Zen Buddhism's Revolution

Zen Buddhism's Revolution

Seated Amitabha, c. 12-13th Century
Located in Tokyo National Museum

Buddhism was brought to Japan by Korean and Chinese monks after Korean kings gifted the Japanese emperor a statue of Buddha. The form of Buddhism that was brought over was Pure Land Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect. Pure Land Buddhism taught that Shakyamuni Buddha was the first of many Buddhas, and he delivered sutras. Buddha Amitabha was an earthly king that gave up his kingdom to become a monk, eventually ruling over the Pure Land of the west- Sukhavati. Buddha Amitabha is one of the most popular Buddhas because his kingdom welcomed “all beings who trusted themselves to him with sincere devotion” (Bresnan 387). 

When Buddhism was brought to Japan, it was embraced and integrated into the culture. Shinto and Buddhism affected each other, changing and bringing new ideas to Japanese culture. 

When Pure Land Buddhism began to die down, Buddhists monks began to seek out methods to reinvigorate Japanese Buddhism. When the monk Eisai traveled to China, he learned about Linji (Rinzai) Buddhism. This form of Zen Buddhism focused on self-discipline and self-reliance, which spoke “right to the heart of the samurai” (Bresnan 492). This led to the association of Rinzai Buddhism with the upper class, the aristocracy. 

Portrait of Zen Master Dogen Zenji
c. 1253

Soto Zen, the sect associated with the common people, was founded by Dogen Zenji as an offshoot of Rinzai Buddhism. It focused more on sitting meditation (zazen), seeking to see into one’s nature and fully grasp the moment. 

Aside from the religious aspect, Zen Buddhism also inspired an art movement. Zen art is characterized by its “emphasis on simplicity and naturalness and… ‘disciplined spontaneity’” (Bresnan 519). Sumi-e is black ink painting using a “finely tapered soft brush…, long pieces of finely made white paper…, and black ink that [could be] mixed with water for different shades and textures” (Bresnan 519). Sumi-e exemplified the “‘disciplined spontaneity’” of Zen Buddhism within its technique: “Brush stroke[s] must be completely spontaneous and without analytical thought… a few well-executed strokes are all that the artist needs to capture the essence of the subject” (Bresnan 519). 

Zen Buddhism became its own religious movement, reinvigorating Japanese Buddhism for centuries. Both aristocrats and common people were able to adapt Zen Buddhism into their daily lives, even practicing it alongside Shinto practices. Zen Buddhism inspired a religious and artistic movement in Japan, creating a new facet of Japanese culture- a revolution. 

Sumi-e Art by Shoto Sato
2010

Works Cited

“Category:Dōgen Zenji.” Wikimedia Commons, Artanisen, 22 Aug. 2021, 00:18, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:D%C5%8Dgen_Zenji.

Sandrey, Diccon. “Sumi-E: All You Need to Know about Japanese Ink Painting.” Japan Objects, Japan Objects, 3 July 2020, japanobjects.com/features/sumie.

“Seated Amitabha.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seated_Amida_Nyorai_(Amitabha),_Kamakura_period,_12th-13th_century,_wood_with_gold_leaf_and_inlaid_crystal_eyes_-_Tokyo_National_Museum_-_DSC05345.JPG.

“Zen Buddhism.” Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought, by PATRICK S. BRESNAN, 5th ed., Routledge, 2018, pp. 485–528.