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Meditation within Zen Buddhism • The main aim is the sudden awakening of Buddha nature to enlightenment (satori) • This happens in an instant • It is the in – depth understanding and insight into the emptiness (sunyata) of all phenomena Meditation within Zen Buddhism • There are two main styles we need to concentrate on:• 1. Rinzai • 2. Soto Soto Meditation - intro • First introduced into Japan from China by the monk Eisai (1141 – 1215) and was successful with Samurai • Soto Zen had more popular appeal through Dogen who remains one of the greatest figures in Japanese Buddhism Soto Meditation - intro • As a Tendai Monk Dogen confronted the problem that if people already have a buddha nature why do they need to exert themselves in religious practice to attain buddhahood • He advocated a strict and simple life of monastic discipline and ZAZEN or sitting meditation Soto Meditation - intro • He used the Mahayana sutras to support the practice but he emphasised practices rather then study • He was impressed by the personal example of the historical Buddha and interestingly, under Dogen’s tradition, the Buddha became a more human like teacher again rather then a glorious heavenly figure Soto Meditation - intro • Dogen advocated zazen sitting meditation as a return to the true Buddhism of the Buddha and he criticised the Rinzai schools reliance on the koan as too focussed on mental processes • He encouraged a natural and straightforward method open to all and encompassing all other practices Soto Meditation – How does it work? • • • • • • • Posture is strictly defined Full lotus position Precise placing of all parts of the body Sit in zazen with constant awareness Have faith that you are already a buddha Engage in the process of ‘self forgetting’ Mokusho or silent illumination is good because it uses the koan sparingly Rinzai Meditation – Intro • Rinzai ( birth date unknown – died in 867) • He was noted for his more audacious forms of Zen training e.g. shouting, howling and beating methods! • Also for his dynamic exchanges between him as a master and his disciples centring on the koan Rinzai Meditation – Intro • Rinzai wanted the role of a master to bring about a crisis in a student called ‘The Great Doubt’ so that in a moment of realisation or ‘satori’, the student makes a great breakthrough • This enlightenment will then be evident in the students every activity whatever form it may take Rinzai Meditation – How does it work? • Rinzai emphasises seated meditation • It focuses on a koan (unanswerable riddle) • A student will then go through a first enlightenment experience known as kensho • He or she will wrestle mentally with the enigma of a koan Rinzai Meditation – How does it work? • Hakuin (1685 – 1768) revitalised Rinzai Buddhism • Haiku poems became part of the established focus for students whilst meditating • Maybe even a mondo ( a recorded collection of dialogues between a pupil and a rōshi or Zen Buddhist teacher) will be used as a technique So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? • Yes it is! – the focus is on the nature of consciousness as the ultimate source of truth and knowledge • The most powerful way of understanding consciousness and change is through meditation So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? • Meditation also gives clear understanding of one’s own nature and the ability to cultivate higher levels of consciousness and knowledge • Without meditation, one could argue that wisdom could not develop So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? • No it isn’t ! – The Buddhist path has many forms and aspects and for some traditions, the bodhisattvas are essential as well as rituals and chanting So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? • For all forms of Buddhism, morality is the essential basis of the faith • Without morality, human nature cannot develop in a positive way so this is clearly more essential to Buddhism than meditation.