Eight Gates of Zen (eBook)

John Daido Loori (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2002 | 1. Auflage
304 Seiten
Shambhala (Verlag)
978-0-8348-2390-7 (ISBN)

Infos

Thisaccessible introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism includesa program of study that encompasses practically every aspect of life. TheAmerican Zen teacher John Daido Loori shows us that Zen practice should includenot only meditation, the study of Zen literature and liturgy, and moral andethical action, but should also manifest in work, artistic, and everydayactivities. The Eight Gates are: Zazen,a type of meditation described as 'sitting Zen'Face-to-facemeetings between teacher and studentAcademicstudy of the sutras related to Zen training, other schools of Buddhism,Buddhist history, psychology, and philosophyZenrites and rituals and their meaningThemoral and ethical requirements set in the Buddhist PreceptsArtpractice as an extension of Zen practiceBodypractice as an extension of Zen practiceWorkas an active function of zazen
Beautifullyillustrated with Loori's own photographs, this edition also includes a newintroduction and an updated reading list.

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This accessible introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism includes a program of study that encompasses practically every aspect of life. The American Zen teacher John Daido Loori shows us that Zen practice should include not only meditation, the study of Zen literature and liturgy, and moral and ethical action, but should also manifest in work, artistic, and everyday activities. The Eight Gates are:1. Zazen, a type of meditation described as "e;sitting Zen"e; 2. Face-to-face meetings between teacher and student 3. Academic study of the sutras related to Zen training, other schools of Buddhism, Buddhist history, psychology, and philosophy 4. Zen rites and rituals and their meaning 5. The moral and ethical requirements set in the Buddhist Precepts 6. Art practice as an extension of Zen practice 7. Body practice as an extension of Zen practice 8. Work as an active function of zazen Beautifully illustrated with Loori's own photographs, this edition also includes a new introduction and an updated reading list.

Textauszug

Introduction Inthe early sixties a number of Japanese Zen masters arrived in North Americacarrying the seeds of their twenty-five-hundred-year-old tradition to a new andfertile ground. Very quickly, these Eastern pioneers discovered they had theproblem of adapting an essentially monastic tradition to the needs of amajority of Western lay practitioners, and that they could not train their newAmerican students in the way that they themselves had been trained. WhenJapanese students arrive at a Zen temple or monastery, they already comesteeped in a background of Buddhist history and education. Those preparing forthe monastic life are usually born into a temple family and follow a parentallineage of monks and priests. They become ordained as novices at eleven yearsof age and begin their training by assisting in the home temple chores. Mostattend a Buddhist elementary school and then continue on to a Buddhistuniversity, where a high percentage of the students receive at least a Master'sdegree in Buddhism. Bythe time prospective novices enter into full-time, intensive monastic training,they already have completed a prolonged course of instruction in both Buddhistacademic studies and the elaborate ritual and ceremony of monastic life.Indeed, a prerequisite for entering a training monastery is to be familiar withthe ceremonial etiquette of a Zen temple. New trainees must have memorized—,andknow how to chant—,the sutras, the dharani, and other liturgical materials ofZen, most of which are written in Chinese. They must know how to wear themonastic robes, handle the ceremonial surplice, and make devotional offeringsto the Buddhist deities enshrined throughout the temple. Furthermore, they mustbe able to perform memorial rites, prepare and serve food for the formal meals,and minister to visiting lay practitioners. Membersof the lay sangha (community), on the other hand, provide financial aid orlabor to the temple and so derive merit for supporting the monastics in theirwork. The lay sangha's involvement in temple affairs revolves around thecelebration of Buddhist holidays, funerals, memorial services, and for some ofthe more devout, the receiving of the Buddhist precepts. The continuingpresence of Japanese lay practitioners who actually study and train with themonks is rare. As a result, the system of Japanese Zen training has retained alargely monastic form, just as it has in China and other Asian countries. Consequently,Japanese teachers in America faced the dilemma of how to adapt the teachings ofan ancient Buddhist religious tradition to a contemporary, non-Buddhistculture. Added to this were the cultural barriers that set a typicaltwenty-year old American in the sixties far apart from a Japanese of the sameage, particularly around the issue of relating to authority. One of the mainreasons Westerners were attracted to Eastern religions at the time was theirdisenchantment with what they perceived as the 'trappings' of theJudeo-Christian traditions. Their turning to Zen was often a turning away froma religious framework they found too constricting. Ironicallythough, the Judeo-Christian framework these students were trying to get awayfrom became the filter through which they assimilated—,and consequentlymisinterpreted—,the new religion of Zen. Liturgical services became identifiedwith worship, Buddhism with theology, and the Buddha as a deity. Buddhist termstook on Judeo-Christian connotations as Sanskrit words that had been used forthousands of years were translated into English. Dukkha,forexample, was translated as 'suffering,' but suffering is just one ofthe aspects of...

Produkt-Details

• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Buddhismus
• ISBN-10: 0-8348-2390-X / 083482390X
• ISBN-13: 978-0-8348-2390-7 / 9780834823907