Zen and Daruma, History of Zen Buddhism.

Today, I write about history of Zen. Maybe, even Japanese Zen monks will be astonished what I write. At least, my friend who is a monk of Soto-Zen-sect was astonished. This is the brief story of Zen lectured by my teacher who is a leader in a field of Zen sect's early phase History.



At first, I mention about Japanese misunderstanding about Zen and then I mention about Daruma who is not the founder of Zen sect.



Generally speaking, Japanese think that Zen buddhism was imported in Kamakura era(1185-1333) from China. Because Japanese all text books explain so. However, this is wrong. In fact, Zen buddhism was imported in Nara era(710-794). And Zen Buddhism spread in Kamakura era (1185-1333) in earnest.



Saicyo, who is a founder of Tendai Buddhism, had a teacher named Gyohyo who is a Zen monk of Gozu-shu-sect. It is doubtless that Saicyo learned about Zen. And Saicyo brought back many Zen books from China. Thus, we can't regard that Kamakura era is the era that Zen thought was imported. In addition, the books Saicyo brought back including Pure land's Zen's Tantric Buddhism's and so on became basis of Japanese Buddhism sects later.



And more, I often see school's history text books explaining Yosai(Eisai) is a Zen monk. But this is wrong. He is a monk of Tendai Buddhism. He established Zen Dojo to practice Tantric Buddhism.



The first founder of for real Japanese Zen buddhism is Rankei Doryu who was a Chinese. The time he established a Zen temple in Japan is the start point of for real Zen Buddhism in Japan.



Zen buddhism regarded Daruma as the founder. But he is not the founder. You will understand if you read Daruma's book. His thought is far from Zen Buddhism. I also read his book named "Ninyu-Shigyo-Ron", I found the difference from Zen Buddhism. About the contents, I omit it because it is too difficult to explain in English.



From stand point of genealogical research, we can find Daruma is not the founder. Zen buddhism has genealogical tree that Daruma(1st)-Eka(2nd)-Sosan(3rd)-Doshin(4th)-Konin(5th).



We can find Daruma and Eka(2nd) were real relationship between teacher and student. However, Sosan(3rd) is in question, and the line Sosan(3rd)-Doshin(4th) is in question so much too. There is no grounds for the line.



At the present day, researchers regard Daruma was not the founder and Doshin and Konin were the founder. Because we can find the beginning of Zen's feature combining Practice and daily life into one in the thought of Doshin and Konin, who are called "Tozan-Homon（東山法門") We can't find the feature in the thought of Daruma.



Then, why Daruma is regarded as the founder? The answer is that Zen buddhism is authoritarian. They needed authority to give themselves authority. Daruma was a high priest, and they utilized Daruma's authority.



In Rinzai's ara(?-867), Zen thought was completed. And it is imported by Japan, and having been continued as Rinzai-shu-sect. There is another sect called Soto-shu-sect in Japan. Dogen is the founder of Japanese Soto-zen-sect. (In fact, Soto-sect forgot him once, and he re-regarded as the founder.)



There are difference between Soto and RInzai but we can consider that they are same. We can find the sameness but it is difficult to find difference. A zen monk said they are different at first glance, but they have same doctrine.



It seems there is emotional confrontation between Soto and Rinzai to some extent, but I think it is a trashy.



Rinzai-shu's common monks are:



Rankei Doryu, Mugaku, Ikkyu, Bankei, Musou, Takuwan, Hakuin, Ingen and so on.



Soto-shu's common monks are:



Dogen, Keizan jyokin.



Recently, Ekiho Miyazaki is famous in Japan. I bought a TV document DVD and it is great, I think.



Once, I studied about pure land buddhism, I found the astonishing sameness between Pure land and Zen buddhism, I will write about it later.



Now I have to go to secondhand book fair.



I took the photo at my family home.



Those Japanese raccoons are Shigaraki-yaki(ceramic art).

Some times Japanese raccoons cheat people.