Blog Entry #6 : Telling the Story of Buddhism in Japan

Rinzai and Soto Buddhism, which would focus
on Zen 

    In chapter 19 entitled "Zen Buddhism", Bresnan talks about how Buddhism had transported to Japan where it had flourish into Zen-oriented Buddhism. A Tendai scholar-monk named Myoan Eisai would attempt to reform and integrate Buddhism into his own called "school of the Buddha mind" although he claimed to still be a Tendai monk (Bresnan 490). 

    This would create two of the most popular Zen Buddhism practiced in Japan known as Rinzai and Soto Buddhism (Bresnan 491). Rinzai Buddhism would seem to be favored by the ruling class and the government while Soto Buddhism catered to the common and working class people. 

The Rinzai Zen Sangha

The first part of question 4 asks, "Why do you suppose that the samurai aristocracy in Japan took so fervently to Rinzai Buddhism?".

    Rinzai Buddhism was favored by the government and the emperor's court because of this it was evident that it would appeal to the ruling class as well (Bresnan 491). The ruling class in Japan during this time was a warrior nobility, the samurai who would use the Rinzai Monasteries "which men trained from time to time in the disciplines of  Zen" (Bresnan 492). 

    The samurai class would take liking to the teachings of Rinzai Buddhism "with its emphasis on simple virtues, self-discipline and self-reliance" as it would correlate with the tradition of the samurai known as "bushido" (Bresnan 492).

 Bushido being the "way of the warrior" would emphasize basic virtues such as protection of the weak and respect for traditional institutions. 

The second part of question 4 asks, "For that matter, why did they not feel just as fervent about Soto?".

The samurai class would not feel fervent about Soto because as it also catered to the working class Soto Buddhism seemed to have been ridiculed by how much it emphasized meditation (or known as zazen). Although Rinzai Buddhism also focused on zazen, it would become the main focus for Soto Buddhism. 

    Rinzai Buddhism would practice a stylized manner of koan contemplation which are questions that defies rational answers believed to help achieve enlightenment. Rinzai Buddhism which took a dynamic and energetic approach to zen caught the attention of the samurai ruling class compared to Soto Buddhism which took more of a contemplative approach (Bresnan 497). 

    

Works Cited 

Bresnan, Patrick. Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018. 

O'Brien, Barbara. “What Is Linji Chan Buddhism?” Learn Religions, Learn Religions, 8 Mar. 2017, https://www.learnreligions.com/linji-chan-rinzai-zen-buddhism-449941. 

Blog Entry #5: Telling the Story of the Silk Road

The Silk Road, How Buddhism 

spread along the Silk Road

   

    Something that I learned that was in the text Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought by Bresnan that was not in the video The Silk Road: Where East Met West is the flourishment of Buddhism in Changnan, now known as Xian and its survival to current times (Bresnan 379). Learning this information has changed my perception on the value of religion amongst human society and how it can be a timeless concept. 

The Silk Road, established during the 

Han Dynasty of China in 130 BCE 

which lasted until 1453 CE

In the text Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought by Bresnan goes more in depth with the travel of Buddhism through the Silk Road in comparison to the video.

     In the text, Bresnan states that Buddhism had established and flourished in the Xian region for centuries before it came to an end. 

    Buddhist monasteries were also established containing various Buddhist art and scholarship, many that were homes to monks.     Although coming to an end after more than a millennium years these monasteries were discovered once more making the once-thriving Buddhist culture a revived one in China (Bresnan 379).  

    Something that is interesting about the topic is that Buddhism was able to resurface as something completely new although it had been practiced for centuries. Although it was that a part of the distant past it was not looked down upon but rather it was of high value and provided "new" information that would trigger the cycle once more as fragments of the translated Pali Canon from the second century CE reemerge.   

Works Cited 

Bresnan, Patrick. Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018. 

How Did Buddhism Spread along the Silk Road - YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLpaugzqqug. 

Mark, Joshua J. “Silk Road.” World History Encyclopedia, World History Encyclopedia, 11 Nov. 2021, www.worldhistory.org/Silk_Road/#:~:text=The%20Silk%20Road%20was%20a%20network%20of%20ancient,Routes%20%27%2C%20though%20%27Silk%20Road%27%20is%20commonly%20used. 

Blog Entry #4: Telling the Story of Daoism and and Confucianism

Symbols that are used for
Taoism/Daoism and Confucianism.

  In the text Awakening: An introduction to the History of Eastern Thought, Bresnan goes over the two non-Buddhist religions Confucianism and Daoism in chapters 13 and 14. 

  Although these two religions are not related to Buddhism they were able to act as support factors in developing it. Both  Confucianism and Daoism believed that "restoring humantity's proper harmony within the natural order" is the most important matter although they would differ in the way to achieve it (Bresnan 338). 

Philosopher Confucius

In chapter 13 question #2 asks, "What did Confucius mean by saying that human society had gotten out of harmony with the larger natural order that it is a part of? Would you say the same thing is true today? How so?" 

    When Confucius said that human society had gotten out of harmony with the larger natural order it meant people had lost touch with nature.As people are also nature Confucius thought that people should not be in conflict with nature.

     He believed that "evil and selfish acts are a corruption of the innate tendency of man's nature to be in harmony with the universal order" therefore the only solution would be a society that is properly led and properly ordered (Bresnan 308).

    I would agree with Confucius that people are indeed not one with nature in fact we are actually destroying it, literally. The causation would be because of selfish acts as one does not think for all but only for their own benefit. 

In chapter 14 question #3 asks, "How does the Daoist Superior Person differ from the Confucian Superior Man? Do they have anything at all in common? Which one do you find more appealing? Why?"

    To be the Daoist Superior Person one must first be in full harmony with Dao which essentially means that of "not forcing" but instead going with the flow (Bresnan 340). Achieving harmony with Dao one's life must then be an embodiment of "wu wei, who cares nothing about fame and fortune " (Bresnan 341). 

The person who fulfills both these principles would be that of whom Daoists would consider to be a Superior Person. Differing from the Confucian Superior Man, the Daoist Superior Person is "completely natural and goes with the flow of life without excessively trying to control it" (Bresnan 342).

 The Confucian Superior Man would show contradiction as its goal to reach harmony is that of which is not natural. Confucian believed that the new ruling elite would not be based on birth and wealth but instead on demonstrated knowledge and compassion (Bresnan 346). The Daoists believed that people are neither good or evil and so stating that man is "good" it necessarily gives rise to "evil" (Bresnan 346).   

Although there are differences both the Daoist Superior Person and the Confucian Superior Man shares the same goal that of which to be one with nature in harmony. I find the Daoist Superior Person more appealing because it emphasizes the awareness that there is always a balance to something. It provides a more open philosophy compared to the Confucian Superior Man.  

More about the Daoist Yin-Yang symbol

Works Cited 

Bresnan, Patrick. Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018.

“Confucianism Symbols and Their Meanings.” Symbol Sage, 16 June 2021, symbolsage.com/confucianism-symbols-meaning/.  

The Hidden Meanings of Yin and Yang - John Bellaimey - YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezmR9Attpyc.