Zen Buddhism Essay - 1197 Words

Zen Buddhism No other figure in history has played a bigger part in opening the West to Buddhism than the eminent Zen author, D.T. Suzuki. One of the worlds leading authorities on Zen Buddhism, Suzuki authored more than a hundred popular and scholarly works on the subject. A brilliant and intuitive scholar, Dr. Suzuki communicated his insights in a lucid and energetic fashion. Diasetz Teitaro Suzuki was born in Japan in 1870, received his philosophical training as a Buddhist disciple at the great Zen monastery at Kamakura, and was a distinguished professor of Buddhist philosophy at Otani University, in Kyoto, Japan. Dr. Suzuki dedicated his life to the study of Zen Buddhism and to the interpretation and effective†¦show more content†¦Where so many other men have failed, he has succeeded, and succeeded brilliantly. Suzuki was a master at teaching by example and anecdote, and this book is a good example of that technique. As he describes so well in An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, Suzu kis own realization of who he really was, his grasping of the fundamental principle of existence, came when he was only twenty-six years old. He had been studying Zen for some years but without much success, and was increasingly demoralized by his failure to reach the enlightenment he so fervently sought. Then, in 1896, he was selected by his renowned teacher, Soyen Shaku, to go to North America to help translate the classic text, the Tao Te Ching, into English. (Suzuki 54) The pressure of his imminent departure turned out to be what was needed. Suzuki realized that the Zen retreat scheduled for just before he was due to leave Japan might be his very last opportunity, in the immediate future at least, of solving the koan he was working on. Determined to solve the puzzle, he redoubled his efforts and threw all his energies into one final attempt to reach an understanding of the concept that had thus far eluded him. Up until then he had been conscious of the koan in his mind. Bu t to be conscious of Mu is to be separate from it. Towards the end of his stay at the ZenShow MoreRelatedZen Buddhism Essay1202 Words   |  5 PagesZen Buddhism was first introduced to China by a South- Indian man called Bodhidharma in around 520 CE. Bodhidharma, according to tradition, was a man so epic that he removed his own eyelids in order to win a staring contest with a rock wall (from his severed eyelids sprang tealeaves, and thus, the connection between Zen Buddhism and tea-drinking). The main teaching of Zen is that of zazen, or seated meditation, and that only through meditation and action, rather than cogitation, can one achieveRead MoreZen Buddhism And The Zen School1252 Words   |  6 PagesZen Buddhism originated from Chinese Ch’an Buddhism that was transmitted to Japan. The Zen school was known as one of the many Buddhist religion in Japan. In Japan, â€Å"Zen is defined as the â€Å"buddha mind,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the ultimate reality, or â€Å"emptiness,† of all things and the enlightened state, or knowledge of that reality, characteristic of a buddha† (Bielefeldt 1995: 198). Zen emphasizes on the insight into the Buddha-nature through seated meditation (zazen), meditation practice, and teacher-sudden interactionRead MoreZen Buddhism From Chinese Buddhism1195 Words   |  5 PagesZen Buddhism originated from Chinese Buddhism that was transmitted to Japan. The Zen school was known as one of the many Buddhist religion in Japan. In Japan, â€Å"Zen is defined as the â€Å"buddha mind,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the ultimate reality, or â€Å"emptiness,† of all things and the enlightened state, or knowledge of that reality, characteristic of a buddha† (Bielefeldt 1995: 198). Zen emphasizes on the insight into the Buddha-nature through seated meditation (zazen), meditation practice, and teacher-sudden interaction. ZazenRead MoreThe Mystic Tradition Of Zen Buddhism1487 Words   |  6 Pagesmystic tradition of Zen Buddhism and its various components. I have never thoroughly researched Zen Buddhism before engaging in the Spirituality and Research Methods class that is being taught by Professor Scott at Texas Tech University. Therefore a formal definition of Zen is a â€Å": Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation† (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2017). Additionally an article I examined articulated that Zen is the most recognizedRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Buddhism : Zen Buddhism855 Words   |  4 PagesThe quote comes from the story of a man who abandoned a ll he previously had in order to seek enlightenment and happiness through Zen Buddhism. In essence, he was trying to escape from the life of suffering he was currently living. He is receiving from harada-roshi what can be regarded as one of the core beliefs of the Buddhist religion. That is that every person has the ability to be a wise as the Buddha, but he can only achieve it through discipline. The Hindu term Moksha refers to the releaseRead MoreZen And Pure Land Buddhism1470 Words   |  6 PagesA brief comparison between Zen and Pure Land Buddhism, both of these are very popular amongst the Vietnamese community. The word Zen has been used many times in the West, due to the hard work of Japanese culture; Zen Buddhism does not have a strong influence as that of the Pure Land Buddhism. Also in the school of Zen, they reject claims of scriptural authority and embrace many different practices. Zen Buddhism rests on claims to an exclusive lineage that has been passed down from teacherRead MoreThe Common Themes Of Zen Buddhism1429 Words   |  6 PagesZen Buddhism can be fairly confusing to the average person; the teachings and stories may come across as arbitrary or nonsensical. However, do not let that deter you from getting to experience a religion that offers a highly different perspective of the world. The focus will be on analyzing some of the common themes of Zen Buddhism which is comprised in the â€Å"Zen Slogan† (associated with the First Patriarch). The phrase is: â€Å"a special transmission outside of the teachings not established upon wordsRead MoreBuddhism s Teachings On Zen Buddhism1591 Words   |  7 Pageshowever, differs depending on the perspective from which one views Buddhism. Dogen, in his teachings on Zen Buddhism, promotes the practice of zazen to reach enlightenment. Shinran and the Pure Land sect are devoted to Amida Buddha, who they believe will bring them to the Pure Land, and enlightenment. The ways espoused by Dogen and Shinran are similar in some aspects, but differing enough in others to warrant the separate sects of Buddhism in Japan. For the purposes of this examination, the two sectsRead MoreEssay on Following in the Ways of Zen Buddhism1396 Words   |  6 PagesFollowing in the Ways of Zen Buddhism I fell in love with the first Buddhist I ever met. That is to say I fell in love with a man who is a Buddhist. I, however, am not a Buddhist. I have faith in what I find to be right rather than committing to a religion that I would not wholeheartedly believe in. It would seem that a difference in our spiritual practices may be a strain on our relationship, but in truth our faith lies in similar areas. The biggest difference between us is thatRead MoreZen And Pure Land Buddhism1584 Words   |  7 Pages(Mahayana tradition). In East Asia, these teachings developed into ten different schools, several of which remain important to this day: Zen, Tantric and Pure Land (Li 4 April 2016). These schools of thought differ in many ways but also have overlapping similarities. In my essay, I will explain three underlying differences and similarities between Zen and Pure Land Buddhism and its relation to emptiness and compassion. The differences the reader will encounter will be the r ole of language, the role of practice