The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan — John Shaqi
The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and JapanNukariya, Kaiten
Religion
The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan
Nukariya, Kaiten
Buddhism -- China; Buddhism -- Japan; China -- Religion; Human beings -- Origin; Japan -- Religion; Zen Buddhism
We are not, however, doing justice to the tendency of amalgamation in
these times simply to blame it for its obnoxious results, because it
is beyond doubt that it brought forth wholesome fruits to the Chinese
literature and philosophy. Who can deny that this tendency brought
the Speculative[FN#64] philosophy of the Sung dynasty to its
consummation by the amalgamation of Confucianism with Buddhism
especially with Zen, to enable it to exercise long-standing influence
on society, and that this tendency also produced Wang Yang
Ming,[FN#65] one of the greatest generals and scholars that the world
has ever seen, whose philosophy of Conscience[FN#66] still holds a
unique position in the history of human thought? Who can deny
furthermore that Wang's philosophy is Zen in the Confucian
terminology?
[FN#64] This well-known philosophy was first taught by Cheu Men Shuh
(Shu-mo-shiku, died in 1073) in its definite form. He is said to
have been enlightened by the instruction of Hwui Tang, a contemporary
Zen master. He was succeeded by Chang Ming Tao (Tei-mei-do, died in
1085) and Chang I Chwen (Tei-i-sen, died in 1107), two brothers, who
developed the philosophy in no small degree. And it was completed by
Chu Tsz (Shu-shi, died in 1200), a celebrated commentator of the
Confucian classics. It is worthy to note that these scholars
practised Meditation just as Zen monks. See 'History of Chinese
Philosophy' (pp. 215-269), by G. Nakauchi, and 'History of
Development of Chinese Thought,' by R. Endo.
[FN#65] He was born in 1472, and died in 1529. His doctrine
exercised a most fruitful influence on many of the great Japanese
minds, and undoubtedly has done much to the progress of New Japan.
[FN#66] See Den-shu-roku and O-ya-mei-zen-sho.
CHAPTER II
HISTORY OF ZEN IN JAPAN
1. The Establishment of the Rin Zai[FN#67] School of Zen in Japan.
[FN#67] The Lin Tsi school was started by Nan Yoh, a prominent
disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, and completed by Lin Tsi or Rin Zai.
The introduction of Zen into the island empire is dated as early as
the seventh century;[FN#68] but it was in 1191 that it was first
established by Ei-sai, a man of bold, energetic nature. He crossed
the sea for China at the age of twenty-eight in 1168, after his
profound study of the whole Tripitaka[FN#69] for eight years in the
Hi-yei Monastery[FN#70] the then centre of Japanese Buddhism.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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