Buddhism: Dhyana = Zen

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Buddhism Dhyana Zen
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Questions

• --Write down the Japanese terms you find in the
  reading, and be ready to explain their
  meaning.--At first sight, this text might not
  sound "religious" in a Christian or Islamic
  sense. How would you define its "religious"
  characteristics? What is "religious" about
  it?--Relate the reading to some of the ideas
  that have been already discussed in class.--What
  is the role and function of the Master? Why is
  he/she necessary for the progress of the
  student?--How would you define the relationship
  between "art" and "nature" in flower arrangement?
  In what ways is this art distinct from Western
  and Middle-Eastern artistic practices?

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THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS of BUDDHISM

• The Nature of Suffering (Dukkha)"Now this ...
  is the noble truth of suffering birth is
  suffering, aging is suffering, illness is
  suffering, death is suffering union with what is
  displeasing is suffering separation from what is
  pleasing is suffering not to get what one wants
  is suffering in brief, the five aggregates
  subject to clinging are suffering."Suffering's
  Origin (Samudaya)"Now this ... is the noble
  truth of the origin of suffering it is this
  craving which leads to renewed existence,
  accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight
  here and there, that is, craving for sensual
  pleasures, craving for existence, craving for
  extermination." Suffering's Cessation
  (Nirodha)"Now this ... is the noble truth of
  the cessation of suffering it is the
  remainderless fading away and cessation of that
  same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of
  it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it."The Way
  (Marga) Leading to the Cessation of
  Suffering"Now this ... is the noble truth of
  the way leading to the cessation of suffering it
  is the Noble Eightfold Path that is, right view,
  right intention, right speech, right action,
  right livelihood, right effort, right
  mindfulness, right concentration."

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The Sermon of the Flower

• Toward the end of his life, the Buddha took his
  disciples to a quiet pond for instruction. As
  they had done so many times before, the Buddhas
  followers sat in a small circle around him, and
  waited for the teaching.
• But this time the Buddha had no words. He reached
  into the muck and pulled up a lotus flower. And
  he held it silently before them, its roots
  dripping mud and water.
• The disciples were greatly confused. Buddha
  quietly displayed the lotus to each of them. In
  turn, the disciples did their best to expound
  upon the meaning of the flower what it
  symbolized, and how it fit into the body of
  Buddhas teaching.
• When at last the Buddha came to his follower
  Mahakasyapa, the disciple suddenly understood. He
  smiled and began to laugh. Buddha handed the
  lotus to Mahakasyapa and began to speak.
• What can be said I have said to you, smiled the
  Buddha, and what cannot be said, I have given to
  Mahakashyapa.
• Mahakashyapa became Buddhas successor from that
  day forward.

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Scripture Matthew 624-34 (Luke 1224-27) 24

• "No one can serve two masters for either he will
  hate the one and love the other, or he will be
  devoted to the one and despise the other.  You
  cannot serve God and mammon. 25 "Therefore I tell
  you, do not be anxious about your life, what you
  shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your
  body, what you shall put on. Is not life more
  than food, and the body more than clothing? 26
  Look at the birds of the air they neither sow
  nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your
  heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more 
  value than they? 27 And which of you by being
  anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28
  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider
  the lilies of the field, how they grow they
  neither toil nor spin 29 yet I tell you, even
  Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one
  of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of
  the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is
  thrown into the oven, will he not much more
  clothe you, O  men of little  faith? 31 Therefore
  do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat?'
  or What shall we drink?' or What shall we
  wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things
  and your heavenly Father knows that you need them
  all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his
  righteousness, and all these things shall be
  yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious
  about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for
  itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient
  for the day.

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Bashos Haiku

• When I look carefullyI see the nazuna
  bloomingBy the hedge.

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Eugen and Gustie Herrigel
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Prepared Questions

• --Write down the Japanese terms you find in
  the reading, and be ready to explain their
  meaning.--At first sight, this text might not
  sound "religious" in a Christian or Islamic
  sense. How would you define its "religious"
  characteristics? What is "religious" about
  it?--Relate the reading to some of the ideas
  that have been already discussed in class.--What
  is the role and function of the Master? Why is
  he/she necessary for the progress of the
  student?--How would you define the relationship
  between "art" and "nature" in flower arrangement?
  In what ways is this art distinct from Western
  and Middle-Eastern artistic practices?

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• Art for arts sake?
• The problem about writing on Zen flower
  arrangement?
• What is the heart ? Heart to heart?
• Explain the principle of Three.
• The zero of ones being ?
• The role of the small and the unassuming.

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Chinese Character for King Wang
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• 7-8 Much depends on your being able to feel how
  the branch accomodates itself most willingly,
  thus entering into a relationship of inner
  tension with it. () Only when you have done
  everything correctly will the branch, quite
  effortlessly and without subsequent correction,
  acquire its form, as if it had grown like that by
  itself.

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The Keys

• Sayings of the Master
• You should seek the outward form from inside
• What are the implications of this saying for
  religion and for the arts in general?

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Ikebana
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Summary of Important Passages

• Pp. 71-73 Of the ten virtuesexceptional
  phenomenon.
• Pp. 81-84 Japan is knownbright-green leaves.
• Pp.88-90 It is just the completebeyond itself.
• Pp.106-109 The Tea Ceremony.
• Pp. 117-118 When one studiesfrom the world.
• Pp.122-124 Stages of Knowledge