Essay on the concept of enlightenment in Buddhism, published on the website under the heading Nipponico.com Bodai.
Eumeswil Cultural Association organized under the patronage of the town of Florence, a series of lectures on a theme set on the spirituality, tradition and self-knowledge. On the day Saturday, May 5, 2007, at 17:00, was held at the Educandato SS. Annunziata in Florence, the conference entitled "Satori in Zen Buddhism." The rapporteur will summarize with the following report and investigate the issues raised.
Bodai, the awakening of the authentic Christian Martorella be
The concept of enlightenment, although fundamental and central in Buddhism, is not clearly defined, understood by its very nature ineffable and elusive. Yet, the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, is awarded the title of Buddha because of his enlightenment. In Sanskrit bodhi enlightenment is said, a term translated into Japanese with the words bodai and satori. A person who has attained enlightenment, bodhi, is therefore that Buddha. So it is only through the Buddha's enlightenment. However, the lighting can not be known by those who have not achieved because the lighting is an experience. The paradox is obvious. There is talk of enlightenment of Buddha without having a clear concept of what it is. It is recognized, by definition, it is unknowable if you are not Buddha. Buddha only has the experience of enlightenment. Why there is no clear concept of enlightenment? This is because the lighting is not even an idea or a concept and intuition. Lighting is an experience. Experience of what? Simply experience illumination. Lighting is an experience in itself, that does not have a particular object or content. So we can say clearly and more clearly that enlightenment is the experience of a condition, a state of being. But the difficulty in understanding the only question is highlighted, it is not yet resolved. Lighting is an experience. So, like any experience, it is first test, is experienced, tested. The verbal description does not convey quite the experience (1). This feature has forced some schools Zen enlightenment, as the Rinzai sect, to adopt a verbal strategy aims to show the limit of the word, and then overcome it. In contrast, the sect Soutou, practice silent meditation called zazen, which consists of sitting in silence. Although opposed these methods are both valid (2). The validity of a Buddhist practice is measured on results and effects achieved. It is not an abstract process. Verification is the only acceptable criterion (3). The Buddha taught that his teachings are expedient means to attain Buddhahood. The aim of Buddhism is not the ritual, the purpose is enlightenment. As the lighting experience, so it is strictly personal. For this reason, the methods used must comply the particular person. The ability to use different devices to suit individual situations and specific capacity was the Buddha. Links (4) can be various: a speech, a committee, a gesture, washing clothes, the gift of a flower. The important thing is to arouse the introspection of the self and the interpenetration of things, touching the chord of the personality of a human being.
The personal character of illumination is described by the Soku Soku Shin Butsu, the Buddha's heart. The personal aspect of lighting is best understood by a study of Buddhist texts, particularly the latest and most recent as the Lotus Sutra and the Sutra of the Garland, who affirm that the Buddha nature belongs to all living beings. So everyone really light, just do not know they possess. So far we have said something about the lighting more limited: it is an experience that everyone has. So there are the coordinates that identify what we talk about. The latest coordinated Buddha gives us is the purity. The purity is obtained by removing the toxins that pollute the mind. These toxins are called the three poisons (san doku). They are anger (Ikari), desire (musabori) and ignorance (Orok). Buddhism has suggested at different times alternatives to the three poisons. Hinayana Buddhism instead suggested the liberation from the three poisons through the doors leading to the release, namely the recognition of non-self, not desire, not form. These teachings tell us that there are no permanent forms, everything is transient, even the self and desire. Mahayana Buddhism simply suggests to transform the three poisons. The vital force in anger, the desire into compassion and wisdom in ignorance. Together with the purification of the three poisons, Buddhism practice the vision and contemplation of the mind (kanjin). Indeed, it is important to know their own minds to understand the nature of illusions and transform the toxic agents. This practice is through meditation.
In conclusion, the aim of Buddhism, especially Zen, and free life by artificial and unnatural purposes, revealing its true potential. Zen is always presented as contradictory and elusive precisely because it does not accept any kind of manipulation and exploitation. Every time you try to set your mind to something, just Zen denies it. If one turns to negative, also denies it. The truth is not in something, the truth is in everything. The clouded mind is only able to discriminate and distinguish between, on the contrary, the enlightened mind is able to understand and penetrate. To That is why the mind of Zen is closer to the mind of a child at play, and is very far from the mind of those who believe the views and smug certainties. Dougen said that holding the hand open on a pass across the desert sand carried by the wind, while keeping the closed hand will shake a few grains. Zen teaches us to conceive of the opportunities and to refuse possession of what may become an obstacle for life. An example of the mind is provided misleading image of the monkey who became agitated and tormented because he can not grasp the moon's reflection in the water. How many times the human mind behaves like that, twisting and shaking in an attempt to own something? Una domanda senza soluzione è sufficiente a gettare nell’angoscia e nelle tribolazioni. Pur essendo evidente la dannosità di un simile atteggiamento, non si riesce ad evitarlo. La mente non è addestrata a rifiutare la tentazione delle cattive abitudini. La pratica dello zen consiste nello sforzo supremo di imparare a guidare la mente, e non farsi trascinare e controllare dalla mente ingannata e ingannevole. Si comincia osservando la mente e imparando a conoscerla. Quando ciò è avvenuto, la mente non è più un avversario che si scontra con la realtà, ma un compagno di viaggio.
L’esperienza dell’illuminazione consiste nella consapevolezza del non dualismo fra soggetto e ambiente (esho funi), ossia nella compartecipazione identity of the individual and the universe. This awareness leads to the overcoming of all the misleading dualisms that hinder their lives. So no one understands the duality of teacher and student (SHITEI ropes), and especially not the dualism of body and mind (shikishin ropes). If the world is the content of his consciousness, that is what we perceive and think, it is also true that consciousness is a creation of the world. The environment has trained and developed the individual. Who creates is both creation and creator. Recognizing this duality in its authentic nature of identity means possessing the lighting (bodai).
Notes 1. For this reason, Zen masters say that the teaching of Buddhism can only be from heart to heart (ishindenshin).
2. The silent meditation is called in Japanese mokusho zen, meditation on the words and instead called kanna zen.
3. The Dalai Lama insists on checking in Buddhist practice. Blind faith is a scourge and threat to religions that become so intolerant and fanatical. See Dalai Lama, compassion and purity, Rizzoli, Milan, 1995, pp.90-91.
4. Expedients or means, in Sanskrit upaya, Japanese Hoben.
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