A Comparison of Zen and Shin Buddhism: Dogen VS Shinran
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3 word format
document in English
humanities/philosophy
school essay
published 23/10/2007
review : Completed
level : General public
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Summary
Buddhism was not originally a Japanese religion, since the said originator of the way, Siddhartha Gautama (also referred to as Shakyamuni Buddha) was born in a region that is now Nepal, and spread his teachings mostly around northern India. China later received his teachings through various followers, and Japan was reached much later through people like Zen master Dogen Zenji, founder of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism in Japan, and Shinran Shonin, a Mahayana Buddhist who spread his somewhat original ideas throughout Japan in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries AD (wikipedia.org). These schools of Buddhism, although having their many similarities, also have profound differences in practice and especially in the type of people they reach out to. These similarities and difference will be explored through the referencing and analysis of two passages. One will be from Dogen’s “Moon in a Dew Drop”, and the other from a book written by one of Shinran’s followers, Yui-en, the “Tannisho.”
Table of Contents
- In 'Moon in a Dew Drop', the passage at hand will be 'Actualizing the Fundamental Point', or, 'genjo koan?.
- The next important point in Dogen's teaching is that along one's path towards realization, one must realize that the self must be forgotten, and eventually lost.
- The final and most distinct point in Dogen's teachings is symbolized in the final section of the passage by a conversation between Zen Master Baoche of Mt. Mayu and a monk.
- It should be pretty clear from this explanation of Zen Buddhist activities that this path is not for everyone. It is very strict, arduous, and restricting. One must give up his family and his home to go live in a monastery.
- According to one sutra, Amida Buddha was in very ancient times a monk named Dharmakara, who entered Buddha-hood and made the forty-two vows which outlined who could enter his Pure Land, and by what means.
- It is quite clear that the difference between these two sects of Japanese Buddhism lies mainly in their approach to practice.
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