Zen Buddhism's Influence On Enlightment

Buddha taught that life will always have suffering but that suffering is cause because our desirers. Later the teaching of Zen, which means the practice of mediation in Japan, believed to be a way obtains enlightenment like the Buddha himself. Zen teaches that everybody can attain enlightments because everyone inherits Buddha-nature. Zen approached Buddhism in the simplest direct way which is associated with Zen painting. Zen painting is simple, free and open minded, it’s a way to mediate and doesn’t require any prepping, thoughts or struggle. But the practice of Zen is very long difficult process just like life itself. The most famous and influential Zen painter, who impacted Japan with Zen Buddhism was Hakuin Ekaku. He created a school

His main contribution was the idea that one should meditate the Koran while engaged in daily activity. Koans are stories, questions or statements to provoke “great doubts” and test a Zen students’ progress in Zen practice this trigger enlightment in the students. The Zen students mediate using hundreds of Koans in order become enlightment. Enlightment believed to be quick and sudden experience while mediating. Hakuin famous Koan was “What is the sound of one hand?” This Zen question is to make Zen students to think and find the answer, gives up the answers of logical thinking and perceive possibility by look at the situation in many different ways. As an Artist, Hakuin express his values and belief of Zen into his paintings. His Enso painting is a free hand drawn circle, which is created by the swift motion brush stroke of black ink on washi. Washi is tougher than original paper giving the painting a rough texture. Once ink touches washi it is permanent, the artist cannot go back and change it, this can be symbolize life. In life you can only move forward never backwards. In Hakuin’s enso the large darken circle is located on the right side of the washi taken up most of the paper. On the left side of the washi there is

Zen master creates enso for their students to mediate. The quality of enso expresses the master’s depth of enlightment. Another painting Hakuin created to represents his teaching was the Blind Men Bridge. The artwork is simple ink on paper painting with very few details, on the top there are mountains with light brushstroke giving the painting depth. There are thick brush stroke on both sides of the painting which seem to create land. In the middle of the artwork there are three human figures struggling to cross the bridge. This portrays an image of three blind men crossing a wood bridge, but the bridge is incomplete making the path a dangerous journey for the three blind men. This raises the question “Will they make it?” This can bridge can symbolize the difficult path of life, showing that you don’t know what lies ahead. The first blind man is on all fours of his limbs crawling to the edge of the bridge. The middle figure is in motion of getting on his knees like the first blind man and the third man is following the same direction as the rest of them. This can be illustrating the quote “The blind leading the blind.” The bridge shows the further you go in life the harder