Buddhismofjapan.info

JAPANESE BUDDHISM

This is a brief introduction to Buddhism in Japan focusing on the main schools in Japan and terms the student is likely to encounter in the course of readings for HUM 310 Japan. It is not intended as a comprehensive look at Buddhism but is selective of material to assist the student in understanding the role of Buddhism in Japanese culture and society. Read the rest of this entry »

Japan-Buddhism

Toward the end of the twelfth century, Chan arrived in Japan and became “Zen.” The samurai warrior spirit was thriving in Japan, and the rigors of Zen practice were welcomed by the Japanese. There are two classes of Zen that arose in Japan. The first was called Rinzai and was brought back from China by the Japanese monk Eisai. Eisai’s student Dogen brought the second class of Zen to Japanese shores from China. This school of Zen was called the Soto School. The two schools of Zen are covered in much greater detail in a later chapter. Read the rest of this entry »

Shingon

Shingon is an esoteric school of Buddhism founded in Japan by Kukai (774-835; also called Kobo Daishi) early in the 9th century. It is based on tantric Buddhism that Kukai studied in China and is thought to be the only non-Tibetan school of vajrayana. It remains one of the largest schools of Buddhism in Japan. Read the rest of this entry »

The Buddha’s Robe in Japan

The “bib” worn by the Japanese monk in the photograph is a rakusu, a garment unique to the Zen school that may have originated among Ch’an monks in China sometime after the T’ang Dynasty. The rectangle worn over the heart is a miniature kashaya, complete with the same “rice field” pattern seen in the third photo in this gallery. The rice field in a rakusu may have five, seven, or nine strips. Rakusu also come in a variety of colors. Read the rest of this entry »

An Introduction to Zen Buddhism

You’ve heard of Zen. You may have had moments of Zen. But what the bleep is Zen?

The popular idea of Zen is that it’s, like, Japanese Dada, with kung fu monks. I regret that the popular idea is a tad romanticized.

The nerdy answer to the question What is Zen? is that Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that emerged in China about 15 centuries ago. In China it is called “Ch’an” Buddhism. Ch’an is the Chinese rendering of the Sanskrit word dhyana, which refers to a mind absorbed in meditation. “Zen” is the Japanese rendering of Ch’an. Zen is called “Thien” in Vietnam and “Seon” in Korea. In any language, the name could be translated “Meditation Buddhism.” Read the rest of this entry »