KC Hill
Dexter
Cibbuano
Paladin
Craig Hill
Oracle of Delphi'Zen Mind, Zen Brush': Japanese ink painting from the Gitter-Yelen Collection
July 13th 2006 01:07
Zen or Ch'an Buddhism represents a sectarian movement within the Buddhist religion that stresses the practice of meditation as the means to enlightenment. Zen and Ch'an are, respectively, Japanese and Chinese attempts to render the Sanskrit word for meditation, dhyana.
Zen's roots may be traced to India, but it was in East Asia that the movement became distinct and flourished. Like other Chinese Buddhist sects, Ch'an first established itself as a lineage of masters emphasizing the teachings of a particular text, in this case the Lankavatara Sutra. Bodhidharma, the first Ch'an patriarch in China, who is said to have arrived there from India c. 470 AD, was a master of this text. He also emphasized the practice of contemplative sitting, and legend has it that he himself spent 9 years in meditation facing a wall.
The heart of Zen monasticism is the practice of meditation; it is this feature that has been most popular in Zen's spread to the West. Zen meditation highlights the experience of enlightenment, or satori (Chinese: wu), and the possibility of attaining it in this life. The strict training of Zen monks, the daily physical chores, the constant wrestling with koans, the long hours of sitting in meditation, and the special intensive periods of practice (sesshin) are all directed toward this end.
Simple yet profound, spontaneous yet controlled, the art of Zen Buddhism communicates the vision of Zen masters and reveals the essence of Zen. Brimming with wit and humour and bristling with spiritual power, these intensely Japanese works of Zen ink painting and calligraphy, are immediately appealing. The exhibition, drawn from a remarkable US private collection includes works by the greatest Zen masters of the last three centuries, with subjects ranging from fierce-looking Zen patriarchs to minimal landscapes and from intense calligraphy to whimsical depictions of Zen conundrums.
The exhibition runs from 17 June - 13 August 2006 at the NSW Art Gallery -Asian Gallery, Ground Level
Zen's roots may be traced to India, but it was in East Asia that the movement became distinct and flourished. Like other Chinese Buddhist sects, Ch'an first established itself as a lineage of masters emphasizing the teachings of a particular text, in this case the Lankavatara Sutra. Bodhidharma, the first Ch'an patriarch in China, who is said to have arrived there from India c. 470 AD, was a master of this text. He also emphasized the practice of contemplative sitting, and legend has it that he himself spent 9 years in meditation facing a wall.
The heart of Zen monasticism is the practice of meditation; it is this feature that has been most popular in Zen's spread to the West. Zen meditation highlights the experience of enlightenment, or satori (Chinese: wu), and the possibility of attaining it in this life. The strict training of Zen monks, the daily physical chores, the constant wrestling with koans, the long hours of sitting in meditation, and the special intensive periods of practice (sesshin) are all directed toward this end.
Simple yet profound, spontaneous yet controlled, the art of Zen Buddhism communicates the vision of Zen masters and reveals the essence of Zen. Brimming with wit and humour and bristling with spiritual power, these intensely Japanese works of Zen ink painting and calligraphy, are immediately appealing. The exhibition, drawn from a remarkable US private collection includes works by the greatest Zen masters of the last three centuries, with subjects ranging from fierce-looking Zen patriarchs to minimal landscapes and from intense calligraphy to whimsical depictions of Zen conundrums.
The exhibition runs from 17 June - 13 August 2006 at the NSW Art Gallery -Asian Gallery, Ground Level
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