Uncover the Mystery of a Zen Garden
For all those who know little about gardening, Zen garden
is a term used for Japanese rock gardens, moisture-free, made-of-stones, dry
kind of gardens - To a certain extent this is correct, but giving due
consideration to the other concepts associated with the word Zen, the phrase
Zen garden has a profound philosophical impact. It is a special form of
artistic gardens so intense, that the great mathematicians and neurologists
too have attempted to explain the idea.
Zen. The Mystery
Now that your curiosity is aroused, I will try to explain more about this
type of garden and its impacts on visitors. The first question that needs to
be answered is, what is Zen? Many associate it with Japanese Buddhism. Well,
this again is partly true, and indeed Zen Gardens originated from Buddhist
monasteries and temples around 1300 AD by Zen priests and artists,
prominently Muso Soseki. Some people think that Zen is an interpretation of
the Buddhist concept of enlightenment, and this may be close to the truth as
well. Zen plays an important role in many Japanese concepts and aspects.
Actually Zen means waking up to the present moment. That is, perceiving this
moment exactly as it is, rather than through the filter of our ideas,
opinions, etc. And this is what is reflected in a Zen garden.
Examples
- Royanji Temple in northwest Kyoto, Japan. - Nanzenji Zen Garden in Kyoto,
Japan.
The Philosophical Impact
A Zen garden is an aesthetic arrangement of stones with little vegetation,
water or other elements at a first glance. But on careful observation, we
understand that they represent the elaborate equilibrium of contraries and
the apprehension of the world as a dialect continuum.
For example, how can one express nothingness 'mu', more dramatically than by
taking water out of a garden? Zen garden, is thus a metaphorical
representation of the concepts of Zen. The exclusion of water is not its
denial, it is in fact a more potent assertion as it is done metaphorically.
The significant aspect of a Zen garden is that the rocks form subliminal
images of objects like trees, lakes, ponds etc. which can not be perceived
while looking consciously at them, but the subconscious mind is able to
observe a subtle association between the rocks. While viewing, the
distinction between subject & object, and viewer & viewed is blurred. This
results in the garden being a source of strength, courage, fortitude,
tranquility, serenity, peace.
Another specialty is that none of of them have been created by one person,
epitomizing the aspect of parts forming a whole.
Although these gardens have been engulfed with controversies and criticism,
there is no denying their impact on the viewers and the inherent creativity.
The philosophy of these gardens can be summarized in the poetics of
Karesansui: ' Flower does not Talk but a Rock has the Voice of Water.'
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