The honourable title of Zen master is bestowed upon those who dedicated their lives to studying, practising and teaching Zen Buddhism. Despite the apparent detachment, their teachings hold valuable lessons that extend beyond meditation to daily life. Often eccentric, yet profoundly intelligent, Zen masters illuminate diverse perspectives on existence. Here, we examine five masters, their teachings, and how they embodied their philosophies.
Bodhidharma
The Pioneer The semi-legendary founder of the Zen branch within Mahayana Buddhism is believed to have been a native of South India. In the sixth century, he journeyed to China to impart the practice of meditation, or dhyana, which later evolved into Chan. The Chan tradition subsequently spread to Indonesia, Japan and other countries in the Far East, where it transformed into Zen. One of the earliest biographies of Bodhidharma was a concise composition penned by the Chinese monk, Daoxuan, approximately a century after the Zen master’s passing.
Bodhidharma is credited with propagating the teaching that meditation constitutes a return to the fundamental precepts of the Buddha. He is also recognised for assisting the monks of the Shaolin Monastery, renowned for their prowess in martial arts, in both meditation and training. At present, Bodhidharma is revered as the spiritual forebearer by millions of Zen Buddhists and students of kung fu. He was also regarded as the 28th Indian patriarch in an unbroken line of transmission from the Buddha.
The method of meditation employed by Bodhidharma remains uncertain. Nevertheless, it is commonly believed to bear resemblance to Zazen— a meditation approach that has come to define Zen practice. He guided his disciples to recognise that the nature of one’s mind is inherently equivalent to that of an enlightened Buddha. Uncovering one’s own Buddhahood within the realm of the empty mind encapsulates the path of Mahayana Buddhism.
Dogen
Bridging Japan and China
The founder of the Soto school of Japanese Zen is revered as one of the greatest thinkers in Japanese history. He opted to abandon a life of aristocracy to become a monk and received ordination at the age of 13. While under the tutelage of several prominent figures in 13th-century Japan, he remained dissatisfied with the state of Japanese Buddhism during that era. This led him to embark on a journey to China in search of fresh mentors, eventually finding one in Tiāntóng Rújìng. Similar to his contemporaries, Rújìng placed significant emphasis on meditation, a teaching that deeply resonated with Dogen. After attaining enlightenment, Dogen returned to Japan and established his own school of thought.
In his book Shōbōgenzō, Dogen placed emphasis on the practice of sitting meditation. He specifically favoured shikantaza, a form of meditation where the practitioner maintains awareness of their thoughts without engaging with them. Dogen advocated for the fusion of practice and enlightenment, the universality of Buddha-nature, and the interconnectedness of virtue, internally and externally.
Mazu Daoyi
The Shocking Sage
A Chinese monk who lived during the Tang Dynasty held teachings that would go on to become essential for numerous Zen schools. His adept handling of a crucial practical inquiry that confronted Zen in the eighth century earned him widespread recognition. Mazu is renowned for resolving the dispute between northern and southern schools regarding the path to enlightenment. Subsequently, he devised and disseminated instructional methods that were adopted within monastic circles. These techniques continue to wield a deep influence on how countless individuals comprehend Zen.
Mazu’s trademark technique involved employing shock tactics. He would bellow at students, call their names as they exited rooms, knock them to the ground, and counter their questions with enigmatic responses. His intention behind these actions was to jolt them out of their typical state of consciousness.
Ikkyu Sojun
The Maverick Monk
A student of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen during the 15th century, Ikkyu was introduced to Zen as a child. This period saw Zen being tainted by politics, commercialisation and a loss of its core focus. Ikkyu emerged as a remarkable figure in Zen history, simultaneously revered as a saint and criticised as a blasphemer. His path to enlightenment came at age 26 when he experienced an epiphany triggered by a crow.
At 46, Ikkyu received an invitation to lead a temple, but held the position for just 10 days. He gained notoriety for stating that the essence of Zen could be discovered more in aspects like meat, wine and sexuality than within the confines of a monastery. Subsequently, his life as a wandering vagabond in Japan allowed him to engage with people from diverse sectors of society. Ikkyu’s creative output encompassed poetry, critiquing the undue emphasis on poetry within monastic settings, as well as prose dealing with Buddhist philosophy.
In his later years, Ikkyu took on the role of abbot at a Kyoto monastery, tasked with its reconstruction following the Onin War. Reflecting poetically on this phase of his life, he wrote, “Fifty years a rustic wanderer, now mortified in purple robes.” Ikkyu’s legacy extended to his influence on the development of the Zen tea ceremony, his mastery of calligraphy, and the creation of several notable ink paintings.
Thích Nhất Hạnh
The Mindfulness Advocate
Thích Nhất Hạnh, a disciple of the Thiền school, the Vietnamese interpretation of Zen, embraced monastic life at 16, but left his initial Buddhist institution due to its insufficient coverage of modern, secular subjects. He sought another academy, concurrently imparting modern science at Saigon University. Simultaneously, he delved into writing and embraced anti-war advocacy. Calling for unity among South Vietnam’s diverse Buddhist factions, he incurred his monastic superiors’ displeasure. His peace efforts resulted in the South Vietnamese government branding him as a communist and traitor. He was exiled. Settling in France, he founded Plum Village Monastery, where he resided until his final 2018 return to Vietnam. Throughout these intervening decades, he achieved global renown as an activist and educator.
His teachings amalgamate insights from multiple Buddhist traditions, emphasising mindfulness practice. Contemporary mindfulness owes a significant debt to his influential 1975 work, The Miracle of Mindfulness.
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