|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 28, 2009 8:54:52 GMT
LEARNING TO BE SILENT
The pupils of the Tendai school used to study meditation before Zen entered Japan. Four of them who were intimate friends promised one another to observe seven days of silence.
On the first day all were silent. Their meditation had begun auspiciously, but when night came and the oil-lamps were growing dim one of the pupils could not help exclaiming to a servant: 'Fix those lamps.'
The second pupil was surprised to hear the first one talk. 'We are not supposed to say a word,' he remarked.
'You two are stupid. Why did you talk?' asked the third.
'I am the only one who has not talked,' concluded the fourth pupil.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2009 18:30:10 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 28, 2009 22:25:44 GMT
I belong to the Tendai sect of Buddhism.
|
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 29, 2009 9:05:01 GMT
Are you going to be silent when you visit Chateau Faz? Will you be able to 'talk' using a pen and paper? Should I get the oil lamps filled now?
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 29, 2009 13:30:11 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 29, 2009 20:23:02 GMT
Can you tell us what Tendai Buddhism is, please Spindrift?
|
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 29, 2009 21:31:08 GMT
By the time Buddhism entered Japan in the 6th century (via China and Korea), it had already become a world relgion/philosophy with a history of one thousand years. Since approximately 300BC, Shintoism had been the prevailing (animist) relgiion in Japan. The strength of Buddhism has always been to be syncretic with and adopted by indigenous religions. Buddhism and Shintoism were committed to the belief that all human beings have the potential to attain the wisdom that brings an end to suffering since they teach that once human attachments (greed) are discarded craving is negated. Now to a brief explanation of the Tendai Buddhist sect within Japan. Tendai is so called because the founder of the Tendai sect (a monk called Saicho born 767AD) journeyed to southern China to the Tien'tai mountains where he studied under great Buddhist masters. He then returned to Japan and settled on Mount Hiei to the north of Kyoto. Eventually, up to 300 temples were built on the mountain (and most of them still remain). Whist Saicho was in China he also studied Ch'an (Zen in Japanese). The principal Buddhist scripture used by the Tendai denomination is the Lotus Sutra hence the denomination is also known as the Tendai Hokke (lotus) denomination. Over 1,170 years have passed since Saicho initially introduced the Tendai tradition to Japan. The Japanese Tendai teachings focus not only on the thoughts of Tendai Daishi (another name for the Venerable Saicho), but also the Mahayana precepts, Zen, Esotericism and Pure Land practices. The Japanese Tendai denomination has played a strong role in the development of Japanese culture. Beginning with Gishin, the patriarch who succeeded Saicho, there have been many other outstanding leaders such as Encho, Ennin, Annen and Enchin. The Emperors of Japan have chosen to belong to the Tendai school of Buddhism and have adopted the chrysanthemum are their emblem. In Japan there are 3,716 temples and an estimated 600,000 followers. There is only one Tendai priest in the whole of England. I joined his Buddhist group some years ago and I was honoured to be invited to attend a Tendai celebration on Mount Hiei four years ago. I will make a post about my experiences in Japan. Please be aware that my explanation is brief and probably totally useless...but it is a start! I think this translates as 'Ten Thousand Realms in a Moment of Consciousness'  |
|
