Evolution of zazen

[Shinshou]

Hello all. Can anyone point me to a book/lecture/resource about the evolution of zazen? I'm not versed in traditional Buddhist writings, but from what I can tell, in the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha prescribes a type of goal-oriented meditation that involves concentration on the body (breath), emotions, mind, and objects perceived by mind. I'm wondering about a resource that can describe the movement from that practice to the goal-less, open-awareness practice we engage in today.

There may be some explanation on a posting on this site, if so, I haven't reached it yet.

Sat today/LAH

[Shinshou]

And by the way, I'm not sure how that little, red, angry icon got attached to the title of this thread, but I do like it!

[Kyonin]

Hi Daniel,

I think Jundo may have a better answer for your question. Not sure if there is one book with the full history of zazen practice, but if I may I can tell that these two books have a little of the history of zazen:

[FIRST BOOK LINK DELETED]

https://www.amazon.com/How-Zen-Became-Enlightenment-Song-Dynasty/dp/0824835085/

In my experience, I have been able to construct a history of zazen by reading history books about ancient India, China and Japan's spirituality and religion. Books like the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita give us clues about dhjana, how it was practiced and how close it is to our modern zazen. The Chan Buddhism masters and their books also are a great resource to learn about the historic paths or zazen.

And of course we can't forget Master Dogen's Bendowa, Genjokoan and Fukanzazengi. They aren't history documents per se, but can bring some light to a lot of questions.

Hope that helps.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Jundo]

... but if I may I can tell that these two books have a little of the history of zazen:

[FIRST BOOK LINK DELETED]

https://www.amazon.com/How-Zen-Becam...dp/0824835085/

Hi Dan,

If I may summarize in a nutshell ...

Zen has developed when ...

(i) Indian Buddhism branched into "Mahayana (Greater Vehicle)" Buddhism with its own Sutras such as the Lotus and Diamond (which, with philosophers such as Nagarjuna, emphasized the emptiness and underlying Buddha Nature of all things) and Vimalakirti (emphasizing the power of lay folks to participate in this Practice with a greater emphasis on the Bodhisattva who would remain in this world to rescue all the Sentient Beings) and which viewed earlier Teachings as the so-called "Hinayana" (Lesser Vehicle) Teachings which the Buddha taught provisionally,

(ii) came to China and merged with Daoist and other Chinese cultural values (such as the Chinese tendency to view this life as more something to see through and live well as the "Way" than as something to escape as was emphasized more in India),

(iii) became the less philosophical and more experiential "Chan" (the Chinese name for Zen) which basically split into two intertwining branches of branches of Chan along the Rinzai line (emphasizing Koan Introspection Zazen) and Soto Line (emphasizing more "Silent Illumination" Zazen, a kind of introspective illuminated sitting that is the grandfather of Shikantaza) as two ways to realize (meaning, "experience") the peace and flowing wholeness that we often rather misleadingly call "Empty" as well as to realize (meaning, "make real in the living of life") this truth right here in the messy world, which

(iv) then came to Japan and mixed with Japanese values such as their celebration of precision in fine actions and bodily forms (which led to the development of Shikantaza, which is sitting in the introspective illumination of sitting itself as a fine action and form), all of which

(v) has now come West and into modern times with a great emphasis on lay practice, modern scientific understanding of the body and world and all the rest.

(By the way, it would be a mistake to say that the modern South Asian "Theravadan" Traditions are necessarily "original Buddhism", as they also went through their own processes of radical change over the centuries).

I don't know the first book which Kyonin recommended (I just ordered it, one more to read! [NOTE LINK DELETED FOR VARIOUS REASONS]). I would not really recommend the second book, "How Zen Became Zen", except for real Chan/Zen historical geeks, especially because it really only focuses on a particular period in the story (mostly the split in China around the Song Dynasty into Koan Introspection and Silent Illumination Zen).

If you don't mind reading two thick books which, although a little dated, combine the legendary story with modern scholarship, I would recommend these two, which probably can be picked up very cheaply in used form as they have been around for decades now.

• Zen Buddhism, Volume 1: A History (India & China) by Heinrich Dumoulin

and

• Zen Buddhism, Volume 2: A History (Japan) by Heinrich Dumoulin

Perhaps the books suffer from a bit more faith in the historical truth of some of the legendary stories and romanticism of Zen than many modern historians believe (it is now known, for example, that there is some "cut in paste" in the Lineage once one gets back earlier than about 1500 years, and that many of the legends and Koan stories of early Chan figures in the Tang Dynasty are really the idealized and romantic creations of later Chan writers in the Song Dynasty and not actually events or ways of teaching in the Tang), nonetheless they are still very much recommended for their mix of telling the traditional story and hinting at the modern scholarship too.

A shorter work for with a nice general introductions for beginners (despite the silly title) is this, from our book list ...

• Simple Guide to Zen Buddhism by Diana St. Ruth (Jundo: For folks who are completely new, puzzled and perplexed about Zen Buddhism's history and practices of various flavors. It is detailed in its explanation, balanced and quite comprehensive in the many topics it covers. I would not recommend the book for anyone who had been practicing for even a few months, but it may still answer some questions and be good to give to your dad or sister who is completely confused by what we are doing here ... and may think that we are wearing bed sheets while dancing in drum circles with the Dalai Lama during the Soltice. As with any book, it is not perfect. It could still do even a better job in explaining the various different approaches of Soto and Rinzai, Koan Centered Zazen and Shikantaza ... but they are touched upon. But compared to most other books on the subject, it is well researched, comprehensive, very balanced and gets it right.)

I hope that helps.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH