Zen Philosophy and the Japanese Art of Swordsmanship - Essay Example

Zen Philosophy and the Japanese Art of Swordsmanship English Composition The purpose of this paper is to put into synthesis the relevance of the teachings of Zen philosophy towards the Japanese art of swordsmanship. Throughout Japanese history, Zen Buddhism and the way of the samurai have always been lasting aspects of Japanese culture and mindset. It is also a known fact that Zen philosophical teachings have had a special place of learning for the samurai and has always had a special appeal for this warrior class. Zen philosophy, in many ways, helped develop the mindset of these men as warriors, martial artists, and even as human beings in the world. The references that will be used are from Zen studies and its philosophical concepts, and also the famed work of Japan’s famed swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. Zen Philosophy and the Japanese Art of Swordsmanship Zen is the Japanese name of schools that belong to Mahayana Buddhism. Zen emphasizes the role of sitting meditation in pursuing enlightenment for the benefit of others, thus emphasizing compassion. Though considered simply a practice by most of its Western practitioners, Zen is in fact nothing less than a school of Buddhism; thus, it can even be considered a religion. It was only during the last century or so that Zen began to be viewed by Westerners as a philosophy, a way of life, a part of work, an art form, among others. Satori is a Zen philosophical term for reaching enlightenment. The word literally means "to understand." To emphasize further, it refers to "deep" or lasting enlightenment. Satori can be found in all life experiences for it is wrapped in all daily activities. Hence, the goal is to unwrap the meaning behind each moment in able to attain satori. Ross (1960) posited that the “awakening of Zen is satori, and the satori of Zen is recognizing the real noumenon of a person, his original feature, not necessarily recognizing the real substance of various acts” (p.45). The Zen Buddhist experience commonly recognizes enlightenment as a transitory thing in life, which is similar to the English term epiphany, and satori is the realization of a state of such epiphany as enlightenment. Since all things are regarded as transitory according to Zen philosophy, the transitory nature of satori is not limiting. On the contrary, such epiphany has a tremendous effect on Western philosophical understanding of enlightenment. The transitory nature of satori owes much to the influences of Taoism on Chan Buddhism in China, from which the Japanese Zen came from. Taoism is a mystical philosophy that emphasizes the purity and importance of the moment. This emphasis on the importance of the moment, and calm acceptance towards the daily happening of life has had a profound influence to the samurai class of Japan, as well as to the skilled practitioners of the art of Japanese swordsmanship. Since the samurai, or any practitioner of Japanese swordsmanship, has to deal with the constancy of death in any place and at any time, it was only appropriate that these combatants embrace a philosophy that helps develop the mind and spirit, as well as to seek a far deeper and inner understanding of daily things during times of war and peace. Perhaps the most noteworthy among these warriors was the famed Miyamoto Musashi, one of the most famous and legendary swordsmen in Japanese history. Musashi was by far an undefeated duelist, a master less samurai, and a teacher of the way of the sword. He was born during the time when Japan was undergoing another tumultuous power struggle rife with bloody civil wars and personal duels to the death. His insights was vital, not only to those who strive to be masters in the art of sword combat, but also to those who are studying the ways of military strategy. All of his ideas and teachings have been influenced greatly by the Zen philosophical doctrines. A lot of this can be found in Musashi’s famous written work, The Book of Five Rings. The Book of Five Rings is a book that promotes the art of war as a practical activity; taking into account that shrewdness is above styles. Musashi makes it clear in his writing that he detests all the fanciful showmanship and the “all form but no substance” ways of the martial arts during his time. Musashi sought the simple, yet thoroughly effective and ruthless means of approaching combat. In Musashi’s book, reference was made with regards to the various duels that he engaged in. Eventually, he stopped dueling and went to a Zen Buddhist retreat, meditated for many days, and finally found enlightenment (satori) to compose his thoughts in writing. The Book of Five Rings in itself shows the step process of the Zen approach to satori, in which each chapter is a step to understanding the in-depth nature of swordsmanship. Each chapter in the Book of Five Rings is represented by an element of nature that speaks of a different aspect of swordsmanship. The first chapter, the Book of Earth, is an introduction towards the ideas of martial arts and its purposes. It was likened to building a house on solid ground. The second chapter, the Book of Water, speaks of Musashi’s own style of swordsmanship, which is the two-sword style, and the principles and techniques behind it. The third chapter, the Book of Fire, focuses on the vital aspects of battle, such as timing and movement. The last chapter, and the most profound chapter, is the Book of the Void. This chapter is what influenced Musashi the most. He emphasized the importance of Zen philosophy when it comes to having a proper mindset. Musashi (1643) stated: Warriors learn military science accurately and go on to practice the techniques of martial arts diligently. The way that is practiced by warriors is not to obscure in the least. Without any confusion in mind, without slacking off at any time, polishing the mind and attention, sharpening the eye that observes the eye that sees, one should know real emptiness as the state where there is no obscurity and the clouds of confusion have cleared away. (p.142) This means that every technique learned must be unlearned and emptied from the mind so that a state of calmness and tranquility can be achieved. The result will bring about new insights towards a new understanding of one’s self, while having a clearer perception of the world. References Musashi, Miyamoto. (1994). The book of five rings. (T. Cleary, Trans.). Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, Inc. (Original work written 1643). Ross, Nancy Wilson. (1960). The world of zen. Canada: Random House, Inc. 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