Mysticism in East Asia - Essay Example

Mysticism in East Asia Modernity is a process of transformation which mainly began after the nineteenth century. It is considered to be a development and change from the old to the new. The period of modernity was a time of change which reached its peak in the mid nineteenth century. The concept of capitalism emerged and the differences between the west and the east also emerged. West was considered to be the superior side. It was later that interest of the western countries developed in the east and the faith of Buddhism was closely seen.

Buddhism was considered to be a religion of east and this religious belief also underwent changes of modernity. The powers of the western world that colonized the eastern countries admired the purity of the faith. The achievement of modernity was an important factor in the nineteenth and twentieth century and Buddhism was a great contributor towards the reaching of this early status of modernity in Japan.Buddhism is considered to be one of the very old religion but its roots mainly lay in the eastern world and particularly in the countries of China and Japan.

This religion promotes peace and harmony but it also plays a role towards the development of success and self importance. The interest of the western world in Buddhism achieved a great rise in the nineteenth and twentieth century, particularly after the success of Japan in achieving the status of a modern nation. This is because it was a belief that the major contributor in assisting Japan towards this accomplishment was in the following of Buddhism. Dogen was an important figure in the history of Buddhism.

He was the main teacher in the creation of Zen Buddhism in the early thirteenth century. Dogen laid great stress upon sitting and meditating. He believed that a person should be in a state of “non thinking.’ According to him this time which a person spent was very important because it assisted in the bringing together of the soul and the body of a human being. He would then be able to achieve a spiritual level that is the level which is required by a Buddha. These presentations of his beliefs clearly show his tilt towards mysticism and the recognition of the inner world.

He believed that the greater the person would know about hi inner self the more he would be successful in the outer world as well. Zen is a part of the teachings of Dogen. There are views regarding this belief. It is considered first to play a great role toward the achievement of success as it pushes a person towards modernity because when he has knowledge of the inner world, his thinking is enhanced and he develops a higher knowledge level of the outer world and hence moves a step ahead towards modernity.

But an issue is that it is believed that on one side Buddhism preaches peace and harmony but on the other hand it also teaches a person to attain success and this can be held as a reason for the world war two and the bombings of the two major cities of Japan. This is because of their attempt to shatter the economic hold of the western world.Bibliography:Biefeldt, Carl. Dogen’s Lancet of Seated Meditation.Ivy, Marilyn MODERNITY. Chicago. The University of Chicago Press. 2005.