Zen

Zen is the Japanese form of the Sanskrit word dhyana, "meditation," and is a school of Buddhism which has had significant impact in Japan and Europe and America. Founded in China in the 6th century CE as the Ch'an school of Mahayana Buddhism, it was exported to Japan in the 12th century CE and gradually developed its own unique, indigenous character. The Indian scholar/monk Bodhidharma is traditionally attributed with transferring the tradition from India to China. The essence of Bodhidharma's teachings is that one does not need to study sacred texts, worship deities, or do elaborate religious rituals to achieve enlightenment. Rather, one needs to break through the boundaries of conventional thought using meditation and experience the world as it truly is in the moment. Zen maintains that this was the way the Buddha himself attained enlightenment. Zen teaches that all humans have the capacity to attain enlightenment because we all have an inherent Buddha-nature; indeed, we are all already enlightened beings, but our true potential has been clouded by ignorance. According to some Zen traditions, this ignorance is overcome through a sudden breakthrough - called satori - during mediation in which the true nature of reality, and our experience of it, is revealed. Different Zen sects, of which Rinzai and Soto are the major two, have developed various methods to achieve this enlightenment, including the practice of zazen ("just sitting" meditation). Despite the apparent simplicity of the message of Zen, training is arduous and requires guidance from a master. In Japan Zen became popular among the warrior samurai for its focus on discipline and self-control; Zen also informs the practice of various arts, such as calligraphy, painting, garden design, and archery. Beginning in the 20^th century a popularized version of Zen has become spread throughout the world and influenced many in both the United States and Europe, where it has been incorporated into everything from motorcycle maintenance to cooking to professional sports.

Contributors : Jacob N. Kinnard, Julia Hardy, Kathleen A. Mulhern

Zen began in China, where it was called Chan. Legends define its beginnings, including many stories of the first six patriarchs. Historical information about these individuals is limited.

The development of Chan Buddhism was influenced by evolving Mahayana Buddhist philosophy and new Mahayana scriptures. Chinese Daoism was also a strong influence.

The legendary founders of Chan (in Japanese, Zen) are the Indian monk Bodhidharma, the "wall -gazing brahmin", and Huineng, an illiterate Chinese peasant from the far south.

The foremost Chan/Zen scripture is the Platform Sutra, which relates the story of the sixth patriarch, Huineng. Several Mahayana Buddhist sutras are also central, and gongan (koan) are a form unique to Chan/Zen.

Western accounts of Chan/Zen are often quite romanticized. These accounts were shaped by Japanese who, in response to increased contact with the West, were creating a new national identity.

By the Song dynasty, Chan had become the most dominant Buddhist school in China. Japanese Buddhist monks traveled to China to study, and returned to establish Zen in Japan.

Zen in Japan was divided into two schools, Rinzai and Soto, founded by Eisai and Dogen. Rinzai emphasized koan study, while Soto emphasized the practice of sitting meditation.

Zen was affected historically by several short but virulent anti-Buddhist movements. Reactions to 19th-century western incursions also reshaped Zen in East Asia, and eventually led to western versions of the tradition.

Zen became a dominant religious force as it developed ties with the ruling family, and then declined in power when that family was overthrown. In the 17th century, a new school from China, Obaku, was established.

There were anti-Buddhist movements in China, Japan, and Vietnam in the 20th century. Zen in Japan would adapt and reinvent itself, and Zen in the West continued to grow and evolve.

Essential to Zen is the story of Huineng, an illiterate young man with an instinctive understanding of enlightenment, who became the 6th patriarch of Zen.

Ultimate reality in Zen is no different than ordinary reality. Nature itself is considered to be divine. Divine beings include the Buddhist pantheon and various immortals.

All things have Buddha-nature, but not all humans realize that they do. The purpose of existence in Zen is simply to live and to realize the transcendent quality of ordinary life.

Suffering and evil are caused by dualistic thinking. To avoid suffering and evil, one must recognize that all things are one, and that all things have Buddha-nature

After death, one might be reborn, become enlightened, or go the Pure Land. Other visions of the afterlife include Buddhist hells and heavens, and realms that are much like life on earth.

In Chan/Zen, there is no need to transcend time or escape to another dimension of reality to experience the sacred. Because everything has Buddha-nature, all time is sacred time.

Zen/Chan, because everything has Buddha-nature, all space is sacred space. The divine exists in everyday places, and everyday activities are manifestations of the sacred.

The rituals most often performed by Chan/Zen monks are funerals. There are also many elaborate rituals associated with monastic training, including koan study and prolonged periods of meditation.

Chan/Zen Buddhist monks in training live austere lives. They follow strict rules and a strict regimen of daily activities. A few lay followers will visit a temple regularly to pray or volunteer.

Specific styles of painting, poetry, and gardening are often associated with Chan/Zen. Chan/Zen temples also have a symbolic structure that some say represents the body of the Buddha, or the human body.

Family temples in Japan are led by a head priest, usually the son of the previous head. Zen and Chan teaching monasteries have a spiritual head, an enlightened master.

Zen temples host festivals and holiday events, and also provide death rituals for lay followers. Teaching monasteries form a community of monks with very specific internal structures.

Both lay followers and clergy vow to follow certain precepts for correct behavior. Chan and Zen Buddhists, both lay and clergy, also vow to work for the enlightenment of all.

The Zen vision for society includes peace, harmony, and compassionate treatment for all beings. Engaged Buddhists today actively work for social justice, environmental protection, and other causes.

Chan/Zen is in many ways a patriarchal tradition. There are fewer female monastics, and they are often regarded as inferior, disadvantaged by less respect and poorer facilities. There have been some exceptional women despite obstacles to their success.