Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism

1. Influences

   • Chinese Culture
     • Confucianism
       • Developed by Confucius
       • Implemented in Chinese culture
       • The Six Relationships
         • One is inferior to the other
       • Society based on individuals as part of a community
     • Community
       • Similarities to the Sangha
   • Japanese Culture
     • Shinto
       • Nature
       • Shrines
       • Festivals
       • Nature Gods
     • Traditional Japanese Beliefs
       • Ancestor Worship
       • Customs
   • Mahayana Buddhism
     • Tathagatagharba
     • Yogacara
     • Madhyamaka

2. Origins of Zen

   • The Turning of the Lotus Flower
     • Only one Monk understood

3. Satori

   • Flashes of Satori
   • Occurs during mundane activities
     • Housework
     • Cleaning
   • Similar to Nirvana

4. Practices of the Zen Buddhist

   • Meditation
     • Rinzai
       • The Violent Way
         • Meditation that lasts a long time
     • Soto
       • The Calm Way
         • Peaceful meditation with absolute focus
   • Koans
     • Riddles
       • Given to the student from the master
       • Can be practiced over the course of much time
     • Development of the mind
       • Encourages flashes of Satori
   • Zen Art
     • Simple circles
       • All Zen Art is incredible simplistic yet time-consuming
   • All practice encourage the mind to focus

5. Similarities between various Buddhist denominations

   • Is based on Mahayana not Theravada
   • Pure Land
     • Chanting
     • Off-shoot of Mahayana
   • Mahayana Buddhism
     • Boddhisattva Doctrine
       • For the benefit of all, not just the self
       • Rebirths continue after enlightenment
         • Until everyone has reached enlightenment
     • The Three Philosophical Schools
       • Inner Buddha nature
       • No independence
       • All the same; no-one is unique

6. Is Zen Buddhism really Buddhist at all?

   • Too extreme to be Buddhist
     • Rinzai
       • An elimination of the middle way
         • Therefore an elimination of the centre point of Buddhist belief
   • No focus on key beliefs
     • Forgets the doctrine of no soul and impermanence
     • Barely mentions Boddhisattva
     • Only mentions Satori; no Nirvana
       • Therefore no Four Noble Truths
     • More in common with Confucianism and Shinto