Human Development
Soto Zen
Description:
This branch of Zen emphasizes gentle methods of realization, zazen meditation without the use of koans as practised in the Rinzai school. There are five stages or relations: (1) The individual accepts or discovers for himself that there is a reality, a superior self which, although unseen, overshadows the "little" self which only seems to exist. These are referred to as the prince and his minister or the host and his guest. At this stage the superior self is unseen or unknown, dark but looming over the known "smaller" self. (2) The individual recognizes that he is in fact the servant of the prince - the spiritual is his master and he begins to feel that he should act accordingly. Here the greater has more significance, the "little" self is seen as the dark or shadowy figure. Attachments die away and to outsiders the individual appears like a "withered log". (3) Spiritual living becomes positive, the servant sees the real and higher as actually within himself, the guest sees the host's interests as his own, the withered log blooms again. At this stage, "not-seeing" diminishes, the servant becomes luminous with spirit as the mind declines. (4) Prince and minister are one, there are no other motivations. The individual works only from the inner promptings and not from thinking or planning of the separate self. (5) Oneness with the prince is now realized as oneness with all, even with what before seemed erroneous - only the "seeming" was wrong.Broader:
Human development Narrower:
Outward zazen meditation Related:
Saijojo zen