The History and Growth of Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism is a practice that originated 2500 years ago in India. Breaking it down, Zen, also referred to as Zazen, means seated meditation and Buddha was the creator of this practice. It’s a way to find yourself and be aware while sitting on a cushion inside a dojo. Zen does not claim to be a theory, religion, or belief; but rather, an experience. The “true way” does not require someone to believe in certain things, but instead it tells them what not to think. Practicing Zen is so simple that many people think it is hard. You have to sit down, release all your thoughts, and focus purely on your posture and breathing. That is Zen.

The Buddha was born in the Lumbini woods, near what is now the Indian border. When he was twenty-nine he left his family and wealth to reach enlightenment after seeing people suffering. Buddhists refer to this as a turning point in history and call it “The Great Renunciation”. He traveled as a beggar and soon settled in Uruvela with five men who shared the same goal as he. Enlightenment consisted of meditating for 10 hours a day, eating very little rice, never talking, and very little sleep. Soon he collapsed and realized that this way would not give him enlightenment. He then created a way of life called “The Middle Life”. In front of a pipal tree the Buddha meditated for 49 days and at the age of 35 he is said to attained enlightenment. The suffering he witnessed created the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. He then returned to his father, wife, and son in his hometown. Someone of wealth paid for the construction of a monastery where the Buddha lived and taught. The Buddha died in what is now Nepal and his ashes were spread across the eight Buddhist temples around India.

The Four Noble Truths are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. The First Noble Truth is saying that there is such a thing as suffering. The Second Noble Truth says there is a cause to this suffering. In Buddhism the main cause of suffering is desire and ignorance. When you desire something so badly and you do not get it, that causes suffering as well as not being able to see the world clearly that you don’t grasp everything and thus anger, greed, hatred, and envy all come from ignorance. The Third Noble Truth is ending all ones suffering by reaching Nirvana. Once one has reached Nirvana you are free of suffering and have reached enlightenment. The Fourth Noble Truth is the steps that helped you reached Nirvana, known as the Noble Eightfold Path. The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path are Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.

Zen Buddhism isn’t as popular now in Modern Japan as it was back then. It had such a huge impact and has made history, but it seems to be falling in the East. However, it’s made its way to the West. Many people from the United States, Europe, and others practice Zen Buddhism. Japanese people feel like the Westerns will change the meaning of Zen Buddhism and ruin something that has helped many reach enlightenment. Matsunami, a monk who has spent time in the United States, says that there’s a different feel to Zen in the U.S. rather than in Japan saying, “American Zen practice is creative. They don't have meditation halls, traditions. They have to create everything. They have to sew cushions… and they have to turn the cow house into a zendo.” Others say that Zen Buddhism will have to adapt to other cultures and that it might be easier for Western people since they’re more lenient and they don't have to go through learning about Japanese culture.

Zen Buddhism is significant in the book Kokoro by Natsume Sōseki because during that time period it was largely practiced. It is also important to be able to understand the character of K because Zen Buddhism is usually transmitted from sensei to student. His ideals and aspiration are also intertwined with this practice by the way he thinks and tries to understand his feelings for Ojosan.