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For the vegetable, see Celosia.

Sōtō (曹洞宗; Japanese: Sōtō-shū, Chinese: Caodong-zong) is one of the two major Japanese Zen sects (the other major one being Rinzai). It is an extension or subbranch of the Chinese Caodong, which was brought to Japan by Dogen Zenji (1200-1253), and which after his death became known as the Soto school. It now has a significant presence in North America as well as throughout the West. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Buddhism is a religion and philosophy focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni (Pāli:Sakyamuni), born Siddhārtha (Pāli: Siddhattha) of the Gautama (Pāli: Gotama) gotra, who probably lived in the 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries... The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include: Buddhist cuisine Buddhist art Buddharupa Art and architecture of Japan Greco-Buddhism Tibetan Buddhist sacred art Buddhist music Buddhist chant Shomyo Categories: Buddhism-related stubs ... The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. ... Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel... Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region. ... The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Departments International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents. ... There are many divisions and subdivisions of the schools of Buddhism. ... The Buddhist temple Wat Chiang Man, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which dates from the late 13th century Buddhist temples and monasteries, sorted by location. ... Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. ... 563 BCE: Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born in Lumbini, Ancient India. ... Species Celosia argentea Celosia cristata Celosia nitida Celosia palmeri Celosia plumosa Celosia trigyna Celosia virgata Celosia is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants, similar in appearance and uses to the amaranths. ... Bodhidharma, woodcut print by Yoshitoshi, 1887. ... The dry garden at Ryōan-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Kyoto. ... Caodong (Chinese 曹洞宗) is a Chinese Zen Buddhist sect founded by Dongshan Liangjie and his Dharma_heirs in the 9th century. ... Dōgen Zenji Dōgen Zenji (道元禅師; January 19, 1200 - September 22, 1253) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan. ... Events University of Paris receives charter from Philip II of France The Kanem-Bornu Empire was established in northern Africa around the year 1200 Mongol victory over Northern China — 30,000,000 killed Births Al-Abhari, Persian philosopher and mathematician (died 1265) Ulrich von Liechtenstein, German nobleman and poet (died... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ...

Characteristics

With 14,700 temples and nearly 7 million adherents (in 1989) Soto is the largest Zen sect in Japan, vastly surpassing Rinzai and Obaku. In Japanese history, Soto gained ground among provincial rulers and ordinary people, while Rinzai won the support of the central samurai government. 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... There is a disputed proposal that this article should be merged with Rinzai and Linji. ... Ōbaku (黄檗 Japanese Ōbaku, pinyin Huángbò) refers to three separate topics: Mount Huangbo, a mountain in Chinas Fujian province, noted for its Buddhist temples; Huangbo Xiyun (黄檗希運), a Chinese Chan Buddhist master; and the Japanese Obaku School of Zen Buddhism. ...

Soto is practiced both in Japan and in the West, and stresses shikantaza, the meditation as a means of completely eliminating the mind and body as a conscious entity; enlightenment realized at the arrival of what can be considered 'pure existence'. Shikantaza (只管打座) is literally translated as only focused on doing sitting. More often it is called: just sitting or silent illumination. It is the main meditation technique of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. ... Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind, often formalized into a specific routine. ...

History

The characteristics of Soto as a distinct style of Zen go back to Shih-t'ou Hsi-ch'ien (J. Sekito Kisen, 700-790) who led an important practice center in the mountains of Hunan province in China. From this school there developed three different schools of Zen of which Soto is one, being founded by Tung-shan Liang-chieh (807-69) in China. Its transmission to Japan was done by Eihei Dogen Zenji (1200-1253). Similarly to the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, a senior monk will be appointed to be a lineage bearer in a Dharma Transmission ceremony. This monk will have previously been acknowledged to have some degree of enlightenment or satori by a current Zen master, as well as having lived and served for some decades in a Zen monastery. The lineage documents typically trace the chain of transmission back to Gautama Buddha, the original historical Buddha and founder of Buddhism. Not to be confused with the unrelated provinces of Hainan and Henan Hunan (湖南; pinyin: Húnán) is a province of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of the Dongting Lake (hence the name Hunan, meaning south of the lake). Hunan is sometimes called... Dōgen Zenji Dōgen Zenji (道元禅師; January 19, 1200 - September 22, 1253) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... Dharma transmission is the act of passing the Zen or Chan Buddhist doctrine from a master to student. ... For other uses, see Enlightenment. ... Satori (æ‚Ÿ Japanese satori; Chinese: wù - from the verb, Satoru) is a Zen Buddhist term for enlightenment. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Buddhism is a religion and philosophy focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni (Pāli:Sakyamuni), born Siddhārtha (Pāli: Siddhattha) of the Gautama (Pāli: Gotama) gotra, who probably lived in the 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries...

The larger majority of North American Soto priests, although including Japanese nationals, mainly those of American and specifically European descent, joined together in 1996 to form the Soto Zen Buddhist Association. While institutionally independent of the Japanese Sotoshu, the Soto Zen Buddhist Association] works closely with what most members see as their parent organization. With about two hundred fully transmitted priests, the Soto Zen Buddhist Association now represents nearly all Japanese-derived Soto Zen lineages in North America. The Soto Zen Buddhist Association] was formed in 1996 by American and Japanese Zen teachers in response to a perceived need to draw the various autonomous lineages of the North American Soto stream of Zen together for mutual support as well as the development of common training and ethical standards. ... The Soto Zen Buddhist Association] was formed in 1996 by American and Japanese Zen teachers in response to a perceived need to draw the various autonomous lineages of the North American Soto stream of Zen together for mutual support as well as the development of common training and ethical standards. ...

Important texts

Shih-t'ou Hsi-ch'ien's poem "The Harmony of Difference and Sameness" is an important early expression of Zen Buddhism and is chanted in Soto temples to this day. One of the poems of Tung-shan Liang-chieh, the founder of Soto, is "The Song of the Jewel Mirror Awareness" is also still chanted in Soto temples. Another set of his poems on the Five Positions of Absolute and Relative is important as a set of koans used in the Rinzai school. Dogen's teaching is characterized by the identification of practice as enlightenment itself. This is to be found in the Shobogenzo. The Shōbōgenzō (正法眼蔵), lit. ...

See also

• Buddhism
• Caodong
• Japanese Buddhism
• Shikantaza
• Shunryu Suzuki
• Zazen
• Zen

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni (Pāli:Sakyamuni), born Siddhārtha (Pāli: Siddhattha) of the Gautama (Pāli: Gotama) gotra, who probably lived in the 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries... Caodong (Chinese 曹洞宗) is a Chinese Zen Buddhist sect founded by Dongshan Liangjie and his Dharma_heirs in the 9th century. ... Japanese Buddhist priest c. ... Shikantaza (只管打座) is literally translated as only focused on doing sitting. More often it is called: just sitting or silent illumination. It is the main meditation technique of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. ... Shunryu Suzuki (鈴木 俊隆 Suzuki ShunryÅ«, dharma name Shogaku Shunryu) (May 18, 1904 - December 4, 1971) was a Japanese Zen master of the Soto school, who played a major role in establishing Buddhism in America. ... Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen Zazen (坐禅) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. ... Bodhidharma, woodcut print by Yoshitoshi, 1887. ...

External links

• www.sotozen-net.or.jp Website of the Soto Sect
• Soto zen International
• KOMAZAWA UNIVERSITY KOMAZAWA JUNIOR COLLEGEPrivate university ＆ college of soto
• AICHI GAKUIN UNIVERSITYPrivate university of soto

References

• Dogen, Eihei /Masunaga, R. (trans). (1971) Primer of Soto Zen: A Translation of Dogen's Shobogenzo Zuimonki(East West Center Book), University of Hawaii Press, ISBN 0824803574
• Williams, D. R. (2004) The Other Side of Zen : A Social History of Soto Zen Buddhism in Tokugawa Japan (Buddhisms: A Princeton University Press Series), Princeton University Press, ISBN 0691119287
• Koho, K.C. (2000) Soto Zen: An Introduction to the Thought of the Serene Refection Meditation School of Buddhism, Shasta Abbey Press, ISBN 093006609X
• Dumoulin, Heinrich (2005). 'Zen Buddhism: A History (Volume 2: Japan)'. World Wisdom Press, ISBN 0941532909