SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

122 Appendix I: The Gist of Sōtō Zenof architecture, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, landscapegardening, y‡kyoku noh (drama), renga, haiku (kinds of poetry)and tea ceremony and created what may aptly be termed a Zenculture. The characteristics of this culture, under the influenceof Zen, are simplicity combined with strength and vital freedomwhich are at one with nature. The culture, thus influenced,when put into a mold will always break out of it and transcendit. The spirit of Buddhist meditation has penetrated every fieldof Japanese culture and art, and through its emphasis onsimplicity and profundity it has made its value everlasting.In Japan, architecture and sculpture influenced by Zendiffer radically from those of other schools, not being addictedto bright colors. Materials are used in the natural form withoutadhering to any stylized pattern. All of this may be said to be theembodiment of the fundamental spirit of the meditation. TheShari-den hall of the Engaku-ji Temple in Kamakura is a representativework of this period. Typical of Zen paintings is thesuiboku-ga style which is done in India ink. There are manyvery well-known Zen painters, and among them Sessh‰(1420Ð1506 C.E.) is possibly the most famous. His view as tothe relation between Zen and art is significant: ÒPainting andZen are one (gazenÕichimi).Ó His haboku landscapes are finemodels of masculinity and strength and have an inseparablekinship with nature itself. His portraits which consist largely of