1. Buddhism in Japan: Zen Koans
Berger
Intro to Asian Religions

2. The Japanese Reception of Buddhism and Zen
Buddhism introduced from Korean court in 552
Empress Suiko sends envoys to China in 607
Scholastic Buddhism of Nara Period ( )
Kamakura Period ( ) schools of Zen
Soto (Sitting Meditation) brought by Dogen in 1227
Rinzai (Lin-chi) brought by Eisai in 1191
Zen a self-styled response to Buddhist corruption

3. The Koan (公案) in Rinzai Zen
Collections of “precedents,” pivotal dialogues or “one-liners” from great Zen teachers
Rinzai’s (d. 866) method of “dharma combat,” a confrontational example of “encounter dialogue”
Koans and commentaries collected and studied by Zen masters and given to students as tests and meditational guides
Not “unansweable questions” or “riddles,” but cues for responses that reveal level of enlightenment

4. The 1st Koan on Buddha Nature from Mumankan (無門關) of 1228
Joshu’s answer to the question: 無 mu: “no-’ 361)
The need to reject the precedent (362(
A rejection of dualistic thinking (363)
The living negation of oneself and reality and yet the grasping of it (Hakuin’s initiation) (364)
Differing interpretations ending in negation (365)
The fundamental contradiction of human existence, having and not having Buddha-nature (365-66)

5. A Visual Koan: Hakuin From Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768)
Can you guess the title and meaning of this painting?

6. for Next Class
Prepare Questions for Exam Review