Chapter 33 self-cultivation (2)

The Japanese can not only associate Christianity with airplanes, but also associate "calmness and calmness" with coping with exams, speeches, and political careers.In their eyes, cultivating a "point" (concentration, focus) has undeniable benefits for doing anything. Many civilizations have developed this training technique, but the Japanese training technique and goals clearly have an entirely unique character.Many Japanese self-cultivation techniques come from the Indian yoga school, which is even more interesting.Japanese self-hypnosis and engrossment Note, the skill of controlling the five senses reflects the kinship with the Indian way of practice.Japan also attaches great importance to "xuling" (not thinking in the mind) and "body stillness" (not moving the body), repeating the same sentence thousands of times, or concentrating on a selected symbol, even using Indian terms.But beyond these superficial commonalities, the Japanese version of self-cultivation has little in common with the Indian one.

Although Japan is a big Buddhist country, the thoughts of reincarnation and nirvana have never become part of Japanese Buddhist beliefs.Although a few monks accepted this teaching, it never affected folk thought and custom.In Japan, birds, beasts, insects and fish are not regarded as the reincarnation of human beings and are not allowed to kill. Funeral ceremonies and birthday celebrations are not affected by reincarnation thoughts.Reincarnation is not a Japanese thought pattern, nor is Nirvana, which the monks processed to make it disappear.Learned monks asserted that the "enlightened" person had attained nirvana, that he could "see nirvana" in the here and now, among the pine trees and wild birds.The Japanese have never been interested in fantasies about the afterlife.Their myths are all about the gods, not about the dead.They even reject the Buddhist idea of ​​karma after death.They believed that anyone, even a lowly peasant, could become a Buddha after death.The family spiritual seats offered by the Japanese on Buddhist altars are called "Buddhas".Such terms are unique in Buddhist countries.It is understandable that such a nation would not pursue the difficult goal of "Nirvana" if such a bold honorific title could be used for ordinary dead.Since a person can become a Buddha no matter what, there is no need to pursue this easily attainable goal all his life.

Likewise, Japan has no teaching on the incompatibility of the flesh and the spirit.Yoga practice is a way to eliminate the desires that live in the body.The Japanese don't see it that way.They believe that "human feelings" (afflictions) are not demons, and that sensual enjoyment is part of the wisdom of life, the only condition is that sensual enjoyment must be sacrificed for the major obligations of life.This creed extends from logic to extremes in the Japanese approach to the practice of yoga: not only does it exclude all masochistic asceticism, but the sect is not even an ascetic one in Japan.Their "enlightened ones" lead a reclusive life, although they are called "hermits", but they usually still live comfortably and comfortably with their wives in beautiful places.There is no contradiction at all between marrying a wife and having children and becoming a saint.In the most popular sect of Buddhism (the Jodo Shingon sect), monks are perfectly free to marry wives and have children.Japan has never easily accepted the preaching of the incompatibility of the soul and the flesh.Sudden "enlightenment" and becoming holy is because of self-meditation and practice and simple life, not because of having to rags and clothes, and abandoning sensual entertainment.Japanese sages recite poems and drink tea all day long, admiring flowers and enjoying the moon.Today's Zen even warns its followers to avoid the "three deficiencies", that is, insufficient clothing, insufficient food and insufficient sleep.

They understand the method of yoga practice as a method of "self-cultivation in order to improve oneself", and a method of "making people and their behaviors seamless" and reaching the state of "mature".It's a form of self-reliance training.Its payoff is in sight, and it enables people to deal effectively with any situation, using just the right amount of force.It enables people to control their presumptuous ego and be calm and composed, and they will not lose their composure no matter they encounter external personal danger or the turmoil in their own hearts.

Of course, this kind of training is not only beneficial to monks, but also to warriors.In fact, it was the samurai who made Zen their religion.Japan used mysticism to train samurai to fight alone, and it has been doing so since the first influence of Zen Buddhism. In the 12th century, Eisai, the founder of Zen Buddhism in Japan, wrote a great work called "Promoting Zen and Protecting the Country".Zen trained warriors, statesmen, swordsmen, and university students to achieve rather mundane goals.As Sir Charles Elliott remarked, no one could see in the history of Zen in China any indication that Zen would become a means of military training in Japan. "Zen, like tea ceremony and music, has completely become Japanese culture. We can understand that this kind of meditation mystical dogma, which advocates not seeking from experience but directly experiencing the truth from the heart, will cause turmoil in the 12th and 13th centuries. It was popular in those monasteries that escaped worldly disasters in the era. But we can't imagine that the Japanese samurai class would use it as a favorite living standard."

Many sects in Japan, including Buddhism and Taoism, place a strong emphasis on meditation, self-hypnosis and trance.Some sects regard the fruit of this training as the grace of God, and their philosophical foundation is based on "other power", referring to the help of others, that is, the help of a benevolent God.However, some sects, especially Zen Buddhism, advocate relying on "self-reliance" and relying on oneself to help oneself.They teach that potential exists only within oneself and can only be enhanced through one's own efforts.The samurai found this teaching to be in keeping with their character.Whether they were monks or politicians and educators—they all had similar jobs—they reinforced an austere individualism in the way of Zen practice.The teachings of Zen are very clear: "What Zen seeks is the light that can be found in oneself, and no obstacles are allowed. Remove all obstacles on the way... meet Buddha and kill Buddha, meet ancestors and ancestors, meet saints and destroy saints. This is the only way , can be saved."

Those who seek the truth do not accept any second-hand goods.Whether it is the teachings of the Buddha, ancestral scriptures, or theology, "the teaching of the three vehicles and twelve karmas is a pile of waste paper."Although it is not useless to study these, it cannot give a flash of inspiration in his heart. Only this flash of inspiration can make people realize suddenly.There is a record in a Zen answer book that a disciple asked a Zen monk to explain the Lotus Sutra.The Zen monk spoke very well, but his disciples were disappointed: "Why, I thought the Zen monk despised the classics, theories and logical systems!" The Zen monk replied: "Zen is not ignorant, but believes that true knowledge is outside of all classics and documents. .You are not here to seek knowledge, but to ask the ears of scriptures."