Zen-Behind Japanese Culture

John EINARSEN

Many foreigners who visit Japan have an interest in some aspects of Japanese culture, whether it be sumo or sake, bonsai or geisha. However, not much is known about Zen, a philosophy that is gaining popularity worldwide and said to be at the heart of Japanese culture. While Zen has created an original culture in architecture, cuisine, calligraphy, painting, haiku and other arts, it is most obviously evident in the tea ceremony.

Everything is as it Is
The heart of Zen, if put into words, amounts to "everything is as it is." Many events occur in our lives, both good and bad. Zen advocates that one has to accept all these feelings as they are. For example, say you have a sore stomach and you think it may be cancer. Through Zen rationale, the result will be unchanged whether you worry or not. The situation literally is as it is.

However, intellectual comprehension of this philosophy does not prevent humans from naturally worrying. Zen deals with this contradiction through the maxim that if you want to worry, go ahead and worry. This is the only practical solution to the dichotomy. As you worry, you may come to see yourself objectively and gain understanding of your situation.

Zen is said to be a path to satori, a state of intellectual enlightenment. However, considering satori to be the end of the road is also viewed askance. Even the most distinguished person has faults and blemishes. Lust to drink, hopes for longevity - we each have our own desires. Zen explains that returning from the world of satori, one had to live in the strata of everyday life. To struggle with life is the natural lot of human beings.

Zen originated in India, was cultivated in China and reached fruition in Japan. While Zen could be called a religion, with no deity to worship, a philosophy would probably be a more accurate description. Although no longer widely practiced in India and China, it is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. Many men and women from everyday walks of life, young and old alike, visit Zen temples for short retreats in pursuit of peace of mind.

Zen meditation - a unique offering from Kyoto to the World
Kyoto resident John EINARSEN's recently published book "Zen and Kyoto" takes readers on an armchair ride through Zen culture in Kyoto. This bilingual guide to Zen describes in detail the history of Zen, temples, gardens, words, and practical tips for practicing Zazen (seated meditation). Descriptions of how Zen has been integrated into various aspects of Japanese culture such as kendo, tea and haiku, are also included.

What was it about Zen that captured John's interest? "I was attracted by Zen aesthetics, and still am," he says. "Spontaneity, tranquility, silence, simplicity, naturalness, freedom, profound mystery. Many people are attracted to Zen because it offers an alternative to Western ways of thought that have lost meaning and connectedness to the real world. Certainly the world is now full of unthinking reactions, agendas, greed, fear - Zen cuts through all that.”

Zen, John believes, is deeply connected to being sincerely open-hearted to what is in front of you now. After having practiced Zen at a Soto Zen temple in Hokkaido, he believes Zen meditation is something unique that the city of Kyoto can offer visitors. "The city and temples could do more to develop this as a more meaningful kind of "tourism" (provide meditation seminars and cheap housing for young people, for example). And this would be a meaningful cross-cultural experience," he says.

What motivated John to write "Zen and Kyoto" - "There is so much Buddhist culture here that all thesects and their differences tend to blur into each other, and the result is confusion for the visitor," he says. "This book is a way of setting one group of temples apart and focussing on what they are about - their priests, history, architecture and art."

"I believe Kyoto is a very special place." he says. "Its history and culture attract people interested in philosophy and the arts from all over the world, so it is a kind of crossroads. Kyoto is small and informal, and so it is easy to meet people. A simple walk through a temple complex or time spent on an engawa (verandah) overlooking a garden with a friend has a way of stimulating the mind. It is a very engaging environment, but without the speed, faceless crowds, and pushiness of a big city."

"One of the greatest developments in the history of Japan was when Zen took root in Kyoto in the 1200s. It was to influence Japanese culture for the next 800 years. And one of the great religious developments of our time has been the transmission of Zen (and other Buddhist sects) to the West during the last half of the 20th century. The great Zen temples in Kyoto are now just mere shadows of their former selves, but one can still get a sense, a slight glimpse, of what they once represented. I hope readers will be able to gain an appreciation of the beauty of some of these temples through the photographs as well," he says.

Readers can purchase "Zen and Kyoto" at large Japanese bookstores, including Maruzen and Kinokuniya. Published by Uniplan Co., Inc.

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