Modern scientific research on the history of Zen discerns three main narratives concerning Zen, its history and its teachings: Traditional Zen Narrative (TZN),[ Andre van de Braak, ZEN SPIRITUALITY IN A SECULAR AGE. Charles Taylor and Zen Buddhism in the West] Buddhist Modernism (BM), Historical and Cultural Criticism (HCC).
Traditional Zen Narrative (TZN)
The Traditional Zen Narrative developed in phases in China during the Tang dynasty and the beginning of the Song dynasty, from the 7th to 11th century. It became dominant during the Song dynasty, when Chán was the dominant form of Buddhism in China, due to support from the Imperial Court.
Its main phases were the development of the traditional Chan lineage, culminating in the "Transmission of the Lamp"-genre,
The Traditional Zen Narrative bases its self-understanding especially on the encounter stories of the well-known teachers of the later Tang dynasty, such as Mazu Daoyi and Linji Yixuan.
Buddhist Modernism (BM)
In the 20th century the Traditional Zen Narrative was transformed into a modern narrative, due to the power of the Western colonial forces and the modernisation of Japan, and the popularization in the Western world.
Romanticism and transcendentalism
As a consequence of the adaptation of Zen to the modern world, and the cross-cultural fertilization of western transcendentalism and esotery and Japanese Zen, a romantic idea of enlightenment as insight into a timeless, transcendent reality has been popularized. This is especially due to the influence of
Soyen Shaku and his student D.T. Suzuki,
who, though known as a Zen Buddhist, was also influenced by Theosophy. Further popularization was due to the writings of Heinrich Dumoulin.
Dumoulin viewed metaphysics as the expression of a transcendent truth, which according to him was expressed by Mahayana Buddhism, but not by the pragmatic analysis of the oldest Buddhism, which emphasizes
anatta. This romantic vision fits into Western romantic notions of
self-realization and the true self, being regarded as a substantial essence being covered over by social conditioning:
The Traditional Zen Narrative attracted the interest of Beat poets and writers in the 1950s:
Historical and Cultural Criticism (HCC)
Contemporary research on Buddhism has shed new light on the history of Chan and Zen.
Since the 1960s the scientific research on Zen has created another narrative of Zen.[ Weblog of David Chapman]
Enlightenment as timeless transcendence
The romantic notion of enlightenment as a timeless insight into a transcendental essence has been thoroughly criticized. According to critics it doesn't contribute to a real insight into Buddhism:
Charismatic authority
The introduction of Zen in the West has been accompanied by problems which seem to be connected to this "grand saga". The teacher scandals which have occurred in Western Zen have been explained as being caused by an overreliance on charismatic authority, and a misinterpretation of the meaning of dharma transmission and the position of a roshi.
In Western Zen dharma transmission is highly esteemed. In the Japanese monastery system dharma transmission is a formal notification that someone is fully qualified to take a leading role in this system
The dependence on charismatic authority and lack of central authority may also lead to fragmentarisation and "new sects spinning off in several directions".
Zen and World War II
Japanese Zen organisations supported Japanese nationalism and its endeavours during the
Pacific War. This support has been made widely known in the Western world by Brian Victoria in his groundbreaking study Zen at War, though in Japan this was already more common knowledge. D.T. Suzuki too supported these endeavours.
This Japanese nationalism, and the
Nihonjinron was also a reaction to perceived western imperialism during the 19th century.
Nondualism
According to Wolfe, Zen is a token of "nonduality":
This nondual consciousness is seen as a common stratum to different religions. Several definitions or meanings are combined in this approach, which makes it possible to recognize various traditions as having the same essence.
See also
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List of Buddhists
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Outline of Buddhism
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Timeline of Buddhism
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Chinese Chán
Citations
Sources
Web sources
Books and journals
Further reading
Classic historiography
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Dumoulin, Heinrich (2005), Zen Buddhism: A History. Volume 1: India and China. World Wisdom Books.
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Dumoulin, Heinrich (2005), Zen Buddhism: A History. Volume 2: Japan. World Wisdom Books.
Critical historiography
Overview
Formation of Chán in Tang & Song China
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Mcrae, John (2003), Seeing through Zen. Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism. The University Press Group Ltd.
Japan
Modern times
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McMahan, David L. (2008), The Making of Buddhist Modernism. Oxford University Press.
External links
