RELG 253 Quiz: What is Zen Notes (D.T. Suzuki).docx

• School: McGill University
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RELG 253
• Professor: G.V.Hori

Document Summary

Chan/zen is indian buddhism adapted to chinese culture. Indian buddhism arrives in china 1 st century. Home was a sacred entity"; family was basic unit of chinese society. Once you left home, you were supposed to remain celibate. Confucian people are supposed to be engaged in society. After 5 centuries, chan developed influenced by chinese culture. Taken up by the chan monastery: head monk = father figure. Daoist sage" model for awakened chan master. Wu wei and naturalness" chan enlightenment. Non-duality" pushed further: the non-duality of duality and non-duality". Whatever zen is, it"s not founded in words and letters. Zen is the opposite of dualist logic (philosophy is based on dualistic logic) Suzuki: zen is not religion (in the ordinary sense) But zen does not deny the existence of god, etc. Why: because zen is not into affirming or denying anything. All other religions affirm or deny things. Because zen does not do this, zen is not a religion.