The zen philosophy has a number of schools in Japan and in the West. A small Japanese school established by Hakuun Yasutani is known as Sanbo Kyodan. This school has been particularly influential in the West, with Taizan Maezumi a well-known teacher. His influence has extended to Joko Beck and Tetsugen Bernard Glassman. Today, the FAS Society, a nonsectarian organization founded by Shin’ichi Hisamatsu, has appointed more than a dozen dharma heirs. Other influential teachers include Jeff Shore, Ton Lathouwers, and Dennis Merzel.
hannya haramitsu
According to Zen philosophy, the term hannya haramitsu refers to the distinction between intellectual and practical knowledge. This distinction reflects the fact that knowledge is both conceptual and experiential. The word hannya comes from the Japanese word hannya, which means “language game,” and the Skrt. word for “discrimination,” which means “discrimination against another.” The key idea of this philosophy is that the two are complementary.
During Zen training, one trains the mind and body to develop awareness. The emphasis on training the mind and body is essential for achieving the goal of non-duality. Zen emphasizes training the mind and body, so that the “here” is never out of reach. For this reason, it is crucial to train the mind and body to develop the capacity to observe and appreciate emptiness and awareness.
This approach is rooted in Zen teachings. The Buddha taught that true wisdom is a reflection of the mind. In Zen philosophy, this understanding of the mind and body is called prajna. The prajna portion of the Mahaprajnaparamita refers to the practice of intuitive reflection. Paramita, on the other hand, means accomplished truth. The term maka hannya haramitsu is derived from the Sanskrit words maka and hannya, and the two are combined to form the name of the zen philosophy.
As a zen philosophy, Hannya haramitsu emphasizes the importance of the experiential dimension in life, it rejects the dualistic viewpoint that enables us to see the infinite in a limited way. It emphasizes the magical aspects of Buddhism. It teaches us to understand the world through the eyes of another and to live in harmony with its nature. The question of no-thought or no-image can be understood by both Zen masters and practitioners.
Bodhidharma
Although most Zen students are familiar with the Bodhidharma legend, Ferguson offers a more detailed account. According to the legend, Bodhidharma died at the age of 150 and was buried on Mount Xiong’er west of Luoyang. According to this story, Bodhidharma’s followers were few, but his followers were able to achieve enlightenment in a short period of time. The story also relates how Bodhidharma met Song Yun, a ruler of the Wei kingdom. Song Yun then met Bodhidharma, who told him that he would die soon. However, when he discovered the tomb, only a sandal remained, suggesting that he died in a struggle against the evils of the world.
Bodhidharma’s legend was connected with the Tendai school, and many scholars have argued that he was the reincarnation of Nanyue Huisi, the founder of the Tiantai school. In addition to being a reincarnation of Huisi, Shotoku was born before Huisi died. Kojo wrote about this encounter in his Denjutsu isshin kaimon, which was presented to the emperor. Kojo also mentions the encounter between Shotoku and a starving beggar, who is considered a Daoist immortal.
Students were taught that the Buddha-nature, embodied in the three enlightened beings, is the same in all sentient beings. Buddha-nature is the uninterrupted expression of enlightened relationality. As such, the Buddha-nature, Bodhidharma taught, is available in all forms. Its practice is both a path to awakening and an experience of the Buddha-nature.
za-zen
The practice of za-zen involves paying careful attention to posture and breath. The practitioner must be mindful of all sensations while in zazen. While thoughts arise naturally, they are interrupted by the practice. The practitioner attempts to rest in direct experience of things, without mental attachment or pushing away from them. The focus on the present moment is crucial for the attainment of transcendence. Zazen teaches the body to function as an organic whole.
The practice of zazen involves sitting still, while breathing deeply. The mind and body are one. When the mind is fidgeting, the body tends to follow. When the body is still, it can strengthen its ability to remain calm. Fidgeting leads to mental fidgeting. Sitting still through slight physical discomfort helps the mind be calm. The practice of zazen involves a meditative posture, and it’s important to follow it.
The practice of zazen is very simple. In general, there are no stages or steps in zazen. The zazen master will encourage the subject to sit in a proper posture, with the intention of paying attention to their breathing. The focus is on being present and fully alert. Various approaches emphasize different aspects of zazen, but all come back to the same sense of being. The practice is most effective when combined with a meditation practice.
In the twentieth century, the Zen wave broke into North America. The wave was probably a response to the unprecedented violence of the first half of the century. Small groups of people began to realize that modernist culture was not working, and was bringing large-scale suffering and dehumanization. They also embraced various forms of meditation. The philosophy can help the person understand their emotions, decisions, and environment. And it has many benefits. If you are interested in practicing za-zen, don’t hesitate to contact a qualified teacher.
Kano Soshu
The word zen is a common component of Japanese buddhism and is the same for nyoze and satori. Both describe the nature of things and their inherent dispositions. In Kano Soshu Zen, this disposition is nyoze. Awakening to this nyoze is satori. It can only happen through awakening. The practice of zen meditation can help you gain this kensho.
During the Edo period, the Japanese emperors began to turn to Zen philosophy for spiritual advice. The Ashikaga shogunate sought religious and cultural advice from Zen temples. The shogunate also sought spiritual guidance from the temples, which gained them lucrative favor with the military rulers of the time. Aside from Kano Soshu zen philosophy, other branches of the dharma included the Ashikagas and the Daitoku shogunate.
The shinto art from Kano Soshu is not minimalistic. One of the best known examples is the Old Plum (1646) by Kano Sansetsu. It features a thick trunk of a plum tree and was used as a backdrop for a Zen monastery’s Shoin Room. While the original Zen art of the era focused on religious subjects, secular images were introduced later on.
The heart sutra is one of the most important citations in Kano Soshu. It states that all phenomena have an unchanging and empty essence. Emptiness does not mean nothing exists but rather, everything exists relative to other things. Emptiness is the stage of awakening. The zen circle represents unity. If the mind is empty, then all the consciousness is empty. But even if we do not experience emptiness, there is no mind to be empty of.
Shunryu Suzuki
Among the many works of Zen philosophy, one of the best-known is Shunryu Suzuki’s Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. This book is the first zen philosophy text in the West, and it is considered one of the most accessible books on Zen philosophy. The author, Shunryu Suzuki, makes Zen philosophy accessible to all, with clear explanations of the philosophy’s basic principles.
In 1930, Shunryu Suzuki studied in Japan with the renowned Zen teacher Dojun Kato at the Eihei-ji training temple in Fukui Prefecture. After graduating from Komazawa University, Suzuki began his zen training at the Eiheiji temple. He underwent tangaryo initiation and sat his first sesshin for seven days. Later, he began to teach zen to Westerners and was able to share this knowledge with the Western world.
During the early 1950s, Suzuki began practicing zen in his home country. He became the disciple of his step-brother, Gyokujun So-on. Although his parents felt that it was too early for him to join a temple, they permitted him to take a priestly ordination. In May 1959, Suzuki moved to San Francisco, California, and joined the Soko-Ji, the congregation of the late Hodo Tabase Roshi.
After his parents returned to Japan, Shunryu went to an upper-elementary school in Mori. So-on did not supply him with proper clothes, and he faced ridicule, but he did not complain. He returned to the temple during summer vacations. While he was at school, he still returned to the temples for zazen and koans. Despite his dissatisfaction with the society, Suzuki did not want to give up training. He studied English in school, and a local doctor, Dr. Yoshikawa, paid him to teach his sons.