P6+Zen,+Monks+and+Nuns

=P6 Zen, Monks and Nuns= By: Luke M. and Sam S.

Meditation by Zen monks and Nuns is very important to the Japanese culture for many reasons. The importance of Mediation is shown through a discussion of Zazen, Shrines, Temples, Gardens, nuns, and monks. Meditation can be considered a back bone of the Japanese culture.

Meditation is important to the Japanese because it rids the mind of thoughts and desire. Meditation is also done by the Japanese to create inner peace. When Buddhist study meditation they sit cross legged with the soles of their feet facing them, back straight, and chin tucked in. When Buddhists meditate sometimes they fall asleep, because it is so relaxing. If a Buddhist shows signs of falling asleep, a monk whacks them so they stay awake. It is important for a Buddhist to stay awake so that they can achieve inner peace with the holy world.

Zazen is an important and intense kind of meditation. The people that practice this intense kind of meditation are Zen Buddhists. The study of Zen Buddhism stresses that it is important that the Zen Buddhist learn Zazen. When Zen Buddhists practice Zazen, they sit immobile just like they are mimicking a statue of a Buddha. It is important that when the Zen Buddhist are practicing Zazen they empty their mind off all thoughts and vanity of the world.

Shrines, Temples, and Meditation Gardens were very important to the Japanese because they were a place to get away from a hectic life. Shrines were said to preserve the architecture of the Japanese culture. Many people give offerings to shrines like as in __The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn__ when Tomomi gave the ruby to Ameterasu’s Shrine. Shrines were entered through a torii gate that was said to be able to wash away your impurities and uncleanliness. Shrines contained no decoration other than sacred stone animals placed in front of the shrine to protect it. Shrines were a place of cleanliness, so you had to wash your hands and mouth before you entered. Shrines were also places where people could pray to the kami for good fortune, good health, good crops, and so on. The kami that they prayed to would depend on the tree or rock that the shrine was built around. This is also what some of the Buddhist temples did, but for different reasons. The Buddhist temples were built in a Chinese style, which makes sense as Buddhism originated in China and slowly migrated to Japan. The art of landscape gardening also came from China with the Buddhist monks and nuns because it went along with their meditation. Raked stone gardens were placed in front of things like palaces, temples and shrines, and it was very important that the garden be as beautiful as the building itself. Later on, in the Ashikaga period, gardens were designed to aid monks and nuns in meditation. Plants, such as pines, camellias, plums, and bamboo were placed in the garden because it was supposed to help the garden become more beautiful than nature itself. Shrines, Temples and meditation gardens are all very important to the Japanese culture.

Nuns were important to the Japanese culture because they were people who devoted their lives to the teachings of the Buddhist. Studying the teachings of the Buddhist is a very important and hard job to have, so they must give up many things. Meditation is also very important to nuns. They would usually meditate in a Zen Garden and try to become one with the universe. Additional to the things that the nuns must give up they must also follow over 200 rules. Even though it may seem like nuns were separated from life it is not completely true. Separate from the study of the Buddhist; nuns also have a wide variety of jobs. Nuns have a very important job, but have other importance in the Japanese culture.

Monks were important to the Japanese culture because they devoted their lives to the study of Buddhism. Monks live a very simple life focusing on the studies and practices of Buddhism. Monks hope that their meditation and the study of Buddhism will eventually help them earn merit. When a group of monks come together to meditate or study the teachings of the Buddhist they are called a Sangha. At one point the study of meditation was forbidden to monks, but now it is very important for monks to practice meditation. Without meditation and the practices of Zazen the serenity of shrines, temples, and gardens, and the important roles of monks and nuns the culture of Japan would not be as strong as it is today. media type="custom" key="8455200"

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