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SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

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c. Characteristics of Zen and its ArtTo study true Zen, Westerners should ideally visit Japan.This is because monasteries still flourish in Japan underthe guidance of Zen masters. There are also some fine scholarsof Zen thought and historical background. Probably, one yearof intensive Zen training in Japan equals three years of study inthe West.In Japan, Zen is divided into three schools: Rinzai, S‡t‡and †baku. The Rinzai School has many branches, each with ahead temple; the most famous of these are probably Engaku-jiTemple at Kamakura and My‡shin-ji Temple in Ky‡to. Theleading S‡t‡ Temples are Eihei-ji Temple in Fukui Prefectureand S‡ji-ji Temple in Yokohama. The head temple of the †bakuSchool is Manpuku-ji Temple in the suburbs of Ky‡to. Themonasteries belonging to these Zen schools facilitate the practiceof Zen. The Rinzai teaching was brought from China byEisai, and it had great influence among the warrior class duringthe Kamakura period. Rinzai Zen emphasizes enlightenmentthrough the k‡an. It is characterized by severity of disciplineand by the use of shouts and blows. The S‡t‡ School arose fromthe teachings of Great Master D‡gen. It gained popularityamong common people of Japan and became the largest ofthe Zen schools. Its major tenet is the identity of enlightenment109

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