Unsui: A Diary of Zen Unsui: A Diary of Zen Monastic LifeMonastic Life

Presented by Chris Acon, Tracy Backes, Danny Eastman, Junko Nakamura, Carl Nygaard,

Alison Ryan, and Stephanie Tan

Overview of Buddhism

Developed twenty-five centuries ago in India with the Buddha ShākyamuniTwo main aspects: “True awareness” which refers to the Buddha’s religious experience and Buddha’s teachings themselvesVarious sects of Buddhism have developed from the two main schools: Theravada and Mahayana. The sect we will explore is Zen Buddhism.

Zen Buddhism

Originated in China in 520 A.D. with Bodhidharma, an Indian Buddhist monkBodhidharma stressed the importance of “true awareness” instead of simply studying or lecturing on Buddhist scripturesFounded in Japan by Master Dogen who emphasized a life’s dedication to the salvation of living creatures. He preached universal and humanistic views which were new to Japan.

Representations of Bodhidharma

Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism maintains that it is crucial to bring “man back to the center of the Buddhism that is Buddha’s religious experience, while…holding all of Buddha’s teachings in respect as being the expressions of that original experience” (Smith, vii).

Japanese Zen Buddhism

Two main sects: Sōtō and RinzaiSoto: teaches the oneness of zazen practice or meditation in a perscribed, cross-legged postureRinzai: emphasizes satori (enlightenment) through hard discipline of kōan exerciseUnsui: A Diary of Zen Monastic Life explores the Rinzai sect

Zen Master Hakuin

Established the kōan method to bring the student to satori awarenessInstrumental in regulating monastic life in its present formCompassion through preaching, art, and writing

Zen Buddhism & the West

Unsui aims to provide Western readers with a realistic introduction to monastic lifeThe West’s interest in Zen Buddhism is moving from mere curiosity to a more sincere understandingWesterners are changing from an intellectual/theoretical interest towards actual practice

Zendō Life

Zendō life can be analyzed as a life of humility, labor, service, prayer, gratitude, and meditationJapanese Zen Buddhist temples are often located close to cities which relates to the act of begging and the interdependence it represents

Important Aspects of Monastic Life

Closeness to nature: Mirrored by Zen gardens and regimen geared to seasonal patternsBegging: raises funds for the monastery while furthering awareness of interdependency of all existenceBathing and cleansing: Bathing in silence emphasizes awareness of attachment and freedom, impurity and purityDrinking of tea: Relates to each day and connects all timeSilence: “Wisdom comes only when men are reduced to silence.”Gates: Suggest passageway between secular and sacred

Unsui: A Diary of Zen Monastic Life

Similar formatting to a comic bookDaily life of the monastery is portrayed in ninety-seven watercolor sketches Illustrations are by Rev. Giei Satō a Rinzai Zen priestComments written by Rev. Eshin Nishimura, a former monk

Unsui: A Diary of Zen Monastic Life

Unsui refers to a monk undergoing Zen trainingChinese characters translate to “cloud, water”Monks in training gather around the Zen master like clouds and they live their lives smoothly like a moving cloud or running water

Sarei: Daily Tea Ceremony

Sarei: Daily Tea Ceremony

12th Century: Japanese Zen Buddhist monk Eisai visited China and brought back origins of tea ceremonyMonks drank tea to stay awake during long meditation sessionsSlowly developed into the sarei that is practiced today

Sarei

Sarei is held each morning as an informal ritual

Sozarei is the longer formal ceremony held several times a year

The formal tea ceremony practiced by the public of Japan was inspired by these ceremonies

Principles of Sarei

Reverence (kei)

Harmony and peace (wa)

Inner and outer purity (sei)

Quietness (jaku)

‘WABI’ (a combination of the above) is the ultimate of the tea principles

Rice in Zen Buddhism

Shojin Ryori

Strict vegan diet that the Zen Buddhists followedNo fish or meat was allowedNo garlic, onions, or chives were permitted Kelp seaweed was used to prepare the dashi stock

Vegetables were thought of as being able to provide nourishment for the body and soul, yet took nothing in returnGoals: to promote purity of both the body and the spirit. This is referred to as “advancement of the spirit”Shojin Ryori was only practiced within the confines of the Zen Buddhist temple

BreakfastElder monks would wake up earlier than the other monks to make breakfastSoft cooked rice is served – each grain of rice is thought of as having the same value as Mount Sumeru (the holiest mountain in the Indian Buddhist world)

Breakfast

Example of typical breakfast: three bowls of rice, pickled plums, vegetablesVegetables were grown by the monks in their own gardensLeft over rice is then put into buckets, which are later offered to the spirits, then to the birds and fish

Lunch All monks receive a bowl of rice that is mixed in with wheat (three parts of rice, seven parts of wheat)Also part of the meal is miso soup, vegetables, and picklesLargest meal of the dayLeftovers are then collected and first offered to spirits, then to the birds and fishDinner is not viewed as a meal, rather it is viewed as being a “medicine”

Feeding Hungry SpiritsA wooden platform is built and placed on the veranda of the main hall inside the monasteryMonks will chant scriptures during the evening, while scattering healing water to call out to the hungry spirit, gakiFifteenth of August was an important day, where the Master and monks perform a ceremony calling for the spirits, and serving different kinds of foods from natureRice and water is then scattered by laymen and monastic participants in the ceremony

New Year in Japan

Rice cakes were a custom at the end of the yearTasks of monks were divided into three phrases

Steaming the ricePounding it when steamedMaking the round cakes

When hunger comes, I eat my rice

When sleep comes, I close my eyes

Fools laugh at me, but

The wise man understands

-offering teaching from Lin Chi