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The Monkey Kings Zen Garden

The art of Zen was originally taught to Shaolin monks by the buddhist monk Bodhidharma who came to China to teach: A special transmission outside the scriptures 教外別傳 No dependence upon words and letters 不立文字 Direct pointing to the human mind 直指人心 Seeing into one's own nature and attaining Buddhahood 見性成佛 Zen, originally from the Chinese word Chán and Sanskrit dhyāna, means meditation and a Zen garden is a place in which to meditate or contemplate surrounded by the natural elements of the Dao. Chinese Zen gardens differ from Japanese gardens in that more fanciful elements are used in their display. Japanese Zen gardens on the other hand are usually more simplistic yet just as powerful in their intent. One of the earliest major scrolls on Zen garden design is the Sakuteiki, the Classic of Garden Making. Attributed to Tachibana no Toshitsuna it was written sometime around the eleventh century in Japan and offers some principles on which to base one's design and there are also many references to the types of islands, waterfalls and rock arrangements one might create in a garden: * The garden should conform to the topographic characteristics of the site, including the natural flow of water * A garden should conform to the principles of feng shui paying close attention to directional symbolism and the propitious choice and placing of elements within it * A garden should capture the spirit of nature as well as be able to imitate its forms A later scroll, the Senzui narabi ni yagyo no zu, or Illustrations for Designing Mountain, Water, and Hillside Field Landscapes, is attributed to the priest Zoen. This text concentrates on the small scenic gardens that were common to the Muromachi Period and analyzing individual components of the garden, it places significance on the selection of rocks, their placements and even gives names for their various shapes. The Zen garden by its very nature is ephemeral and a garden may go through many changes over time, just as the wheel of the seasons come and pass us by. Plants and trees grow and die, water levels rise and fall, and rocks can be added, subtracted, or repositioned so a garden is a work of art perpetually in progress and is never always the same. Philosophically, Zen gardens are meant to reward personal contemplation and are not a direct means of Zen meditation practice. Although many gardens are situated in Zen Temples, the goals of Zen meditation do not depend on the passive observation of external stimuli. They are more of an activity of Zen - of creation and maintenance, and its through the mindful activity of one's labour or contemplation, that the pathway to enlightenment can be found. ENTER THE WORLD OF ZEN * Click Here for a visually rich, funny, intuitive, basic introduction to Zen, produced by Kodai-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan. * Enter the gateless gate for a selection of Zen Koans from the Collection of Stone and Sand dated the 13th Century. * While youre here also spend some quiet time visiting the Zen Contemplations thread below. While reflecting on each image for a few minutes, focus your mind in the present and wait and see what happens. Watch what passes and see what inspiration comes. Youre sure to feel refreshed and will leave here in a happy happy state of mind. Thanks for visiting the Monkey King's Zen Garden and come back again anytime when you need a few moments to unwind. All comments can be directed to the guestbook area where you'll also be able to pick up some fun plaques.Enjoy People! Sources: Wikipedia - Zen Buddhism The Japanese Garden Kodai-ji Temple

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