Compare And Contrast Dogen And Hakuin - 1419 Words

Marilyn Montemayor Warner Belanger GC2Y Sec 06 May 4, 2016 Final essay: Dogen and Hakuin Compare and Contrast There are multiple schools in Zen Buddhism as well as multiple masters and teachers. Dogen Kigen, master of Soto Zen (1200-1253), as well as the Japanese monk who brought Caodong school of Chan over from China to Japan and then greatly modified it based on his own insights and criticism of Buddhism in Japan. Dogen lost his parents at a young age and became ordained at thirteen, and then became student of Eisai’s disciples, Myozen (1184-1225). Another master was Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769), Ordained at fourteen and given the name Ekaku which means â€Å"Wise Crane†. Hakuin is known for revitalizing the koan practice of the Rinzai School, which focused on â€Å"observing the key word†. Dogen founded the Soto school of Buddhism in Japan, which stressed silent sitting and a gradual path to enlightenment. Hakuin was a major critic of Soto Zen and believed that it was a fixation on emptiness rather than a path to enlighte nment. However, Hakuin did agree with Soto s accessibility to the common people since it was more popular among lower class people. Both Hakuin and Dogen were important leaders and though their approaches were vastly different each made a lasting impact on Zen Buddhism in Japan. The foundation of Soto Zen began during Dogens voyage to china when he started to question the effectiveness of the Koan practice. Dogen was the first in Zen to focus on intensive