An essential reference for all zen studentspractitioners this book along with its companion volume zen buddhism. Zen buddhism is a mixture of indian mahayana buddhism and taoism. A history was translated from the german two decades ago. Eihei dogen 12001253, founder of the soto school of zen buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of japan. Zen buddhist ideas and practices in many ways are unique within the study of religion, and. The mystical element in early buddhism and hinayana mysticism within mahayana the mahayana. Originally published in german in 1959, this book has become the classic introduction into the study of zen history.
A history india and china, it does offering an extensive overview of the rise and development of zen in japan. Unsui, zenmonks, are expected to become familiar with the classics of the zen canon. One of my favorites, the book that led me to zen, is peter matthiessens the snow leopard, which won the national book. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. A history of japanese buddhism xii japanese calendar since the 1 january 1873, japan has used the gregorian calendar. Heinrich dumoulin 190595, was a jesuit priest and missionary who was sent to japan in 1935. Zen, chinese chan, korean son, also spelled seon, vietnamese thien, important school of east asian buddhism that constitutes the mainstream monastic form of mahayana buddhism in china, korea, and.
The sect known as chan was the creation of buddhist monk bodhidharma, who came from india and later settled in china. The author explores the origins of zen, from its roots in the buddhist and yoga. List of books and articles about buddhism in japan online. Specifically focusing upon the development of zen in japan. The book meticulously documents zen buddhisms support of japanese militarism from the time of the meiji restoration through the world war ii and the postwar period. Japan nanzan studies in religion and culture heinrich dumoulin, james w. The book understanding japanese buddhism was published at the occasion of the 12th general conference of the world fellowship of buddhists, held in tokyo and kyoto in 1978, to make japanese. Zen buddhism and its influence on japanese culture by daisetsu teitaro suzuki. The forms of buddhism that emerged at that time pure. In this second volume of his classic history, one of the wor. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider buddhism one of the. His writings have been studied by zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork,shobo genzoortreasury of the true dharma eye. In my introduction to zen buddhism published 1934, an outline of zen teaching is sketched, and in the training of the zen monk 1934 a description of the meditation hall and its life is given.
I already had dumoulins book on india and china, so i knew what i was getting. A history japan is an extensive, indepth, scholarly, superbly written and presented resource and reference, intended especially for scholars, historians, and students of zen buddhism due to its thorough detail. A history japan treasures of the worlds religions volume 2 dumoulin. As a sect of buddhism that places great emphasis on intuition outside of conscious thought, japanese zen buddhism has. Prior to that a lunisolar calendar was in use, similar to that used in china. Zen buddhism and its influence on japanese culture open. Ryoanji is a temple located in north kyoto, japan affiliated with a branch of zen buddhism. Not forgetting the word that is the key to it all, zen.
After furnishing the reader with an overview of the spiritual landscape of the japan during the time of its incorporation of zen. Nevertheless, zen is often pictured as antiintellectual. Buddhism was introduced in japan in the 8th century ce during the nara period 710794 and the heian period 7941185. A history japan is the new edition of volume two of zen scholar dumoulins classic twovolume reference of the history of zen. Accounts of buddhism in the early society of jesus. It ranks with the various pure land schools as one of the. Zen is the japanese form of the sanskrit word dhyana, meditation, and is a school of buddhism which has had significant impact in japan and europe and america. It began in china, spread to korea and japan, and became very popular in the west from the mid 20th century. Buddhism has had a long and illustrious history in japan, but it was in the kamakura period that buddhism in japan came into full flower. William m bodiford the soto school is the largest buddhist organisation in modern japan. In this extract professor dumoulin looks at how the early christian missionaries saw zen and reveals their ambivalent feelings towards it.
It describes the influence of state policy on buddhism in japan, and particularly the influence of zen on the military of the empire of japan. Since the adoption of the gregorian calendar, three different systems for counting years have or had been used in japan. This book offers a detailed account of the history, development, ideas and image of the zen school of mahayana buddhism. The great kyoto school philosopher looks at zen and asks the question.
In the forty years since its original publication, zen mind, beginners mind has become one of the great modern zen classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book. Japan g reference,information and interdisciplinary subjects series nanzan studies in religion and culture volume 2 of treasures of the worlds religions volume 2 of zen buddhism. Brief history of buddhism in japan learn religions. Filmmaker andrew bush conducts a personal investigation into the two main religions of japan. In the form of meditation practiced by this school. The first few chapters are arduous and dense as it explains the foundations of vedic. By the 12th century, zen buddhism was a dominant form of buddhism in japan. Japanese calendar since the 1 january 1873, japan has used the gregorian calendar. Professor hori is also the author of several books on buddhism as well as the. This book tells about the history of zen in china and japan. See all 8 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. A cultural history of japanese buddhism by william e. Dumoulin not only introduces the imposing personalities of zen buddhism, among them shakyamuni, huineng, and linchi, but also discusses the various expressions of zen in the art and culture of india and. Zen was not introduced as a separate school in japan until the 12th century during the kamakura period 118533, when nonin established the first zen school known as the darumaschool.
This book is of a historical nature and is intended to give readers a faithful account of the historical development of zen buddhism. The books emphasis on the other side of zen the thousands of small temples spread across japan is a welcome balance to william bodifords soto zen in medieval japan, which focuses on monastery zen and famous monks. A lot has happened since then, including a continuing explosion of interest in zen in. Discover librarianselected research resources on buddhism in japan from the questia online library, including fulltext online books. Aside from meditation, the mahayana schools of buddhism created other forms. Meditation is the core of zen buddhism and, in theravada buddhism, is considered the only way to liberation. The story of zen in japan begins with eisai 1141 to 1215, a monk who left his studies at mount hiei to study chan buddhism in china. Buddhism is a religion that was founded by siddhartha gautama the buddha more than 2,500 years ago in india.
Zen buddhism is a school of mahayana buddhism that originated in china during the tang dynasty, then known as the chan school, and later developed into various schools both in china and. The book grew out of suzukis 1914 publications for the japanese journal new east. The first eight chapters are about zen in china and the later eight. The followers of zen buddhism pursued enlightenment or awakening by means of selfintrospection and personal. Five stars for people with a strong interest in zen in japan during the medieval period. A concise history of zen from the buddha to the modern world shambhala, 2020 is, i believe, the first englishlanguage history of zen to be published since heinrich dumoulins twovolume zen buddhism. There have been further findings since he wrote zen buddhism. The scholarly answer to that question is that zen is a school of mahayana buddhism that emerged in china about 15 centuries ago. Zen buddhism arrived in japan as early as the 7th century, but did not develop significantly there until the 12th century. A history japan is the new edition of volume two of zen scholar. Top 10 books on zen buddhism watkins mind body spirit.
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