Resin Statues :: Enlightenment

All things have a story...

Zen is often thought of as the “great way of enlightened experience.” Today two major schools of Zen exist: Soto and Rinzai. Both these schools are derived from the “school of sudden enlightenment” in southern China (school of Chan). The Japanese monk Dogen (1200-1253) founded the Soto school in 1236. He was ordained as a Tendai monk but after taking a trip to China to see the Ts’ao-tung school of Chan, he decided to convert. He formed the Japanese version when he returned to Japan and it became a popular school for Zen Buddhists. It consists mainly of Zazen, or sitting meditation. One must sit for several hours per day, often done in the morning and evening. Silence is an integral part of the Soto school, as they teach that words can conceal the true reality that is sought after.

The goal of meditation in the Soto school is to attain ultimate awareness with the universe and become one with it in essence. The second major school is Rinzai, which was initially developed by Eisai (1141-1215) in 1191. Eisai began his life as a Buddhist studying the Mahayana scriptures but became disillusioned with all the reading and chanting associated with it; he didn’t see how it was possible to reach enlightenment in those activities. So he decided to create the Rinzai school, which incorporates both Zazen and the koan (a paradoxical riddle that is used as a training device for the mind). The combination of meditation and the use of koans is called “sanzen.” One who practices diligently can reach enlightenment and be liberated from the wheel of life and death.

The distinguishing feature of the Rinzai school is the emphasis on achieving sudden enlightenment. The warrior class of Japan (the samurai) was very much attracted to Zen, and in the 20th century, the West took an interest in Zen, with the beat writers of the 1950s and 60s influenced by this centurys old philosophy. Today the word “Zen” is often over-used and the original teachings are often misconstrued. A few Zen monasteries scattered around the U.S. and Europe contain some authentic teachings, but for a true taste of Zen, Japan is still the place to go.