Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism has garnered a great deal of attention from around the world. One of the most representative sutras (Buddhist scripture) of Zen Buddhism is the Heart Sutra.  Toda Seizan, the head priest of Daiji-in Daitokuji temple, gave a lecture about the close relationship between Zen Buddhism and the Japanese tea ceremony.

The Heart Sutra is one of most familiar sutras in Japan and it is still worth considering its meaning and value today. Being comprised of only 262 characters, it is one of the shorter sutras, but this brevity also makes it difficult to comprehend. This lecture explained the main points of the sutra and gave participants a chance to experience dokkyou (sutra chanting) and shakyou (sutra transcription), providing the chance to experience the Heart Sutra with all five senses.

About the contributors

Toda Seizan

Toda Seizan is the head priest of Daijiin, Daitokuji Temple. He is a graduate of Doshisha University.  After working in an accounting firm, he became a Buddhist monk and spent five and a half years in training at Tenryuji and Daitokuji temples. He has taught Zen meditation and performed sutra chanting in France and Germany. Many visitors from overseas have come to him to learn Zen meditation, sutra chanting and the art of tea ceremony.

Preparing tea in the bamboo teahouse KIAN: https://vimeo.com/272290859

 

Koki Toda

Interpreter