Zen+Buddhism

Zen Buddhism in Japan  Video: media type="youtube" key="U1OOnbF2esM?fs=1" height="390" width="640" Brief Description: Zen    =Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism -comes from the word "Chan" (Chinese word in Japanese pronounciation) -"Chan", in turn, is derived from a Sanskrit word, "dhyana" -emphasis: meditation & intuition -gods they believed in: Guatama Buddha, Amitabha, Medicine Buddha, etc. -first documented in China in 7th century CE -spread towards southern part of Vietnam & east to Korean, Japan -credited to Persian/ South Indian Paliava prince and monk: Bodhidharma  -influences on Japanese culture: temples, gardening, ink painting, calligraphy, tea ceremony, military strategies

-Some of the Zen Temples in Japan:

-located in Nagasaki Sofukuji -constructed in 1629

Zuisenji Temple -founded by Muso Kokushi (=leading Zen master & one of Japan's most famous garden designers -has rock garden behind

Ryoanji Temple -belongs toMyoshinji school of Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism

-located in northwestern Kyoto -is the head temple of the Myoshinji School -largest of all Zen temples

Zen Schools in Japan: Hosso and Kegon are noticeable during the earlier influences of Japanese Buddhism, while other independent schools formed pretty late. All of these disparate sects focused their practices on wisdom.

**1. Soto**
Doctrine: zazen ("sitting meditation"), especially shikantaza -influnced by Tendai, Hosso, Kegon -founded by Caoshan, Dongshan in China -largest

**2. Rinzai**
Doctrine: zazen ("sitting meditation"), especially koan -influenced by Hosso, Kegon -founded by Linji in China - divided again into several subschools based on temple affiliation: Myoshin-ji, Nanzen-ji, Tenryu-ji, Daitoku-ji, and Tofuku-ji

**3. Obaku**
Doctrine: kyozen itchi -influenced by Rinzai -founded by Ingen in Japan -smallest

**4. Fuke**
-influenced by Rinzai -founded by Puhua Chanshi

Symbols:

Classical symbol: enso (=circle of enlightenment) -Shinhenmei, in 6th century, referred to it as a circle of vast space, lacking nothing, and nothing in excess -has two common symbols:

1. brushstroke of a closed circle -represents totality of experience and life



2. brushstroke of a circle with one small opening -represents imperfection found in all things

Works Cited

"Zen Buddhism in Japan." N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb 2011. .

"Zen 101." N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb 2011. .

"Zen: The path of meditation." N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb 2011. .

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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: normal;">"Buddha." Web. 17 Feb 2011. <http://www.portlandzencenter.com/buddhism_in_maine.htm>.

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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: normal;">"buddha." Web. 17 Feb 2011. <http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/rosa/index.htm>.

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