Japanese and Tibetan Buddha: A Comparative Study - Assignment Example

?Japanese and Tibetan Buddha: A Comparative Study Introduction Buddhism has been a major religion in East Asia for several hundred years. Buddhism originated in India when Siddhartha Gautama, a warrior and prince got a sight of the human sufferings outside the extravagant palace he lived in (“The Origins of Buddhism” 2013). Founded in the 6th century BC, the ideas soon spread throughout the East from the Himalayas through China to Japan. Because the religion had spread to far off places, it was practiced in many forms however many teachers and priests derived the concepts from the teachings of Buddha. Thus, the “essence” of his teachings, known as dharma or dhamma, was taken essentially from the practices of Buddha and was set as an ideal to follow. While the teachings and the spirit of Buddha’s teachings remain the same across the geographical distribution of the religion, Buddhism has been diversified in its tenets by local forms of the religion. That is to say, the fundamental beliefs of the religion remain consistent for all local variants however they differ in their consideration of ideas and figures. Thus, Japanese and Tibetan Buddhism have similar traits in the sense that both refer to the basic teachings of Buddha however Japanese Buddhism focuses more on the study of self as a way of finding inner peace. That said, both forms of Buddhism are similar because they are derived from the same school of thought, which is Mahayana Buddhism. Another sub-division of Mahayana philosophy is Vajrayana which is practiced in Tibet and Japan where it is known as Shingon (O’Brien 2013). Therefore, Tibetan Buddhism, also known as Lamaism, follows the philosophy of Mahayana and involves a system of lamas who get reincarnated one after the other. Japanese Buddhism also incorporates the Mahayana school of thought but also focuses on the inner self apart from the basic teachings of Buddha. Zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism: Differences Zen Buddhism is widely practiced in Japan as a variant of Japanese Buddhism. However, its origins are not Japanese or Chinese as it is often confused. Instead, Zen Buddhism originated from India by a master named Bodhidharma (“About Buddhism Zen Buddhism vs. Tibetan Buddhism” 2012). He founded Zen Buddhism and his ideas soon spread to China and Japan where he is known as Shi Da Yang and Daruma respectively. Zen Buddhism focuses more on one’s inner self rather than the teachings and practices of Buddha himself. The word Zen emphasizes the discovery of self through meditation and concentration. It concentrates on the inner powers present within to unlock the path to Enlightment as it was achieved by Buddha. That is why all Zen masters teach the search for bliss and fulfillment within in order to achieve the enlighted stage which Buddha achieved. Zen Buddhism encourages a person to look beyond the domain of easy understanding of the worldly affairs and the universal truth. It promotes deep thought and meditation so as to understand the self and realize the real truth which is beyond the physical spectacle of the eyes. For this one must meditate and concentrate on truth beyond the worldly principles. It encourages one to question oneself to realize what he or she truly is. By doing so, the person realizes the truth beyond the worldly curtains – the truth present within oneself. The main aim of meditation and concentration is the search for the internal truth and the finding of Enlightment. Another way of achieving Enlightment is to become a Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva means the compassionate one and by becoming warm and humane one can become united with the universe thereby acquiring Enlightment just as Buddha did through realization of the reality. Because Zen Buddhism is widely practiced in Japan, Daruma, the founder of Zen Buddhism is considered to be a leading figure for Japanese Buddhist followers. Because he introduced Zen Buddhism to China and Japan, he is known as the father of Zen Buddhism. However, Tibetan Buddhism or Lamaism is very different from Zen Buddhism despite their similar roots in Mahayana philosophy. Tibetan Buddhism derives its teachings from the beliefs and practices of Buddha himself and focuses more on the model provided by him rather than the finding of inner peace and truth. There are many forms of Buddhism in Tibet and all forms focus on the philosophical notions of perfection and the ideology that has been laid down by the Buddha. Tibetan Buddhism was Buddhism inspired by the former Bon religion of Tibet. Tibetan Buddhism therefore combines the principles of Bon, Tantric mysticism, and Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is derived from mystic teachings of Padmasambhava who brought the practices of Tantra to Tibet. Tantra was derived from esoteric documents which mentioned a system of application and meditation that aimed at the rational transformation of an individual by means of graphic, symbolic, and ceremonial sources (Powers 2007, 249). Tibetan Buddhism involves Tantric Buddhism in a form which focuses on some specific symbols that characterize the knowledge and wisdom of the Buddha. Vajra is such a symbol in Tantric Buddhism which represents a hard material that represents Buddha’s knowledge which strong and concrete. It also illustrates the approach that lead to Buddha’s realization of the world and the universe as the eternal truth beyond all falsified mundane realities. Tantric Buddhism through its techniques and methodologies aims at attaining the Enlightment similar to that achieved by Buddha. It mentions various techniques of attaining Enlightment quickly and for this reason it is also called “Method Vehicle”. Since Tibetan Buddhism incorporates Tantric Buddhism as a way to achieve rapid realization, it is different from the Zen form of Buddhism practiced in Japan which exclusively concentrates on meditation and other practices as a way of attaining unity with the universe, or in other words, realization. It takes the practices of Buddha as a model to train the attributes similar to that of Buddha which may guide towards Enlightment. As Powers mentions in his book the differences between Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism becomes more apparent when one compares them in terms of the Four Orders which for Lamaism includes Nyingma Order, Sakya Order, Kagyu Order and Gelug Order (2007, 357). These differences arise as a result of differences in the communication of Buddha history so that there are various styles of teachings and practices which is reflected in the local forms of Buddhism at each geographical location. Since the dissemination of Buddhist teachings varied due to region and transmission, disparities in teachings became incorporated in the practices of its different forms. Thus, the differences between Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism are apparent due to their transmittal along the way which gave rise to the various disparities. Japanese Buddhism which mainly involves Zen Buddhism is more towards the discovery of self and truth as a pathway to achieve realization however Tibetan Buddhism focuses more on the teachings of Buddha and his attributes which lead to realization and hence Enlightment. Due to Tantric influences in Tibetan Buddhism there are deep elements of mystic practices and rituals in Tibetan Buddhism which is absent in Japanese Buddhism. So, the differences have occurred as a result of the historical transformation of the Buddha’s teachings along the way. This has given rise to different styles and forms of Buddhism blending in local influences. Mahayana School of Buddhism: Similarities Japanese and Tibetan Buddhism are branches derived from Mahayana school of Buddhism. Although both are often considered to be forms of Vajrayana Buddhism, they are ultimately linked to Mahayana Buddhism because Vajrayana itself is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism also has Tantric essence in its teachings which is called the Sutra Vehicle or the Perfection Vehicle (Powers 2007, 250). In Mahayana Buddhism the Sutra Vehicle guides an individual to achieve Buddha’s spiritual stage by slowly progressing towards virtue and excellence thereby achieving perfection. Mahayana therefore teaches 6 perfections which lead towards the awakening of self to Buddhahood. It describes five methods which if followed lead to the realization. Many masters claim that the Perfection Vehicle can be completed within one life of a person by following the Tantras recited by Buddha and present in the sacred texts. Meditation takes plays a central role in Mahayana form of Buddhism prevalent in Tibet and Japan. Meditation has not only proven to be effective in its spiritual domain but has also provided accessibility to enthusiasm and inspiration to follow the pathway defined by Buddha. Mahayana practitioners follow the pathway of Buddha by passing through the three sutras that lead to realization. The sutras mention the attainment of the Enlightment achieved as an Arhat or complete Buddhahood or Bodhisattva. This is where the various schools of thought present a disparity. Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the attainment of full Buddhahood so that the person who has achieved Enlightment is determined to guide others in attaining Enlightment as well. However Arhat is only an individual who has attained Enlightment himself and one who may not guide another individual in achieving realization. Mahayana Buddhism has been a dominant form of Buddhism in Tibet and Japan mainly due to its Indian influences inculcated by Indian teachers of Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism asserts on the achievement of full or perfect Buddhahood which is why it promotes Bodhisattva. Also, it treats Bodhisattvas as great legendary heroes possessing great powers. Bodhisattvas are generally considered to be generous people helping other people and guiding them to assist them in attaining Enlightment or Buddhahood. Mahayana Buddhism defies any praised status of high priests and monks and develops a more achievable form of Buddhahood through the sutras stipulated by its teachings. Mahayana provides a way of reaching the exalted state of Buddha by good virtues and the practice of sutra. Conclusion Therefore, Buddhism has been influenced by various native traditions and cultures which has shaped the diverse forms of Buddhism present in Japan and Tibet. Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism are similar due to their association with Mahayana Buddhism which encourages the attainment of Bodhisattva through a vehicle of perfection (sutra). This form of Buddhism also promotes the way of good monks who do not engage in any activity described as social or engage in talks with women or men, trade activities, and so on. However, Japanese Buddhism which includes Zen Buddhism focuses more on the intrinsic state of an individual as a means of attaining Buddhahood. It considers concentration and meditation to be a key to the discovery of inner self. In contrast, Tibetan Buddhism focuses on the attainment of Buddhahood through good qualities and traits that are lead by the various sutras. References About.com Buddhism. "Brief Guide to Major Sectarian Distinctions in Buddhism." 2013. http://buddhism.about.com/od/findingatempleandsangha/a/Brief-Guide-To-Major-Schools-Of-Buddhism.htm (accessed 8 Dec 2013). Asia Society. "The Origins of Buddhism." 2013. http://asiasociety.org/countries/religions-philosophies/origins-buddhism (accessed 8 Dec 2013). I Love Buddhism. "Zen Buddhism vs. Tibetan Buddhism: The Basic Differences." 2013. http://www.ilovebuddhism.com/blog/about-buddhism/zen-buddhism-vs-tibetan-buddhism-the-basic-differences (accessed 8 Dec 2013). Powers, John. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Ithaca, N.Y., USA: Snow Lion Publications, 2007. Read More