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Buddhism

Over a period of centuries different forms of Buddhism were introduced to or developed in China and made their way to Korea and Japan. Japan imported much from China. Now, most of these are found in Japan but in China Buddhism, along with all religion, is limited.

Pure Land (Jodo [pure land] Shin [faith] Shu [school]) - the way of faith

• Most popular form of Buddhism in Japan (7th cent. CE) and Vietnam.

• Believe in a "Western Paradise" (the "Pure Land" of the West) - a beautiful place to go when one dies (heaven, west is the setting sun - i.e., death) wherein Amida Buddha dwells. However, the Pure Land is not a "final resting place". The Pure Land is a temporary place where one further pursues one’s advancement to Buddhahood. Enlightenment is easier to achieve from the Pure Land than from our current life in this world.

• Primary practice is prayer, chanting the name of Amida Buddha (the Nembutsu: "Namu-Amida-Butsu"), proclaiming praise to Amida. Relies on faith in "other power" (the "saving grace" of Amida Buddha) rather than the "self-power" of meditation practices.

• Contemporary Jodo Shin Shu (especially in the west) is styled after Protestant churches with communal gathering, a minister who leads worship, offers a sermon type lesson, counsels people and runs a "Sunday school". The minister marries and has a family. 
  Visit a local Pure Land Buddhist temple: Ekoji Buddhist Temple

• Two forms of Pure Land Buddhism developed: 

• Honen (Jodo) taught use of the Nembutsu.

• Shinran (Shin) taught that faith alone was enough to receive grace from Amida, the faithful need do nothing, not even chanting Nembutsu.

Zen - the intuitive way of meditation

• Imported Dhyana (meditation) from India to China in 6th cent. where it was called Ch’an, imported to Japan in 12th cent. where it became "Zen".

• Relies on non-rational experience and "self-power" (in contrast to Pure Land).

• Seeks enlightenment as an individual, intuitive pursuit shunning the externals of religion: no institution, no ministers, no Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, no scriptures, no temples, no statues, no prayer, no asceticism, no rituals, no reason.

• Simply meditation under Zen Master (Roshi) at a Zendo (Zen retreat center, temple or monastery).

• Use of Koans to confound reason, to demonstrate the limitations of reason to arrive at enlightenment.
  Some examples of Zen Koans

• The goal of Zazen (sitting mediation) is to arrive at a flash of insight (Satori), to empty (sunyata) the mind so as to be receptive.

• Zen arts in Japan include the tea ceremony, flower arranging, gardens, calligraphy, archery. The beauty, simplicity and profundity of nature’s flow is preferred over human intention. In being open and empty, humans can channel and participate in the natural energies. (possibly influenced from Chinese *Taoism*)

• Two forms of Zen developed: 

• Rinzai focuses on Zazen and use of Koans

• Soto focuses on active meditation through aesthetic expression (e.g. walking meditation and sculpting of sand gardens)

What is Zen
(an animate comic that explains it all)

Explore some Zen stories

Have a virtual Zen experience (interactive)
(click "enter" when you get to the page)

Other sects:

T’ien-T’ai (Tendai in Japan) - the way of reason

• 6th cent. China, 8th cent. Japan

• in contrast to Zen, Tendai encourages philosophy and study of scriptures along with meditation techniques.

Shingon (8th cent) - the way of ritual and symbol

• Like Tendai, uses stages of meditation but includes use of symbolism including mantras, mudras, mandalas and rituals such as fire ceremony and anointing with water as an aid in attaining Buddhahood

Nichiren - the socio-political way

• A purely Japanese school founded by Nichiren in the 13th cent.

• Uses only the Lotus Sutra. Proclaiming the Lotus Sutra as the "final and perfect revelation of truth."

• Actively seeks converts and proclaims other forms of Buddhism to be wrong, adamantly promoting itself as the only true form of Buddhism.

• Due to this evangelical fundamentalism, Nichiren is controversial and a small, persecuted minority however...

• it is highly patriotic and loyal to Japan,

• and works actively for practical peace in this world, not just for spiritual peace in the individual.

• Several contemporary versions or sub-sects, including Soka Gakkai (Japanese lay movement) and Nichiren Shoshu (American monastic), are actually larger and more popular than the original Nichiren.