P1+Zen,+Monks+and+Nuns

Tylor M. Mary M.
 * Meditation: Zen Monks and Nuns

Introduction **

Meditation, Zen, nuns, and monks are very important to Japan, because they are japans faith. A faith is very important to people, some have no faith but others worship their own. Meditation is part of the Buddhist faith, and a key element. It keeps peace and enlightenment within reach. In Japan it is very special to reach Nirvana and find the meaning of life. Zen is also a type of faith; Zen believes in meditation, and is the most popular Buddhist religion. It is very special to the people of Japan, and is many people’s one and only faith. This faith involves following Buddha. The nuns and monks are followers of this religion and are a necessity to the culture. All of these things are very important.

Meditation Buddhist meditation is very important to Japans religion and shows the art of relaxation and clarity. To reach a clear mind and Nirvana, one must learn to meditate. Buddha was instructed in meditation by the intinerent holy men, who were his first teachers. To learn advanced meditation Buddha followed an experienced mentor. The two key elements to meditation are: concentration and insight. Also you must develop mindfulness. In the eightfold path right concentration refers to practicing the trance meditation called Samadahi. Buddha himself was taught this, an intense concentration on an object of meditation leads to a state of one-piontedness. In this, the duality of self and other begin to dissolve. There is sometimes a risk in this that the person practicing it can become attached to his blissful state of mind, and this will take him away from Nirvana. Insight meditation called Vipashana is the most important thing in this form of mind, this was developed by Buddha. This form of meditation is used to discipline the mind and keeping a profound clarity of the nature of reality. The Vipashyana meditation starts with the mediator finding a comfortable place to be seated such as a cushion on the floor in the lotus position, or the half lotus with only on foot on the thigh and beginners can sit with their backs straight in a chair. When the eyes are closed the person begins to focus the mind on the phenomenon of breathing. A lot of teachers teach people to focus on the sensation of the in breath and the out breath right below the nostrils. The person is quick to observe the uncomfortable bodily sensations. You can tell by looking at any continues diaphragm movements or ever chan stram of thoughts about other distracting thoughts. Overall mediation is a relaxing sport important to Buddhism.

Zen Buddhism

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One form of Buddhism called ch'an which began in China in the 6th century, which was brought to Japan by Eisai a traveling monk. In Chinese Ch'an means meditation but it became Zen in Japanese. Zen is best known in the west as a Japanese version of Buddhism======

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The main feature of Zen is to discover the essential Buddha-nature which is present in every one and thing. The basic Buddhist world view includes Karma, Nations of rebirth and the organization of the cosmos ranging from Buddhist hells up to the celestial realms.======

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Zen has a unique style of teaching because they use riddles and stories to help people understand Buddha nature. Zen Buddhism temples and even homes of Buddhist monks have gardens with an arrangement of rocks and sand racked into abstract patterns. This is so the atmosphere is perfect for Zen monks to meditate. Zen scholars take calligraphy very serious======

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In Zazen meditation it is important to clear your mind and sit with your legs crossed in the lotus position and sometimes face a blank wall. Zen Buddhism started in Japan in the thirteenth century, coming from Japan and formalized in china and in china called Chan. This was accepted in Japan especially by the samurai class.======

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Buddhists believe in being born over and over again, and that the events in your current life will affect your next life. The importance of the natural world and simplicity were very important in Zen Buddhism. This is expressed by the two terms wabi and sabi, they expressed; loneliness, melancholy, age, rusticity, and naturalness, this means that to them, something old and worthless can be more beautiful than something new and pristine. These things are what make Zen Buddhism so popular.======

Monks are prophets of Buddha. Some Buddhists join a community of monks and nuns called Sangha. They dedicate most of their lives trying to understand Buddha's teachings and to teach others. To join the Sangha Buddhists have to take part in the ceremony ordination. They promise to set rules which affect everything they do but they live simple lives The wear plain robes, shave their heads, study, and meditate. There robes were made sometimes from cotton and simple fabrics. There robes were colored using dyes derived from clay, plants like saffron flowers and some other natural plants. In most branches women can become nuns. Nuns and Buddhists agreed to obey over 200 rules starting from the cloths the wear to the food they eat. Monks sometimes help run health clinics take care of the orphan or care for the elderly or the sick. Monks in Thailand meet to chant verses to honor Buddha monks meditate regularly to train their minds to become calms and encourages right effort right mindfulness and right concentration. The monks spend a lot of time teaching others about dhamma so they depend on their followers to pass on his ideas. Teachings can come in many different forms, one is explaining the text another is scriptures or by showing people how Buddha's ideas can help them conquer their problems. Many of the monks and Nuns accepted Alms or a gift. The Alms are given by lay people the Buddhists who are not a member of the monastic Sangha. Monks overall play a very important part in Buddhism.

Nuns

The nuns are the female disciples of Buddha. There is a tradition that says that Anada, one of Buddha's disciples had requested the order of nuns. But Buddha did not want to have the order of the nuns. But still she begged him. This is not because Buddha did not find the females capable in fact, there are now 311 nuns compared to 227 monks. He gave in, but now the ordination of the nuns has died out in Theravada tradition a long time ago, as far back as in the eleventh century. In Contemporary Buddhism, means that fully ordained Buddhist nuns are only allowed to be in East Asia Mahayana tradition. In the Tokagawa time period nuns were ranked so low that historians of that time period hardly noticed them at all. They would describe the names of many, many monks but very, very few nuns. The nuns were not even allowed in monasteries when monks were not there, or lied religious ceremonies like funerals, this deprived nuns of an important source of income. But in medieval Japan nuns actually gave support that helped Buddhism to flourish. Though, by the end of the medieval period the majority of sermons were delivered by lay women and not nuns. Still nuns carried out an important job in Buddhism.

Conclusion As you have read, these four subjects are the religious uphold in Japan; they are the religion of the people. These beliefs hold up the society by giving everyone something to believe in. So therefore they are very important to the society. These tie into the other parts of society by the fact that all the people of Japan whether Kabuki actors, merchants, samurai all have a religion, and this is theirs. It ties into all the different topics, artisans, merchants, craftsmen, they all have a religion. Castle towns are filled with people who share the religion of Buddhism, often Zen. The one who wears a kimono practices Buddhism. People who handle swords, bows and armor; though they are warriors, yet they too must be humble to their god. So meditation and Zen and nuns and monks are important to all in Japanese society.

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