Zen Buddhism – Japan (The Direct Method to

ZEN BUDDHISM - JAPAN
(THE DIRECT METHOD TO GRASP REALITY)

Among the many Mahayana Buddhist schools that are prevalent in modern Japan, Zen Buddhism occu­pies a unique and dominant position overshadowing the rest; and, as such, an eminent Japanese Scholar, DI­ASETLT SUZUKI is of the opinion that the Zen are found systematised or rather crystallised in all the philoso­phy, religion and life itself of the Japanese.

Zen Buddhism was transmitted to Japan in the twelfth century from China, where it had developed from 6th century onwards as Chan Bud­dhist school. The Japanese term ‘Zen’ is derived from ‘Chan’ a Chinese transliteration of the original Sanskrit term ‘dhyana’, so, to gain a knowl­edge of the historical and ideological development of Zen Buddhism in its early stages, we have got to depend on the Chinese Chronicles.

Historical Development

Bodhidharma, an Indian Bud­dhist monk, who came to China in 520 A.D. is traditionally considered to be the founder of Chan Buddhism. Only a fewbiographical details about Bodhi dharma are available. He was the third son of a South Indian Prince. He preferred the life of a Buddhist Bhikku to that of a prince and joined a monas­tery. He practised contemplation and tranquilization of mind. Grieved very much over the decline of the orthodox teaching of Buddha, in the remoter parts of the earth, he made up his mind to cross over land and sea and go to China and preach the doctrine of “seeing into one’s own nature and the attainment of Buddhahood or ‘The direct method to grasp Reality’. He visited various provinces of China, preaching his doctrine and died at a very ripe age of 150 years.

The rest of the information that we get from the Chinese Chronicles about Bodhidharma is mixed up with incredible legends and, such, is of his­torical values.

Bodhidharma introduced a spe­cial way of meditation which enables the seeker to ‘see his nature’. A patriarchal system of succession was also established by him to carry on his mission.

Chinese Chan was very much systemised during the regime of the sixth patriarch Eno and thereafter gradually gained respect and recogni­tion both from the masses and the nobles. By that time Chan Buddhism, though rooted in Indian Buddhism, developed in a particular way to meet the requirements, peculiarly charac­teristic of the psychology of the Far ­eastern people. Abstract terminology and romantic mysticism were dis­carded. A method of transmission, direct, plain, concrete and highly prac­tical was introduced.

After Eno’s death, Chan Bud­dhism was split up into several schools. Only two of them are surviv­ing down to this day, both in china and Japan. Of them as far as Japan is concerned one school now continues as the Soto school, and the other is now represented by the Rinzal school. Of these two, the Rinzal school is numerically the stronger one.

Initially, Japan during the sec­ond half of 13th century, it was due to the highly successful efforts of some Chinese masters that the Zen could get a strong footing. Thereafter from the end of the first quarter of the 14th century, Japanese masters, by their own efforts, began to spread the mes­sage of Zen throughout the century and were very successful.

A revitalization of Zen Bud­dhism, to suit the changing needs of the age, was undertaken in the 17th century and the credit for this must go to Hakuin Ekaku (1686 - 1978). He brought unity and order in Rinzain Zen, drawing together various groups of the school.

At the beginning of the Meiji period (1868-1912), the Japanese government was unfavourably dis­posed towards Buddhism. This led to a brief but violent suppression of Buddhism. But the prosecution was short-lived and thereafter the Zen schools were able to resume their activities with great vigour, by Zen masters of high scientific training.

Some Essential Features of Zen Buddhism

The special message of Bodhidharma, or the essence of Bud­dha’s teaching is summed up in a Chinese verse, which is translated as follows:

A Special transmission outside the scripture;
No Dependence on words or letters;
Direct pointing at the mind of man;
Seeing into one’s own nature and the attainment of Buddhahood.

Bodhidharma thus indicated that en­lightenment does not depend on the knowledge of scriptures. But at the same time he did not discard the: Buddhist scripture. He himself utilized in the course of his preachings some passages from “Lankavatara Sutra” and “Vajrachedi Sutra”. Further the followers of Zen Buddhism, in their temples recite not only Tipitakas but also Mahayana classical works such as Prajna Pramita. However, for the followers of Zen all this Buddhist lit­erature is like a finger pointing at the moon but not the moon itself.

The special way of meditation, introduced by the Bodhidharma was called by the early Chinese writers as Ta-ching Pi-kuan which means “Mahayanistic wall-gazing”. Here the word ‘wall-gazing’ should be under­stood in its figurative sense. ‘Wall’ means a strong mind which can keep the individual away from all relation­ships and hankerings. When one gazes into himself with such a mind he can see his own nature and attain Bud­dhahood.

Neither Bodhidharma nor the early Chinese historians of Zen Bud­dhism regarded this direct attainment of enlightenment as a quite new one. The Zen, historians clearly state that this school had a special line transmis­sion in India, before Bodhidharma. According to the Sakyamuni, the Buddha had handed over this to Mahakasyapa and in succession it came into the possession of Bodhidharma the 28th patriarch. A list of the 28 Zen Buddhist patriarchs of India, as given in the Chinese his­torical records, is given below:

1. Sakyamuni
2. Mahakasyapa
3. Ananda
4. Sanavasa
5. Upagupta
6. Dhritika
7. Micchaka
8. Buddhanandi
9. Buddhamitra
10. Bhikshu Parsva
11. Punyayasas
12. Asvagosha
13. Bhikshu Kapimala
14. Nagarjuna
15. Kanadeva
16. Arya Rahulaka
17. Samghanandi
18. Samghayasas
19. Kumaratata
20. Jayata
21. Vasubandhu
22. Manura
23. Aktinayasas
24. Bhikshu Simha
25. Vasasita
26. Punyamitra
27. Prajnatara
28. Bodhidharma

Two centuries after the demise of Bodhidharma, there arose differences of opinion among the Zen masters about the kind of enlightenment, that Bodharma envisaged in his famous verse. The northern school of Chan opined that the enlightenment would be a gradual (Kramounthiya) one, where as the southern school headed by Eno, said that it would be an ‘instantaneous’ or abrupt (Yugapad) one. Both of them relied on a passage in Lankavatara sutra, where the cleansing of mind is said to be possible by these two ways. However Eno was successful in the end, and thereafter ‘abrupt’ enlightenment came to be the accepted creed of Zen Buddhism.

A stanza on such a Zen experi­ence of enlightenment by a Zen master Dokuho Kizen is worth quoting.

“Here rules an absolute quiet­ness, all doings subside; Just a touch and lo, a roaring thunder clap; A noise that shakes the earth, and all silence; The skull is broken to pieces, and awakened I am from the dream.”

This state of enlightenment is called by the Japanese Zen followers as ‘Satori’ (Wu in Chinese). It is nothing but the ‘anuttara samyak sambodhi’ attained by Lord Buddha under the Bodhi tree. When one at­tains it, a new vista opens before him; then life achieves a new freedom of action, and enjoys to its fullest extent its possibilities. To attain such a state is the object of Zen discipline.

In Japan such a discipline is provided to the Zen monksin Medita­tion halls, headed by Zen master. These halls are being run, in accor­dance with a system founded by the Chinese Zen master Hyakujo more than one thousand years ago. Discipli­nary methods of the Hinayanistic and the Mahayanistic are united in con­ducting the affairs of these Halls, in a new and unique manner best suited to the realization of Zen ideals.

Every Meditation Hall is run with militaristic severity and precision with a view to cultivating such virtues as humility and simplicity. The monks therein together function as a self­ governing body. The Zen Meditation Hall has a note-worthy feature, which distinguishes it from the monasteries of other Buddhist sects. The notion of work or service is considered here to be a vital factor in the life of a monk. In spare hours, when a monk was not attending to study and religious prac­tices he has to attend to some manual, labour such as sweeping etc.

Another distinguishing feature of Zen discipline is the use of Koan exercises to make the calculating mind die in order to enable the trainee to go beyond the limits of intellection. The Koan is generally some statement made by an old Zen master or some answer given by the master to a ques­tioner. The following is one such:

A monk asked Tosan: “Who is the Buddha”
“Three clin of flax”
When the koan is understood, the master’s state of mind is understood and that understanding itself is Satori.

Though the Zen devotee aspires for an abrupt enlightenment, outside scriptures, he does not discard usual Buddhist prayers. Buddha, and Bodhisatvas such as Avalokiteswar are offered prayers by the monks everyday at stipulated hours in the Meditation Halls. The Zen monks have got their own dhavanis as the other sects.

The Prajnaparamita hridaya Su­tra occupies a prominent place in their prayers. It is the first thing the monks recite in the morning as well as before each meal. The following is a gist of the same:

‘All things have the character of emptiness; they have no beginning, no end; they are not perfect, not imper­fect. In this emptiness there is no form, no perception, no name, no concepts, no knowledge, no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind...There is no knowledge of Nir­vana, no obtaining of it...a man who has approached the Prajnaparamita of the Bodhisatwas dwells unimpeded in consciousness. When the impediments of consciousness are annihilated; then he becomes free of all fear and is be­yond the reach of change’.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF ZEN TO JAPANESE CULTURE AND LIFE: of all the schools of Mahayana Bud­dhism, it is Zen that had given great impetus to the Japanese cultural life and activities. A full scale treatment of this subject is beyond the scope of this article. However one thing must be mentioned. Zen discipline enables the trainee to place himself in the hands of the super conscious. In such a state, there will be nothing to interfere with the fluidity of mutation and that, naturally results in rapidity of action. This is then reflected in every Japa­nese activity whether it be Sunice painting or Haiku poetry or the art of Tea or even swordsmanship.

REFERENCES

1. Encyclopaedia of Religion.
2. The essentials of Zen Buddhism - Daiset T. Suzuki - Rider & Company, London, 1963.