Zen and Japanese civilization
Wednesday 17 September 2008
Proceedings of the conference "Zen and Japanese civilization: history of ambiguity" by François Macé, professor at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO)
Professor Macé first of all pointed out that in everyday language, being Zen means being relaxed or "cool". This expression comes from the Zen fashion adopted by "hippies" in the 60 years. For them, it seemed to fill their desire for freedom but it was a rather light and superficial vision.
German academics were at the forefront of interest in Zen practices, just as they had been in the process of translating Buddhist texts. In the 1960s, it had a certain intellectual snobbery.
The attraction of Zen is also associated with the martial arts: Zen is the chivalric art of archery and, in this current, the publication of texts as "the mystery of the immutable wisdom" reinforced this idea. If there has been a relationship between Zen and the martial arts, the first is not limited to the second.
Zen was introduced in France to 1967 for Sôtô school and 1974 for Rinzai school. Taisen Deshimaru arrived in 1967 founded soon after a dojo in Paris.
There are now lines of European and American masters.
Zen in Japan
First paradox:
The radiance and golden age of Zen Buddhism in Japan is the troubled period of the late Muromachi era and Momoyama era (14rd -16rd centuries). Warriors hold the upper hand and there is a war aesthetic.
Second paradox: Return to China.
Relations between Japan and China have always been complicated, and during the Heian era, Japan had distanced itself from its neighbor. However, at 13rd century, great monks will go to China to look for something new. The Eisai monk brings back the Zen Rinzai (absurd or paradoxical propositions) and Dogen, Zen Sôtô (empty meditation without object), two schools stemming from Chinese Chan Buddhism.
During the 13ème and XNIXXème centuries there was many exchanges between Chinese and Japanese monasteries.
Chinese monks will influence literary and philosophical texts. 13rd the 19rd century, Japanese literature is of Chinese influence (religious literature but also poems without obvious religious connotation).
The Confucian texts are part of the outer classics and are transmitted to Japan by the Zen monks.
The architecture of this era is also inspired by China.
Nevertheless, Zen culture is undoubtedly a great success of the Japanese spirit: the tea ceremony is a Japanese invention and Zen gardens of sand and stones do not exist in China.
During 17rd and 18rd centuries, it is thanks to Zen that Buddhism survives in Japan. In 1868, at the advent of the Meiji era, the introduction of Shintoism as a state religion will further marginalize Buddhism to 1945.
During the last war, the Japanese military used a caricature of Zen.
Third paradox:
One of the most attractive sides of Zen is its freedom: in Zen painting the characters are often hilarious; Hotei, a historical figure but considered a reincarnation of the Buddha, is represented with a round belly and a smug smile.
However, in Zen, the relationships between teacher and disciples are often hard.
If Zen hates everything that could be spiritual elevation and opts for a refusal of propriety, this often results in trivial representations.
At the time Muromachi, Ikkyu, superior of Daitoku-ji, wrote extraordinary poems "the collection of vagrant clouds" where it is question of characters who get drunk and who frequent the prostitutes.
At the same time the institutions of Zen Buddhism are rigid. Thanks to its pyramidal structure (Five Mountains system where five temples overshadow all others) it has been able to withstand political changes. Between the 14rd and the 16rd century, trade with China was done on boats belonging to Zen sects.
Scholars, the monks were advisers to political leaders.
Zen was created in response to Buddhist "Byzantine" commentaries in order to reach directly the truth. It can have a blasphemous aspect: the sutras do not matter.
Literary production is a transcript of the words of the Masters.
Fourth paradox: the aesthetic production.
The tea ceremony was born at the time Muromachi: it is a merchant, Sen no Rikyu, disciple of the temple Taikofu-ji who becomes the master of the style Wabi and enters the service of the Shoguns. It is he who creates the raku pottery style.
The Zen garden or dry garden of sand or chippings, moss and stones seems easy, but it is governed by very strict rules and the fifteen stones are chosen with care and must be placed at the right place.
For Zen painting, there is confusion between the pictorial production at the time of the blossoming of Zen and a style. In fact the most Zen painters are at the end of 18rd and the beginning of 19rd century. Like calligraphy, it is characterized by minimalism.
The garden or painting is by no means the object of meditation. All that is decoration can not be the heart of Zen.
Fifth paradox: freedom and constraint.
To bring to meditation there is a set of rules that codify all the moments of the life of a monk (in a Zen monastery there are five important buildings including kitchens and toilets).
Preparation or conditioning to meditation is done by reciting sutras.
For the Rinzai school, the koans are absurd or paradoxical propositions that the teacher poses and that the disciple must dissolve (rather than solve) in the emptiness of nonsense.
For the school Soto zazen (sitting meditation to practice awakening) is the awakening. Nevertheless enlightenment can not be a goal in itself ...
