Buddhism in Japan
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Though we feel that modern japan is a world of materialistic country,the religious world of Buddhism is still very much alive , and into new reformation to attract youth to Buddhism
below is a lamp offering on the Hsuan tsang memorance day at japan Yakuji Temple (medicine Buddha ,temple of Yogacara school )
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Erm, it should be Yakushiji Temple, in Nara (where i live), it's one of the 2 Head Temples of the Hosso (Fa Xiang) sect, the other 2 being Kofukuji Temple (also in Nara), and the famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto.
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Well how would I know the real name ... I saw thru websiteOriginally posted by sanath:Erm, it should be Yakushiji Temple, in Nara (where i live), it's one of the 2 Head Temples of the Hosso (Fa Xiang) sect, the other 2 being Kofukuji Temple (also in Nara), and the famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto.
Japanese website are English USer unfriendly mah
and I never seen u posted for a very very long time
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and Fa Xiang temple is Yogacara Buddhism in Chinese Mahayana
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Well, surely as a moderator here u can learn to be a bit more humble when being corrected on the name of a temple.
And yes, i hardly post here unless i feel that there is a need for me to post on something. -
i am not a moderator of this forum ..it AEN anywayOriginally posted by sanath:Well, surely as a moderator here u can learn to be a bit more humble when being corrected on the name of a temple.
And yes, i hardly post here unless i feel that there is a need for me to post on something. -
Doesn't matter whether you're a moderator or not. It's the tone of your post that i am pointing at.
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i am not being angry with youOriginally posted by sanath:Doesn't matter whether you're a moderator or not. It's the tone of your post that i am pointing at.
I am not accustomed to japanese website which many of them doesnt have translation .So, do you think I testing you ?
I dun think i have in any way trying to point something at you
We are here in singapore ,where singaporean sloth day and night trying to earn that little bit for a little comfort
Sanath , seriously you dont know what happen to my family , and yesh we are a poor family , my mum is having a stroke and require constant medical attention and medical expenses for life .She doesnt have savings.
I said very very long means just a japanese kind of expression ,there isnt anything wrong with that, and its not pointing towards you.Unless you think otherwise -
Anyway ,If you find me offending
then I apologised without reservation
this is the hardest time in my life
after leaving Navy , everything crumbles
no good salary job
mum suffering from stroke , father refused to follow-up on eye cataract treatment
this will go on and on for years to come
I just hope tomorrow will be a better day
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Hi Bohiruci, apparently life is not being kind with you at the moment... I won't say I understand the difficulties you are facing now (cause I won't unless I am facing/ have faced the same)... But I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you and your parents.Originally posted by bohiruci:Anyway ,If you find me offending
then I apologised without reservation
this is the hardest time in my life
after leaving Navy , everything crumbles
no good salary job
mum suffering from stroke , father refused to follow-up on eye cataract treatment
this will go on and on for years to come
I just hope tomorrow will be a better day
May your life take a turn for the better soon.
Ps. Job wise, is going back to the Navy an option? -
hey, are they also buddhist?Originally posted by bohiruci:Anyway ,If you find me offending
then I apologised without reservation
this is the hardest time in my life
after leaving Navy , everything crumbles
no good salary job
mum suffering from stroke , father refused to follow-up on eye cataract treatment
this will go on and on for years to come
I just hope tomorrow will be a better day -
Asanga was one of the most famous Indian Buddhist saints, and lived in the fourth century. He went to the mountains to do a solitary retreat, concentrating all his meditation practice on the Buddha Maitreya, in the fervent hope that he would be blessed with a vision of this Buddha and receive teachings from him.Originally posted by bohiruci:Anyway ,If you find me offending
then I apologised without reservation
this is the hardest time in my life
after leaving Navy , everything crumbles
no good salary job
mum suffering from stroke , father refused to follow-up on eye cataract treatment
this will go on and on for years to come
I just hope tomorrow will be a better day
For six years Asanga meditated in extreme hardship, but did not even have one auspicious dream. He was disheartened and thought he would never succeed with his aspiration to meet the Buddha Maitreya, and so he abandoned his retreat and left his hermitage. He had not gone far down the road when he saw a man rubbing an enormous iron bar with a strip of silk. Asanga went up to him and asked him what he was doing. “I haven’t got a needle,” the man replied, “so I’m going to make one out of this iron bar.” Asanga stared at him, astounded; even if the man were able to manage it in a hundred years, he thought, what would be the point? He said to himself: “Look at the trouble people give themselves over things that are totally absurd. You are doing something really valuable, spiritual practice, and you’re not nearly so dedicated.” He turned around and went back to his retreat.
Another three years went by, still without the slightest sign from the Buddha Maitreya. “Now I know for certain,” he thought, “I’m never going to succeed.” So he left again, and soon came to a bend in the road where there was a huge rock, so tall it seemed to touch the sky. At the foot of the rock was a man busily rubbing it with a feather soaked in water. “What are you doing?” Asanga asked.
“This rock is so big it’s stopping the sun from shining on my house, so I’m trying to get rid of it.” Asanga was amazed at the man’s indefatigable energy, and ashamed at his own lack of dedication. He returned to his retreat.
Three more years passed, and still he had not even had a single good dream. He decided, once and for all, that it was hopeless, and he left his retreat for good. The day wore on, and in the afternoon he came across a dog lying by the side of the road. It had only its front legs, and the whole of the lower part of its body was rotting and covered with maggots. Despite its pitiful condition the dog was snapping at passerby, and pathetically trying to bite them by dragging itself along the ground with its two good legs.
Asanga was overwhelmed with a vivid and unbearable feeling of compassion. He cut a piece of flesh off his own body and gave it to the dog to eat. Then he bent down to take off the maggots that were consuming the dogÂ’s body. But he suddenly thought he might hurt them if he tried to pull them out with his fingers, and realized that the only way to remove them would be on his tongue. Asanga knelt on the ground, and looking at the horrible festering, writhing mass, closed his eyes. He leant closer and put out his tongueÂ….. The next thing he knew, his tongue was touching the ground. He opened his eyes and looked up. The dog was gone; there in its place was the Buddha Maitreya, ringed by a shimmering aura of light.
“At last,” said Asanga, “why did you never appear to me before?”
Maitreya spoke softly: “It is true that I have never appeared to you before. I was with you all the time, but your negative karma and obscurations prevented you from seeing me. Your twelve years of practice dissolved them slightly, so that you were at last able to see the dog. Then, thanks to your genuine and heartfelt compassion, all those obscurations were completely swept away, and you can see me before you with your very own eyes. If you don’t believe that this is what happened, put me on your shoulder and try and see if anyone else can see me.”
Asanga put Maitreya on his right shoulder and went to the marketplace, where he began to ask everyone: “What have I got on my shoulder?” “Nothing,” most people said, and hurried on. Only one old woman, whose karma had been slightly purified, answered: “You’ve got the rotting corpse of an old dog on your shoulder, that’s all.” Asanga at last understood the boundless power of compassion that had purified and transformed his karma, and so made him a vessel fit to receive the vision and instruction of Maitreya. Then the Buddha Maitreya, whose name means “loving kindness,” took Asanga to a heavenly realm, and there gave him any sublime teachings that are among the most important in the whole of Buddhism. -
inspiring
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Bohiruci, yah...life is hard for many people...(especially so in Japan
) I had my fair share too. Just breath in, chest out, and face squarely at whatever is thrown at us ( as brave as Shaolin Kung Fu Monks). Solve things one at a time, if cannot be solved now, then just leave it aside for the time being and go on to the next issue; come back to it after a while and see how things go. Sometime we may be able to find new solutions to a old problem becos situations may hv change.
I know you don't need my 2 cents cos you're a practising Buddhist and much more resouceful than many of us here, so, Jia You. -
That was v inspiring.. thanks for sharingOriginally posted by path_seeker:Asanga was one of the most famous Indian Buddhist saints, and lived in the fourth century. He went to the mountains to do a solitary retreat, concentrating all his meditation practice on the Buddha Maitreya, in the fervent hope that he would be blessed with a vision of this Buddha and receive teachings from him.
For six years Asanga meditated in extreme hardship, but did not even have one auspicious dream. He was disheartened and thought he would never succeed with his aspiration to meet the Buddha Maitreya, and so he abandoned his retreat and left his hermitage. He had not gone far down the road when he saw a man rubbing an enormous iron bar with a strip of silk. Asanga went up to him and asked him what he was doing. “I haven’t got a needle,” the man replied, “so I’m going to make one out of this iron bar.” Asanga stared at him, astounded; even if the man were able to manage it in a hundred years, he thought, what would be the point? He said to himself: “Look at the trouble people give themselves over things that are totally absurd. You are doing something really valuable, spiritual practice, and you’re not nearly so dedicated.” He turned around and went back to his retreat.
Another three years went by, still without the slightest sign from the Buddha Maitreya. “Now I know for certain,” he thought, “I’m never going to succeed.” So he left again, and soon came to a bend in the road where there was a huge rock, so tall it seemed to touch the sky. At the foot of the rock was a man busily rubbing it with a feather soaked in water. “What are you doing?” Asanga asked.
“This rock is so big it’s stopping the sun from shining on my house, so I’m trying to get rid of it.” Asanga was amazed at the man’s indefatigable energy, and ashamed at his own lack of dedication. He returned to his retreat.
Three more years passed, and still he had not even had a single good dream. He decided, once and for all, that it was hopeless, and he left his retreat for good. The day wore on, and in the afternoon he came across a dog lying by the side of the road. It had only its front legs, and the whole of the lower part of its body was rotting and covered with maggots. Despite its pitiful condition the dog was snapping at passerby, and pathetically trying to bite them by dragging itself along the ground with its two good legs.
Asanga was overwhelmed with a vivid and unbearable feeling of compassion. He cut a piece of flesh off his own body and gave it to the dog to eat. Then he bent down to take off the maggots that were consuming the dogÂ’s body. But he suddenly thought he might hurt them if he tried to pull them out with his fingers, and realized that the only way to remove them would be on his tongue. Asanga knelt on the ground, and looking at the horrible festering, writhing mass, closed his eyes. He leant closer and put out his tongueÂ….. The next thing he knew, his tongue was touching the ground. He opened his eyes and looked up. The dog was gone; there in its place was the Buddha Maitreya, ringed by a shimmering aura of light.
“At last,” said Asanga, “why did you never appear to me before?”
Maitreya spoke softly: “It is true that I have never appeared to you before. I was with you all the time, but your negative karma and obscurations prevented you from seeing me. Your twelve years of practice dissolved them slightly, so that you were at last able to see the dog. Then, thanks to your genuine and heartfelt compassion, all those obscurations were completely swept away, and you can see me before you with your very own eyes. If you don’t believe that this is what happened, put me on your shoulder and try and see if anyone else can see me.”
Asanga put Maitreya on his right shoulder and went to the marketplace, where he began to ask everyone: “What have I got on my shoulder?” “Nothing,” most people said, and hurried on. Only one old woman, whose karma had been slightly purified, answered: “You’ve got the rotting corpse of an old dog on your shoulder, that’s all.” Asanga at last understood the boundless power of compassion that had purified and transformed his karma, and so made him a vessel fit to receive the vision and instruction of Maitreya. Then the Buddha Maitreya, whose name means “loving kindness,” took Asanga to a heavenly realm, and there gave him any sublime teachings that are among the most important in the whole of Buddhism.
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cool, a japanese?Originally posted by sanath:Erm, it should be Yakushiji Temple, in Nara (where i live), it's one of the 2 Head Temples of the Hosso (Fa Xiang) sect, the other 2 being Kofukuji Temple (also in Nara), and the famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. -
No, i'm Singaporean but studying in Japan... Gassho
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yalor, got how many karma do how many things, cant force it and also dont give upOriginally posted by cycle:Bohiruci, yah...life is hard for many people...(especially so in Japan ) I had my fair share too. Just breath in, chest out, and face squarely at whatever is thrown at us ( as brave as Shaolin Kung Fu Monks). Solve things one at a time, if cannot be solved now, then just leave it aside for the time being and go on to the next issue; come back to it after a while and see how things go. Sometime we may be able to find new solutions to a old problem becos situations may hv change.
I know you don't need my 2 cents cos you're a practising Buddhist and much more resouceful than many of us here, so, Jia You.
good opportunity to reflect on how this affects the heart, use yin yuan view to cease the suffering -
He's a Shin (Japanese Pure Land) Buddhist priestOriginally posted by *=Optimus=*:cool, a japanese? -
Buddhism in Japan started during the Tang Dynasty on Mt Hiei
The Tiendai school (chinese . Tientai)
The Mt Hiei passed on the tradition of Shin (Pureland ) Yogacara ,Zen (Chan )
and Many tradition
Shinran left Mt Hiei to found Pureland
Dogen ? (was it him ? cant remember offline ) found Zen Buddhism
and Kobo Daishi the Patriach and found of Shingon (Eastern Esoteric School )
Although i heard comment that Japanese Buddhism is not pure , I stated my viewpoint clearly
The patriach are embodiment of Bodhisattva who come to save this country suffering from earthquake and the darkness of Shintoism -
Why is Shintoism "dark"? Do you actually understand what Shintoism is about?
Anyway, the Japanese sects according to their foundation in Japan:
Nara period -
Hosso-shu (Fa Xiang, Yogacara), based at Kofukuji and Yakushiji Temples in Nara, as well as Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto
Kegon-shu (Hua-yen, Avatamska), based at the famous Todaiji in Nara
Ritsu-shu (Lu, Vinaya), based at Toshodaiji Temple in Nara
Sanron-shu (San-lun), also under Hosso
Kusha-shu (Ju-she), now under Hosso
Jojitsu-shu (Cheng-shi), no longer existing as an independent sect
The Buddhism in Japan at this time was not defined as a sect, but rather, one went to almost all the temples to learn Buddhism.
Heian Period -
Tendai-shu (Tian-tai), founded by Dengyo Daishi Saicho. Based at Hiei-san Enryakuji in Shiga and Kyoto
Shingon-shu (Zhen-yan), Esoteric Sect. Founded by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Based at Mt Koya in Wakayama
Kamakura Period -
Jodo-shu (Jing Tu), Pure Land school founded by Honen Shonin. Divided between Jodo Shu (Chinzei) and Seizan Jodo Shu. The former is based at Chion-in in Kyoto and the latter at Komyoji Temple, also in Kyoto.
Rinzai-shu (Ling-ji), one of the 3 major Zen sects in Japan. Founded by Eisai Zenji. Based at the following temples: Tofukuji, Kenninji, Sokokuji, Daitokuji etc. Divided into quite a number of sub-sects
Jodo Shinshu (Jing Tu Zhen Zong), Pure Land schoold founded by Shinran Shonin. Divided into 10 sub-sects, the two larger ones being Jodo Shinshu Honganji-ha (Nishi Hongaji; West Honganji, this is the sect i belong to) and Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji; East Honganji). Both Honganjis are in Kyoto
Soto-shu (Cao-dong), Zen sect founded by Dogen Zenji. Based at Sojoji in Kamakura and Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture.
Nichiren-shu (Ri-lian), founded by Nichiren shonin. Divided into many sub-sects, the major being Nichiren-shu based at Mt Minobu is Yamanashi Prefecture.
Ji-shu (Shi-zong), founded by Ippen shonin.
Almost, if not all the founders of the Kamakura sects has studied on Mt Hiei, which was the "base" of Japanese Buddhism at that time.
Edo Period -
Obaku-shu (Huang-po), Zen school founded by Ingen Zenji. Ingen was from Wan Fu Si Temple in Fuzhou, China and went to Japan at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Supported heavily by the Edo Shogun, he founded the Manpukuji Temple in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It can be said to be Ming Chinese Buddhism transported directly into Japan. For the first few generation its Abbots were Chinese. Perculiar in that the chanting sounds exactly like chanting in Chinese.
The clarification of sects in Japanese Buddhism now is traced back from the Edo Period, when individuals were made to register under a single sect and temple (Dan-na seido). Although the order was stopped in the Meiji period, it continues to be practiced even up to now.
Another perculiarity of Japanese Buddhism is that the clergy are allowed to marry and have a family. This was also done only after the Meiji Restoration. Before that, monks (and nuns) of the various Buddhist sects other than Jodo Shin were not allowed to marry. -
Originally posted by sanath:
hmm u can say Shintoism is not dark ,but what abt the motive for it
Why is Shintoism "dark"? Do you actually understand what Shintoism is about?
Anyway, the Japanese sects according to their foundation in Japan:
[b]Nara period -
Hosso-shu (Fa Xiang, Yogacara), based at Kofukuji and Yakushiji Temples in Nara, as well as Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto
Kegon-shu (Hua-yen, Avatamska), based at the famous Todaiji in Nara
Ritsu-shu (Lu, Vinaya), based at Toshodaiji Temple in Nara
Sanron-shu (San-lun), also under Hosso
Kusha-shu (Ju-she), now under Hosso
Jojitsu-shu (Cheng-shi), no longer existing as an independent sect
The Buddhism in Japan at this time was not defined as a sect, but rather, one went to almost all the temples to learn Buddhism.
Heian Period -
Tendai-shu (Tian-tai), founded by Dengyo Daishi Saicho. Based at Hiei-san Enryakuji in Shiga and Kyoto
Shingon-shu (Zhen-yan), Esoteric Sect. Founded by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Based at Mt Koya in Wakayama
Kamakura Period -
Jodo-shu (Jing Tu), Pure Land school founded by Honen Shonin. Divided between Jodo Shu (Chinzei) and Seizan Jodo Shu. The former is based at Chion-in in Kyoto and the latter at Komyoji Temple, also in Kyoto.
Rinzai-shu (Ling-ji), one of the 3 major Zen sects in Japan. Founded by Eisai Zenji. Based at the following temples: Tofukuji, Kenninji, Sokokuji, Daitokuji etc. Divided into quite a number of sub-sects
Jodo Shinshu (Jing Tu Zhen Zong), Pure Land schoold founded by Shinran Shonin. Divided into 10 sub-sects, the two larger ones being Jodo Shinshu Honganji-ha (Nishi Hongaji; West Honganji, this is the sect i belong to) and Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji; East Honganji). Both Honganjis are in Kyoto
Soto-shu (Cao-dong), Zen sect founded by Dogen Zenji. Based at Sojoji in Kamakura and Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture.
Nichiren-shu (Ri-lian), founded by Nichiren shonin. Divided into many sub-sects, the major being Nichiren-shu based at Mt Minobu is Yamanashi Prefecture.
Ji-shu (Shi-zong), founded by Ippen shonin.
Almost, if not all the founders of the Kamakura sects has studied on Mt Hiei, which was the "base" of Japanese Buddhism at that time.
Edo Period -
Obaku-shu (Huang-po), Zen school founded by Ingen Zenji. Ingen was from Wan Fu Si Temple in Fuzhou, China and went to Japan at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Supported heavily by the Edo Shogun, he founded the Manpukuji Temple in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It can be said to be Ming Chinese Buddhism transported directly into Japan. For the first few generation its Abbots were Chinese. Perculiar in that the chanting sounds exactly like chanting in Chinese.
The clarification of sects in Japanese Buddhism now is traced back from the Edo Period, when individuals were made to register under a single sect and temple (Dan-na seido). Although the order was stopped in the Meiji period, it continues to be practiced even up to now.
Another perculiarity of Japanese Buddhism is that the clergy are allowed to marry and have a family. This was also done only after the Meiji Restoration. Before that, monks (and nuns) of the various Buddhist sects other than Jodo Shin were not allowed to marry. [/b]
to started the war on asia -pacific
Up to now , Shinto have so many sect and some is in fact very dark
I feel that if Shinto is not dark , why would many abandon it and approach Buddhism in the first place ?? -
Originally posted by sanath:
You are right in the History of Buddhism in Japan
Why is Shintoism "dark"? Do you actually understand what Shintoism is about?
Anyway, the Japanese sects according to their foundation in Japan:
[b]Nara period -
Hosso-shu (Fa Xiang, Yogacara), based at Kofukuji and Yakushiji Temples in Nara, as well as Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto
Kegon-shu (Hua-yen, Avatamska), based at the famous Todaiji in Nara
Ritsu-shu (Lu, Vinaya), based at Toshodaiji Temple in Nara
Sanron-shu (San-lun), also under Hosso
Kusha-shu (Ju-she), now under Hosso
Jojitsu-shu (Cheng-shi), no longer existing as an independent sect
The Buddhism in Japan at this time was not defined as a sect, but rather, one went to almost all the temples to learn Buddhism.
Heian Period -
Tendai-shu (Tian-tai), founded by Dengyo Daishi Saicho. Based at Hiei-san Enryakuji in Shiga and Kyoto
Shingon-shu (Zhen-yan), Esoteric Sect. Founded by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Based at Mt Koya in Wakayama
Kamakura Period -
Jodo-shu (Jing Tu), Pure Land school founded by Honen Shonin. Divided between Jodo Shu (Chinzei) and Seizan Jodo Shu. The former is based at Chion-in in Kyoto and the latter at Komyoji Temple, also in Kyoto.
Rinzai-shu (Ling-ji), one of the 3 major Zen sects in Japan. Founded by Eisai Zenji. Based at the following temples: Tofukuji, Kenninji, Sokokuji, Daitokuji etc. Divided into quite a number of sub-sects
Jodo Shinshu (Jing Tu Zhen Zong), Pure Land schoold founded by Shinran Shonin. Divided into 10 sub-sects, the two larger ones being Jodo Shinshu Honganji-ha (Nishi Hongaji; West Honganji, this is the sect i belong to) and Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji; East Honganji). Both Honganjis are in Kyoto
Soto-shu (Cao-dong), Zen sect founded by Dogen Zenji. Based at Sojoji in Kamakura and Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture.
Nichiren-shu (Ri-lian), founded by Nichiren shonin. Divided into many sub-sects, the major being Nichiren-shu based at Mt Minobu is Yamanashi Prefecture.
Ji-shu (Shi-zong), founded by Ippen shonin.
Almost, if not all the founders of the Kamakura sects has studied on Mt Hiei, which was the "base" of Japanese Buddhism at that time.
Edo Period -
Obaku-shu (Huang-po), Zen school founded by Ingen Zenji. Ingen was from Wan Fu Si Temple in Fuzhou, China and went to Japan at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Supported heavily by the Edo Shogun, he founded the Manpukuji Temple in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It can be said to be Ming Chinese Buddhism transported directly into Japan. For the first few generation its Abbots were Chinese. Perculiar in that the chanting sounds exactly like chanting in Chinese.
The clarification of sects in Japanese Buddhism now is traced back from the Edo Period, when individuals were made to register under a single sect and temple (Dan-na seido). Although the order was stopped in the Meiji period, it continues to be practiced even up to now.
Another perculiarity of Japanese Buddhism is that the clergy are allowed to marry and have a family. This was also done only after the Meiji Restoration. Before that, monks (and nuns) of the various Buddhist sects other than Jodo Shin were not allowed to marry. [/b]
but I dun feel its rite to defend the primitive religion of Japan ,
so what is the Yasukuni Shrine about ? dead kamikaze hero of WWII
and Hideki Tojo ,the notorious Prime Minister who lead Japan to the war to
make several billions of Southeast asian chinese and other races to harm and death
It should be a critical look at Japanese Primitive religion before Buddhism -
I am not defending the primitive religion of Japan.
However, i think you should make a clear line between Nationalistic Shinto, and Shinto as "practiced" or believed. Yes, Shinto has many sects, but like you said, not all of them are dark, so why generalise the whole Shinto religion as "dark"?
For example, Shinto places quite a bit of emphasis on respect for nature and its surroundings. Is that "dark"? Also, before the Meiji Restoration, Buddhism and Shinto were rather cohesive. It was not uncommon (even up to now) to have Shinto shrines in a Buddhist temple; and Shinto deities were actually regarded as manifestations of the various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It was only after the Meiji Restoration that Nationalistic Shinto came into the picture and all the unwanted stuff with it until the end of WW2.
As to regards with the Yasukuni Shrine, i think, as non-Japanese it is really not our business to go and meddle or comment about it. To some if not a majority of Japanese, it is part and parcel of their culture. I neither condemn nor condone the Japanese PM worshipping there.
BTW, Tojo Hideki actually converted to Buddhism before he was exectuted. His chaplain was Hanayama Shoshin, a Jodo Shin priest and a previous Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America.
As a Buddhist, one should practice wholesome speech and i think making judgements without knowing the reality is unwholesome, please reflect.
Gassho -
The crazy zen monk
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/IkkyuNM1.JPG/190px-IkkyuNM1.JPG
Ikky¨± (Ò»Ã�Ã�×Ú¼ƒ Ikky¨± S¨Âjun) (1394-1481) was an eccentric, iconoclastic Japanese Zen Buddhist priest and poet. He was also one of the creators of the formal Japanese tea ceremony.
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Childhood
3 Training
4 Vagabond
5 Impact
6 External links and references
[edit] Biography
[edit] Childhood
Ikkyu was born in 1394 in a small suburb of Kyoto as the illegitimate son of Emperor Go-Komatsu. His mother was forced to flee to Saga, Japan, where Ikkyu was raised by servants. At age five Ikkyu was separated from his mother and was enrolled as a monk at the Rinzai Zen temple, Ankokuji. The temple masters taught Chinese culture and language as part of the curriculum, a method termed Gozan Zen. He was given the name Shuken, and learned about Chinese poetry, art and literature.
[edit] Training
When Ikkyu turned thirteen he entered Kennin-ji in Kyoto to study Zen under a well known priest by the name of Botetsu. Here Ikkyu began to frequently write poetry which was non-traditional in form. He was openly critical of Kennin-ji's leadership in his poetry, disheartened with the social stratum and lack of zazen practice he saw around him.
In 1410, at age sixteen, Ikkyu left Kennin-ji and entered the temple Mibu, where an abbot named Seiso was in residence. He did not stay long, and soon found himself at Saikin-ji in the Lake Biwa region where he was the sole student of an abbot named Keno. It seemed Ikkyu had finally found a master that taught true Rinzai Zen as Ikkyu saw it. Keno was sporadic in his teaching style and was a strong believer in the supremacy of zazen. In 1414, when Ikkyu was 21, Keno died. Ikkyu performed funeral rites and fasted for seven days. In despair Ikkyu tried to commit suicide by drowning himself in Lake Biwa, but was talked out of it from the shore by a servant of his mother.
Ikkyu soon found a new teacher in a master named Kaso at Zenko-an, a branch temple of Daitoku-ji. Kaso was much like Keno in his style. For years he worked hard on assigned koans and he made dolls for a local merchant in Kyoto.
In 1418 Ikkyu was given Case 15 of the Mumonkan, Tozan's 60 Blows. One day a band of blind singers performed at the temple and Ikkyu penetrated his koan while engrossed in the music. In recognition of his understanding Kaso gave Shuken the Dharma name Ikkyu, which roughly means One Pause.
In 1420 Ikkyu was meditating in a boat on Lake Biwa when the sound of a crow sparked satori. Kaso confirmed this great enlightenment and granted Ikkyu inka. Ikky¨± came up against the jealousy of Yoso, a more senior student who eventually came to run the monastery. In Ikky¨±'s poems, Yoso appears as a character unhealthily obsessed with material goods, who sold Zen to increase the prosperity of the temple.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikkyu
