Art 107 Japanese Art. Zen Tea Ceremonies, Zen tea ware, Zen Gardens

Transcription

1 Art 107 Japanese Art Zen Tea Ceremonies, Zen tea ware, Zen Gardens

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3 Zen Buddhism (contemplation) Goal: enlightenment (not ecstasy) reached through silent meditation and selfdiscipline (without the help of mandalas, deities, or magical chants)

4 Zen Buddhism Transcend the world by replacing passions with an intuitive and unconscious acceptance of the oneness of universe Spontaneous intuition: immediate, intuitive, personal response Intuitively merging oneself with nature & universe (lose one s sense of identity; experience unification with the Oneness that is reality)

5 Concepts: Zen Buddhism (and the arts) Transcendental naturalism (experience unification with Oneness; borders are illusory) Spontaneous intuition (no planning, overpainting, or building up) Simplicity and understatement Art Forms: Sumi-e (ink paintings) Zen gardens Zen cha-no-yu (tea ceremony) Martial arts (including archery and sword-making) Flower arranging

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7 Principles of the Tea Ceremony (cha no yu) Harmony Purity Respect Tranquility Aesthetics of modesty, refinement, and rusticity

8 The Tea Ceremony (Cha-no-yu) art Zen gardens Tea houses Tea ware Tea ceremony

9 Path of dew (Roji)

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14 The host appears at the entrance and says, "I will offer you a bowl of tea." This is the time for all to calm their spirits, a time to concentrate on the point in front of us.

15 Japanese teahouse: tatami mats (of sea grass) and tokonoma alcove

16 Teahouses Tatami mats Tokonoma alcove with painting and/or ikebana

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18 Three stages of the tea ceremony: the purification of utensils serving tea the purification and putting away of the utensils.

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21 The tea ceremony is one meeting, one opportunity -- a very special occasion that will happen this one time only. This concept is the essence of the phrase, "Ichi-go, Ichi-e," or "one time, one meeting. The tea ceremony harmonizes with the Zen concept of living fully in the present.

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23 Sabi Beauty found in stillness or even deprivation loneliness and deep quietude in the sense of Buddhist detachment Should happen when partaking in the tea ceremony and/or while sitting in quiet, unmoving zazen (sitting meditation) Aim: develop a unity of emptiness, where nothing is separate and nothing is excluded.

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26 After preparing the tea the host turns the bowl so that the most beautiful front is toward the first guest. The guest turns the bowl twice so the front is turned back, as if offering to the gods. This is a manifestation of humility. The first guest inquires about the tea bowl. The process is repeated with each participant All drink from a single container.

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28 To appreciate a tea bowl, notice: Its imperfect shape, its rusticity, its humbleness, and its experience How it fits into the hands How subtly the shape and texture appeals to the eye (and hands) Who had previously used and admired it The element of chance how a mishap in its creation is unique and irreproducible, as unpredictable as the moment of enlightenment

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30 The tea ceremony and tea bowls suggest: the beauty of imperfection. This is the spirit in which the host invites the guests but because we're human we'll never be perfect. (wabi) simplicity. This involves the limitation of things, the opposite of luxury. Be aware of your basic limitations and do not extend yourself beyond what you're capable of doing. Inclusiveness, wholeness. There also is the feeling wherein host and guests become one -- an inclusiveness, a wholeness. (Zen Buddhism) charity and service, the idea of doing things for the other person, which is at the heart of the way of Tea.

31 cha-no-yu (tea ceremony) ware Wabi Shibusa (shibui)

32 State of mind Wabi Sense of sadness and loneliness or a humble and admirable shabbiness Imperfect, unique, irregular, disappointing, insufficient, sad objects, suggesting an eternity of experience Plain, crude, rustic forms imitating Korean peasant ware Incorporating the seemingly contradictory dualities of beauty and homeliness

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34 A perfect teapot from China waited for no one it s enough in and of itself. Imari teapot

35 Shibusa criteria for recognizing beauty through form, color, and design To perceive the beauty of an object, one must: discard one s self use intuition to see at this very moment ( seeing the right now )

36 Shibui Subdued and restrained; austere Tranquil, peaceful Reticent, but not negative Full of depth NOT shallow or boastful or showy or gaudy Simple and pure Suggesting eloquent silence ( silence like thunder ) having inner radiance Understated Understood through intuition, seeing the right now

37 Fresh water jar, Shino ware

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46 Raku tea bowl for cha-no-yu

47 Slide 17

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55 Zen Gardens

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58 Modern life is full of distractions. Our minds weren't built to absorb all the information coming at us. Even when these temples were built, the outside city life was busy and full of entertaining distractions. At breakfast, we think of work. At work we think of going home; while going home we plan our weekend. How much time do we spend right now, right where we are? Visiting a garden with a few rocks in it gives our mind just enough information to feel comfortable. Here we can train our mind to stop jumping about from one unrelated subject to another. In this way, it is similar to the breath counting meditation. Calming the mind, like calming water, allows the dirt to settle, and the water to clear.

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61 Why is our thought deluded? Why can't we perceive reality correctly? One reason is that we are usually limited to a single, subjective view. Our deluded perception constantly deceives us into making bad decisions. At Ryoan-ji, 15 stones are arranged so that from any point, only 14 are visible. So how many stones are there? How many times are we fooled by appearances? Like the stones, in real situation, we can't see everything all the time. Through meditation, we can deepen our perception, clear our mind, and see past daily dramas and ordinary "logic" though to the deeper wisdom of Zen.

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63 "Even drops of water can make an ocean; dust particles a mountain."

64 This garden, literally named the Eastern-Water Drop-Pot, explains the Law of Cause and Effect and the value of a clear heart. So our apparently insignificant actions become causes for great effects. The garden is completely enclosed by raised paths and walls, but the garden itself has no roof. This allows the rain to drop into the "pot". There may be a reference here to the Buddha's words: "Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good. Further, the rocks represent a frog jumping into the pond. It is said the effect of the jump is a wave that goes out and, if strong enough, the wave will come back to push the frog out of the water again. This is used as a metaphor for our intentional actions. If we act strongly, with a heart that bears no selfish desires or anger, our actions create far more powerful effects that will eventually return to support us.

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69 Slide 18

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71 Temple of Tokugawa (Shogun) in Nikko. Confucian influence

72 Confucianism From Chinese court, used especially in government and secular affairs Stresses: Ethics and fulfilling one s duty to those higher on the social ladder and one s family elders Obedience and loyalty

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82 ukiyo-e, woodblock prints from the Floating World

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