How was Shugenda influential for Shoguns ruling Japan?
The word "Zen" means "meditation" in Japanese. Zen Buddhism focuses on attaining
enlightenment (bodhi) , purification and inner peace. It teaches that all humans have the potential to attain enlightenment, within them, but the Buddha-nature been clouded by ignorance. To overcome this ignorance, Zen rejects the study of religious works and instead focuses on meditation which will lead to a sudden breakthrough of insight. Training in the Zen Buddhism is usually undertaken under the guidance of a master. |
Zen Buddhism was influential in that there is no certain God that is higher than anyone else. This meant that in the eyes of the Japanese people of the time there was no one higher than the Shogun, which helped the Shogun dictate how society was run. Because of the peaceful principles taught in Buddhism it made it easier for the Shogun to disencourage or stop war. When the missionaries arrived in Japan to convert people to Christianity it made it more difficult as some people started believing that the Shogun was no londer the highest authority, making him less respected by the people.