Chapter 8 seeks to uncover the historical origins of kinhin, the ritual of walking meditation as it has been practiced in the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen. Practiced today between periods of zazen, the Sōtō style of kinhin entails an exceptionally slow pace of walking in order to coordinate each step with a full cycle of respiration. Although Sōtō monks typically attribute this practice to the founding figure, Dōgen and his teacher in China, Riggs finds the origins of the practice considerably later than this in the eighteenth century Sōtō leader Menzan Zuihō's writings, the Kinhinki, a brief text describing the practice of kinhin, and the Kinhinkimonge, a commentary connecting this practice to traditional Buddhist texts.Less
Chapter 8 seeks to uncover the historical origins of kinhin, the ritual of walking meditation as it has been practiced in the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen. Practiced today between periods of zazen, the Sōtō style of kinhin entails an exceptionally slow pace of walking in order to coordinate each step with a full cycle of respiration. Although Sōtō monks typically attribute this practice to the founding figure, Dōgen and his teacher in China, Riggs finds the origins of the practice considerably later than this in the eighteenth century Sōtō leader Menzan Zuihō's writings, the Kinhinki, a brief text describing the practice of kinhin, and the Kinhinkimonge, a commentary connecting this practice to traditional Buddhist texts.
Paula K. R. Arai
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195304671
- eISBN:
- 9780199866861
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304671.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chapter 6 engages in ethnographic study of rituals practiced by nuns in the contemporary Sōtō sect of Zen. Through surveys and interviews conducted among Sōtō nuns in the Nagoya area of Japan, Arai ...
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Chapter 6 engages in ethnographic study of rituals practiced by nuns in the contemporary Sōtō sect of Zen. Through surveys and interviews conducted among Sōtō nuns in the Nagoya area of Japan, Arai has articulated the ways in which two quite different rituals “shape, stretch, and define” the identity of participants. Both rituals—Anan Kōshiki and Jizō Nagashi—seek to evoke in participants an awareness of their own Buddha nature, and along with that, a strong sense of their own free agency and power. The central themes of these two rituals are gratitude and interrelatedness, and elements in these sacred ceremonies bring these qualities out in the experience of the women who participate in them. In addition, these themes are linked to Dōgen's own Zen teachings as a natural expression of his claims about the Buddha nature in all beings.Less
Chapter 6 engages in ethnographic study of rituals practiced by nuns in the contemporary Sōtō sect of Zen. Through surveys and interviews conducted among Sōtō nuns in the Nagoya area of Japan, Arai has articulated the ways in which two quite different rituals “shape, stretch, and define” the identity of participants. Both rituals—Anan Kōshiki and Jizō Nagashi—seek to evoke in participants an awareness of their own Buddha nature, and along with that, a strong sense of their own free agency and power. The central themes of these two rituals are gratitude and interrelatedness, and elements in these sacred ceremonies bring these qualities out in the experience of the women who participate in them. In addition, these themes are linked to Dōgen's own Zen teachings as a natural expression of his claims about the Buddha nature in all beings.
Duncan Ryūken Williams
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832049
- eISBN:
- 9780824869250
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832049.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter discusses how the spread of standardized Buddhist funerals in the Tokugawa gained momentum from the temple certification system (terauke seido). This was how the Japanese came near ...
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This chapter discusses how the spread of standardized Buddhist funerals in the Tokugawa gained momentum from the temple certification system (terauke seido). This was how the Japanese came near universally to acquire a hereditary Buddhist sectarian affiliation and, as the contemporary expression has it, to “die Buddhist.” The chapter also shows how the Soto school of Zen was able to spread in the provinces and entrench itself in village life by incorporating local customs into its death rites, thus creating a Zen funerary culture that was soon embraced by other sects as well. Outside academic circles, Westerners tend to think of Soto Zen in connection with its emphasis on seated meditation, but its most pervasive influence on Japanese culture lies in the development of what are now called traditional lay Buddhist funerals.Less
This chapter discusses how the spread of standardized Buddhist funerals in the Tokugawa gained momentum from the temple certification system (terauke seido). This was how the Japanese came near universally to acquire a hereditary Buddhist sectarian affiliation and, as the contemporary expression has it, to “die Buddhist.” The chapter also shows how the Soto school of Zen was able to spread in the provinces and entrench itself in village life by incorporating local customs into its death rites, thus creating a Zen funerary culture that was soon embraced by other sects as well. Outside academic circles, Westerners tend to think of Soto Zen in connection with its emphasis on seated meditation, but its most pervasive influence on Japanese culture lies in the development of what are now called traditional lay Buddhist funerals.
Taigen Dan Leighton
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195304671
- eISBN:
- 9780199866861
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304671.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chapter 5 addresses what many today would consider the central ritual of Zen—zazen—or seated meditation. Although zazen is commonly understood by way of instrumental logic as a means or method for ...
More
Chapter 5 addresses what many today would consider the central ritual of Zen—zazen—or seated meditation. Although zazen is commonly understood by way of instrumental logic as a means or method for attaining enlightenment, from the Sōtō Zen perspective initiated by Dōgen and featured in this essay, the order of cause and effect is reversed—zazen is “the practice‐realization of totally culminated awakening.” In developing this approach to meditation, Leighton traces its roots to Vajrayana teachings that were influential not simply in Japanese Shingon, but also in Nichiren, Tendai, Jōdo, and Zen. Upon that Buddhist foundation, the essay develops the “unity of practice and realization” by showing how this theme appears in Dōgen's instructions for meditation ritual (Eihei shingi), in his extended essays (Shōbōgenzō), and in direct teachings to his monks (Eihei kōroku). The essay claims that when meditation is taken as “the expression or function of buddhas,” rather than as a technique of spiritual acquisition, an emphasis on meditative awareness in everyday life is made possible.Less
Chapter 5 addresses what many today would consider the central ritual of Zen—zazen—or seated meditation. Although zazen is commonly understood by way of instrumental logic as a means or method for attaining enlightenment, from the Sōtō Zen perspective initiated by Dōgen and featured in this essay, the order of cause and effect is reversed—zazen is “the practice‐realization of totally culminated awakening.” In developing this approach to meditation, Leighton traces its roots to Vajrayana teachings that were influential not simply in Japanese Shingon, but also in Nichiren, Tendai, Jōdo, and Zen. Upon that Buddhist foundation, the essay develops the “unity of practice and realization” by showing how this theme appears in Dōgen's instructions for meditation ritual (Eihei shingi), in his extended essays (Shōbōgenzō), and in direct teachings to his monks (Eihei kōroku). The essay claims that when meditation is taken as “the expression or function of buddhas,” rather than as a technique of spiritual acquisition, an emphasis on meditative awareness in everyday life is made possible.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chan/Zen Buddhism is a tradition known for the transmission of lineages whereby a current master at once pays obeisance to and severely criticizes the patriarchs. East Asian training traditions ...
More
Chan/Zen Buddhism is a tradition known for the transmission of lineages whereby a current master at once pays obeisance to and severely criticizes the patriarchs. East Asian training traditions generally emphasize that a disciple needs to be able to surpass his teacher, who must be magnanimous enough to encourage and acknowledge the value of the comeuppance. The literary works of Dōgen (1200–1253) epitomize this process. This chapter examines the various ways Dōgen’s image and sense of self-identity is formed by his twofold approach to his predecessors. First, it surveys the full extent of Chan masters cited by Dōgen and what this indicates about his view of sectarian transmission; for example, who he cites and why he praises or refutes their teachings. Next, it focuses on the ways that Chinese Caodong school masters Hongzhi (1091–1157) and Rujing (1163–1228) influenced Dōgen’s philosophy and literary style and helped shape his view of monastic institutional administration and practice.Less
Chan/Zen Buddhism is a tradition known for the transmission of lineages whereby a current master at once pays obeisance to and severely criticizes the patriarchs. East Asian training traditions generally emphasize that a disciple needs to be able to surpass his teacher, who must be magnanimous enough to encourage and acknowledge the value of the comeuppance. The literary works of Dōgen (1200–1253) epitomize this process. This chapter examines the various ways Dōgen’s image and sense of self-identity is formed by his twofold approach to his predecessors. First, it surveys the full extent of Chan masters cited by Dōgen and what this indicates about his view of sectarian transmission; for example, who he cites and why he praises or refutes their teachings. Next, it focuses on the ways that Chinese Caodong school masters Hongzhi (1091–1157) and Rujing (1163–1228) influenced Dōgen’s philosophy and literary style and helped shape his view of monastic institutional administration and practice.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195305708
- eISBN:
- 9780199784776
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195305701.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book provides a comprehensive examination of the diverse writings of Dōgen (1200-1253), the founder of Sōtō (C. Ts’ao-tung) Zen Buddhism in Japan. Dōgen is especially known for introducing to ...
More
This book provides a comprehensive examination of the diverse writings of Dōgen (1200-1253), the founder of Sōtō (C. Ts’ao-tung) Zen Buddhism in Japan. Dōgen is especially known for introducing to Japanese Buddhism many of the texts and practices that he discovered in China. The context of Dōgen’s travels to and reflections on China are reconstructed by means of a critical look at traditional sources both by and about Dōgen. While many studies emphasize the unique features of Dōgen’s Japanese influences versus traditional Chinese models, this book calls attention to the fusion of Chinese and Japanese elements in Dōgen’s religious vision. It reveals many new materials and insights into Dōgen’s main writings, including the multiple editions of the Shōbōgenzō, and how and when this seminal text was created by Dōgen and edited and interpreted by his disciples. This book provides the reader with a comprehensive approach to the master’s life works and an understanding of the overall career trajectory of one of the most important figures in the history of Buddhism and Asian religious thought.Less
This book provides a comprehensive examination of the diverse writings of Dōgen (1200-1253), the founder of Sōtō (C. Ts’ao-tung) Zen Buddhism in Japan. Dōgen is especially known for introducing to Japanese Buddhism many of the texts and practices that he discovered in China. The context of Dōgen’s travels to and reflections on China are reconstructed by means of a critical look at traditional sources both by and about Dōgen. While many studies emphasize the unique features of Dōgen’s Japanese influences versus traditional Chinese models, this book calls attention to the fusion of Chinese and Japanese elements in Dōgen’s religious vision. It reveals many new materials and insights into Dōgen’s main writings, including the multiple editions of the Shōbōgenzō, and how and when this seminal text was created by Dōgen and edited and interpreted by his disciples. This book provides the reader with a comprehensive approach to the master’s life works and an understanding of the overall career trajectory of one of the most important figures in the history of Buddhism and Asian religious thought.
S.J. William Harmless
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195300383
- eISBN:
- 9780199851560
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195300383.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter examines Dōgen (1200–1253), the founder of Sōtō Zen and Japan's finest spiritual writer. The term zen as Dōgen once noted, is short for zazen which means “seated meditation”. Zen is thus ...
More
This chapter examines Dōgen (1200–1253), the founder of Sōtō Zen and Japan's finest spiritual writer. The term zen as Dōgen once noted, is short for zazen which means “seated meditation”. Zen is thus the “meditation school” of Buddhism. If one defines mysticism as it is often defined, as the experience of the soul's union with God, then clearly Dōgen is no mystic. He is utterly silent about God's existence, let alone about any claim of union with God. Yet in other ways Zen seems deeply mystical — more self-consciously mystical than either Christianity or Islam. Buddhism places at its very center a carefully calibrated and exacting contemplative discipline: zazen. And Buddhism focuses its practitioners' best efforts on seeking a sudden awakening experience. This enlightenment is a life-altering, world-shattering breakthrough. It offers an utterly new way of seeing, thinking, feeling, acting, and being.Less
This chapter examines Dōgen (1200–1253), the founder of Sōtō Zen and Japan's finest spiritual writer. The term zen as Dōgen once noted, is short for zazen which means “seated meditation”. Zen is thus the “meditation school” of Buddhism. If one defines mysticism as it is often defined, as the experience of the soul's union with God, then clearly Dōgen is no mystic. He is utterly silent about God's existence, let alone about any claim of union with God. Yet in other ways Zen seems deeply mystical — more self-consciously mystical than either Christianity or Islam. Buddhism places at its very center a carefully calibrated and exacting contemplative discipline: zazen. And Buddhism focuses its practitioners' best efforts on seeking a sudden awakening experience. This enlightenment is a life-altering, world-shattering breakthrough. It offers an utterly new way of seeing, thinking, feeling, acting, and being.
Taigen Dan Leighton
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195320930
- eISBN:
- 9780199785360
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195320930.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
As a religion concerned with universal liberation, Zen grew out of a Buddhist worldview very different from the currently prevalent scientific materialism. Zen cannot be fully understood outside of a ...
More
As a religion concerned with universal liberation, Zen grew out of a Buddhist worldview very different from the currently prevalent scientific materialism. Zen cannot be fully understood outside of a worldview that sees reality itself as a vital, dynamic agent of awareness and healing. This book explicates that worldview through the writings of the Zen master Eihei Dōgen (1200-1253), considered the founder of the Japanese Sōtō Zen tradition, which currently enjoys popularity in the West. The Lotus Sutra, arguably the most important Buddhist scripture in East Asia, contains a famous story about bodhisattvas (enlightening beings) who emerge from under the earth to preserve and expound the Lotus teaching in the distant future. The story reveals that the Buddha only appears to pass away, but actually has been practicing, and will continue to do so, over an inconceivably long life span. The book traces commentaries on the Lotus Sutra from key East Asian Buddhist thinkers, including Daosheng, Zhiyi, Zhanran, Saigyo, Myoe, Nichiren, Hakuin, and Ryokan. But the main focus is Eihei Dōgen, whose profuse, provocative, and poetic writings are important to the modern expansion of Buddhism to the West. Dōgen's use of this sutra expresses the critical role of Mahnullynullna vision and imagination as the context of Zen teaching, and his interpretations of this story furthermore reveal his dynamic worldview of the earth, space, and time themselves as vital agents of spiritual awakening. The book argues that Dōgen uses the images and metaphors in this story to express his own religious worldview, in which earth, space, and time are lively agents in the bodhisattva project. Broader awareness of Dōgen's worldview and its implications can illuminate the possibilities for contemporary approaches to primary Mahnullynullna concepts and practices.Less
As a religion concerned with universal liberation, Zen grew out of a Buddhist worldview very different from the currently prevalent scientific materialism. Zen cannot be fully understood outside of a worldview that sees reality itself as a vital, dynamic agent of awareness and healing. This book explicates that worldview through the writings of the Zen master Eihei Dōgen (1200-1253), considered the founder of the Japanese Sōtō Zen tradition, which currently enjoys popularity in the West. The Lotus Sutra, arguably the most important Buddhist scripture in East Asia, contains a famous story about bodhisattvas (enlightening beings) who emerge from under the earth to preserve and expound the Lotus teaching in the distant future. The story reveals that the Buddha only appears to pass away, but actually has been practicing, and will continue to do so, over an inconceivably long life span. The book traces commentaries on the Lotus Sutra from key East Asian Buddhist thinkers, including Daosheng, Zhiyi, Zhanran, Saigyo, Myoe, Nichiren, Hakuin, and Ryokan. But the main focus is Eihei Dōgen, whose profuse, provocative, and poetic writings are important to the modern expansion of Buddhism to the West. Dōgen's use of this sutra expresses the critical role of Mahnullynullna vision and imagination as the context of Zen teaching, and his interpretations of this story furthermore reveal his dynamic worldview of the earth, space, and time themselves as vital agents of spiritual awakening. The book argues that Dōgen uses the images and metaphors in this story to express his own religious worldview, in which earth, space, and time are lively agents in the bodhisattva project. Broader awareness of Dōgen's worldview and its implications can illuminate the possibilities for contemporary approaches to primary Mahnullynullna concepts and practices.
Paula Kane Robinson Arai
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199928682
- eISBN:
- 9780190258405
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199928682.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book examines the important role played by nuns in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century. Drawing on both historical evidence and ethnographic data, it shows that nuns were ...
More
This book examines the important role played by nuns in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century. Drawing on both historical evidence and ethnographic data, it shows that nuns were active participants in the Sōtō Zen sect and have continued to contribute to its advancement to the present day. Focusing primarily upon one of the leading Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan, Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, the book shows that many Japanese nuns embody classical Buddhist ideals by leading a strictly disciplined monastic life. In investigating the lives of Buddhist nuns in Japan, the book advances a critical interpretation of the meaning and significance of female monastic practice. It presents the nuns' perspective on their history, lifestyle, teachings, religious practices, and self-perception. It highlights key moments of Japanese history that shed light upon how Japanese female monastics practice Zen in the twentieth century and help explain why they are strong today. Finally, the book explores changes in Japanese religiosity that occurred during Japan's transition to modernization from a traditional society with a rich cultural heritage.Less
This book examines the important role played by nuns in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century. Drawing on both historical evidence and ethnographic data, it shows that nuns were active participants in the Sōtō Zen sect and have continued to contribute to its advancement to the present day. Focusing primarily upon one of the leading Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan, Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, the book shows that many Japanese nuns embody classical Buddhist ideals by leading a strictly disciplined monastic life. In investigating the lives of Buddhist nuns in Japan, the book advances a critical interpretation of the meaning and significance of female monastic practice. It presents the nuns' perspective on their history, lifestyle, teachings, religious practices, and self-perception. It highlights key moments of Japanese history that shed light upon how Japanese female monastics practice Zen in the twentieth century and help explain why they are strong today. Finally, the book explores changes in Japanese religiosity that occurred during Japan's transition to modernization from a traditional society with a rich cultural heritage.
Paula Kane Robinson Arai
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199928682
- eISBN:
- 9780190258405
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199928682.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines the motivations, commitments, thoughts, attitudes, and self-perceptions of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan. Drawing on information gathered from Aichi Senmon ...
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This chapter examines the motivations, commitments, thoughts, attitudes, and self-perceptions of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan. Drawing on information gathered from Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, one of the foremost Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan, plus data from interviews and surveys, the chapter considers the significance of the nuns' contributions to Japanese Buddhism and to Japanese society generally. It also explores the changing life patterns of Zen female monastics in the twentieth-century as well as their values and perspectives about religious practices in accordance with Buddhist ideals.Less
This chapter examines the motivations, commitments, thoughts, attitudes, and self-perceptions of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan. Drawing on information gathered from Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, one of the foremost Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan, plus data from interviews and surveys, the chapter considers the significance of the nuns' contributions to Japanese Buddhism and to Japanese society generally. It also explores the changing life patterns of Zen female monastics in the twentieth-century as well as their values and perspectives about religious practices in accordance with Buddhist ideals.
Paula Kane Robinson Arai
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199928682
- eISBN:
- 9780190258405
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199928682.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines the actions of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan to elucidate their interpretation of Buddhist teachings, especially those of Zen Master Dōgen. More specifically, ...
More
This chapter examines the actions of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan to elucidate their interpretation of Buddhist teachings, especially those of Zen Master Dōgen. More specifically, it considers the many different ways in which Sōtō nuns sought for equal treatment, such as combining monastic discipline and training with secular education. To this end, the chapter traces the three generations of Sōtō monastics who have been responsible for freeing nuns from systematically undue restrictions: the four pioneering nuns who founded Nagoya's official training monastery for nuns in 1904, Kojima Kendō, and Aoyama Shundō. These women manifest strength of character, creative ingenuity, and a profound commitment to monastic life based on the ideals of Buddhism.Less
This chapter examines the actions of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan to elucidate their interpretation of Buddhist teachings, especially those of Zen Master Dōgen. More specifically, it considers the many different ways in which Sōtō nuns sought for equal treatment, such as combining monastic discipline and training with secular education. To this end, the chapter traces the three generations of Sōtō monastics who have been responsible for freeing nuns from systematically undue restrictions: the four pioneering nuns who founded Nagoya's official training monastery for nuns in 1904, Kojima Kendō, and Aoyama Shundō. These women manifest strength of character, creative ingenuity, and a profound commitment to monastic life based on the ideals of Buddhism.
Paula Kane Robinson Arai
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199928682
- eISBN:
- 9780190258405
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199928682.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines the monastic practices of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan. It first provides an overview of the nuns' vision of monastic life based on the ideals of Buddhism and ...
More
This chapter examines the monastic practices of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan. It first provides an overview of the nuns' vision of monastic life based on the ideals of Buddhism and their interpretation of the teachings of Zen Master Dōgen by focusing on Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, one of the leading Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan. It then considers the four divisions of the various tasks that must be performed to make Aichi Senmon Nisōdō function, namely: ino, chiden, tenzo, and anja. It also describes the nuns' ceremonial rituals and activities, such as chanting sutras in the morning after a round of zazen, along with the education offered at the monastery. The chapter concludes by reflecting on the role of beauty in the lives of Zen nuns.Less
This chapter examines the monastic practices of nuns who belonged to the Sōtō Zen sect in Japan. It first provides an overview of the nuns' vision of monastic life based on the ideals of Buddhism and their interpretation of the teachings of Zen Master Dōgen by focusing on Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, one of the leading Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan. It then considers the four divisions of the various tasks that must be performed to make Aichi Senmon Nisōdō function, namely: ino, chiden, tenzo, and anja. It also describes the nuns' ceremonial rituals and activities, such as chanting sutras in the morning after a round of zazen, along with the education offered at the monastery. The chapter concludes by reflecting on the role of beauty in the lives of Zen nuns.
Paula Arai
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824835354
- eISBN:
- 9780824870362
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824835354.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book examines the ritualized activities of mature and devoted Japanese Buddhist women and their significance to a Sōtō Zen mode of living. Drawing on interviews with twelve Zen laywomen, the ...
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This book examines the ritualized activities of mature and devoted Japanese Buddhist women and their significance to a Sōtō Zen mode of living. Drawing on interviews with twelve Zen laywomen, the book explores a domestic aspect of Zen that is ripe with wisdom for responding to a host of everyday challenges, difficulties, and fears. It describes the Way of healing, a paradigm of healing rooted in Zen Buddhism and particularly the teachings of Dōgen, and shows that healing rituals are a catalyst for powerful healing experiences among Buddhist women. It considers how Zen Buddhist rituals allow people to cope with various emotional and psychological needs as they respond to the inevitable challenges of human existence such as love, loss, birth and death, and the longing to belong. The book also discusses the healing power of beauty as an integral component of domestic Zen, along with the concept of personal Buddha for dealing with loss and grief.Less
This book examines the ritualized activities of mature and devoted Japanese Buddhist women and their significance to a Sōtō Zen mode of living. Drawing on interviews with twelve Zen laywomen, the book explores a domestic aspect of Zen that is ripe with wisdom for responding to a host of everyday challenges, difficulties, and fears. It describes the Way of healing, a paradigm of healing rooted in Zen Buddhism and particularly the teachings of Dōgen, and shows that healing rituals are a catalyst for powerful healing experiences among Buddhist women. It considers how Zen Buddhist rituals allow people to cope with various emotional and psychological needs as they respond to the inevitable challenges of human existence such as love, loss, birth and death, and the longing to belong. The book also discusses the healing power of beauty as an integral component of domestic Zen, along with the concept of personal Buddha for dealing with loss and grief.
Paula Arai
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824835354
- eISBN:
- 9780824870362
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824835354.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter discusses the concept of domestic Zen and how it helps Japanese Buddhist women deal with a wide range of challenges, from difficulty in giving birth to problems with child-rearing, ...
More
This chapter discusses the concept of domestic Zen and how it helps Japanese Buddhist women deal with a wide range of challenges, from difficulty in giving birth to problems with child-rearing, caring for the elders, a terminal diagnosis, and death by natural and unnatural causes such as war, suicide, and homicide. Domestic Zen is based on Dōgen’s teaching that “practice is enlightenment.” Ritualized behaviors in Sōtō Zen are practices. Practice is ritualized activity done in accord with wisdom and compassion. This chapter examines the rituals and practices of domestic Zen and how they contribute to the Way of healing paradigm. Drawing on the category of healing ritual, it considers the dynamics that are central to the women who engage in and create domestic Zen.Less
This chapter discusses the concept of domestic Zen and how it helps Japanese Buddhist women deal with a wide range of challenges, from difficulty in giving birth to problems with child-rearing, caring for the elders, a terminal diagnosis, and death by natural and unnatural causes such as war, suicide, and homicide. Domestic Zen is based on Dōgen’s teaching that “practice is enlightenment.” Ritualized behaviors in Sōtō Zen are practices. Practice is ritualized activity done in accord with wisdom and compassion. This chapter examines the rituals and practices of domestic Zen and how they contribute to the Way of healing paradigm. Drawing on the category of healing ritual, it considers the dynamics that are central to the women who engage in and create domestic Zen.
Paula Kane Robinson Arai
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199928682
- eISBN:
- 9780190258405
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199928682.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book has examined the important role played by nuns in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century. Drawing on participant-observation, interviews, and surveys, it has shown that ...
More
This book has examined the important role played by nuns in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century. Drawing on participant-observation, interviews, and surveys, it has shown that nuns belonging to the Sōtō Zen sect acted as preservers and creators of Buddhist tradition and as bearers and transmitters of traditional Japanese culture. Focusing on Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, one of the leading Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan, the book has documented these female monastics' history of triumph over the male-dominated sect institution's regulations and structures, along with the relationship between their monastic life and the ideals of the community. Its findings also refute many of the misconceptions about nuns, for example, that they are weak, oppressed, do not play a significant role in Zen Buddhism or Japanese society, and have not made any real gains in the twentieth century. Finally, the book has highlighted the significance of Zen nuns in at least three realms: traditional monasticism, traditional Japanese culture, and advancing women's opportunities.Less
This book has examined the important role played by nuns in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century. Drawing on participant-observation, interviews, and surveys, it has shown that nuns belonging to the Sōtō Zen sect acted as preservers and creators of Buddhist tradition and as bearers and transmitters of traditional Japanese culture. Focusing on Aichi Senmon Nisōdō, one of the leading Sōtō women's monasteries in Japan, the book has documented these female monastics' history of triumph over the male-dominated sect institution's regulations and structures, along with the relationship between their monastic life and the ideals of the community. Its findings also refute many of the misconceptions about nuns, for example, that they are weak, oppressed, do not play a significant role in Zen Buddhism or Japanese society, and have not made any real gains in the twentieth century. Finally, the book has highlighted the significance of Zen nuns in at least three realms: traditional monasticism, traditional Japanese culture, and advancing women's opportunities.
James W. Heisig, Thomas P. Kasulis, and John C. Maraldo (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824835521
- eISBN:
- 9780824870270
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824835521.003.0003
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This section provides an overview of the Zen tradition and its philosophical significance. Zen Buddhism was one of the three new religious traditions that emerged during a time of political upheaval ...
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This section provides an overview of the Zen tradition and its philosophical significance. Zen Buddhism was one of the three new religious traditions that emerged during a time of political upheaval in Kamakura Japan, the other two being Nichiren Buddhism and the various forms of Pure Land Buddhism. Zen began with two strategies of development: an elitist approach that sought the patronage of the political centers of power and authority, and a separatist approach that founded monasteries for spiritual practice. There are two major medieval schools of Zen, Rinzai Zen and Sōtō Zen. This section also presents translations of a variety of texts by Japanese philosophers from the Zen tradition, including Dōgen, Musō Soseki, Ikkyū Sōjun, Takuan Sōhō, Suzuki Shōsan, and Shidō Bunan.Less
This section provides an overview of the Zen tradition and its philosophical significance. Zen Buddhism was one of the three new religious traditions that emerged during a time of political upheaval in Kamakura Japan, the other two being Nichiren Buddhism and the various forms of Pure Land Buddhism. Zen began with two strategies of development: an elitist approach that sought the patronage of the political centers of power and authority, and a separatist approach that founded monasteries for spiritual practice. There are two major medieval schools of Zen, Rinzai Zen and Sōtō Zen. This section also presents translations of a variety of texts by Japanese philosophers from the Zen tradition, including Dōgen, Musō Soseki, Ikkyū Sōjun, Takuan Sōhō, Suzuki Shōsan, and Shidō Bunan.