Ethics and aesthetics are one: The case of Zen aesthetics

The theoretical possibility of the aims and methods of moral education and of art education converging is explored through the examination of the Japanese Tea Ceremony which is grounded in the Buddhist metaphysics and psychology of nonduality.  This exploration is in response to the call for  "aestheticized ethics" in the contemporary Western moral theorizing which rejects the traditional rigid separation of the moral and the aesthetic. &nbsp

The art of second wave positive psychology: Harnessing Zen aesthetics to explore the dialectics of flourishing

Abstract:  In recent years, a “second wave” of positive psychology has been emerging, characterised, above all, by an awareness and appreciation of the dialectical nature of flourishing.  This paper offers a philosophical foundation for this second wave, based on Eastern philosophy, and, in particular, Zen aesthetics.  Part one introduces Zen, including its key philosophical ideas and practices, as well as two antecedent traditions that helped to form it, namely, Buddhism and Taoism.  Part two then elucidates three aesthetic principles that are integral to Zen: mono no aware (pathos of life), wabi-sabi (desolate beauty), and yūgen (profound grace).  The paper discusses how these principles could be of value to positive psychology in fostering dialectical understanding and appreciation, thus highlighting future directions for the field

Aesthetics of austerity in Toda Seiju's posters

Japanese Post-modern posters emerged as a powerful medium that captivated the world’s attention in the 1980s. Their significance arises from their distinctive aesthetics, designers’ attempts to create their own styles, the environment where posters are displayed, and the social and cultural conditions that nurture the creativity of Japanese designers. Among the prominent Japanese designers in the Post-modern poster design field, Toda Seiju is notable for his austerity aesthetics. To find out more, I interviewed him in his Tokyo office on 30 October 2008. This paper sheds light on Toda’s aesthetics of subtraction, and how it informs his design practice. Through three case studies, I suggest that Zen philosophy and aesthetics have been incorporated to produce the intended effects in Toda’s work, with or without his awareness

The Role Played by Zen “Kong” in Japanese Aesthetics

Japanese Zen Buddhism has led the way for Japanese aesthetics and has continued to bring this aesthetic to the public most notably in the form of ukiyo-e Zen Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism with the core principle of no thought no appearance no dwelling and Katsu as its practice from Linji School As Zen became integrated into Japanese life meditation was likewise manifested in social life most notably in the Edo period As a declining last feudal period in Japanese history the Edo Shogunate was flawed in terms of notification The samurai class which was attached to the Shogunate was fundamentally lacking in subject matter and the Tokugawa family gave them the idea of Bushido but not its inner pillar Japanese merchants who had no status spent their money recklessly but gained confusion and emptiness Bijinga-e who specializes in painting Japanese geisha in Ukiyo-e shows all the meanings of Kong through the composition white space and the form of people in the painting Most impressionists in the nineteenth century expressed their emotions and imitated East Asian style artworks and only had the form but not the spirit This paper thus concludes that the status of Kong in Japanese Zen aesthetics is like a butterfly in an invisible net out of control and out of sight Japanese Zen Buddhism has led the way for Japanese aesthetics and has continued to bring this aesthetic to the public most notably in the form of ukiyo-e Zen Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism with the core principle of no thought no appearance no dwelling and Katsu as its practice from Linji School As Zen became integrated into Japanese life meditation was likewise manifested in social life most notably in the Edo period As a declining last feudal period in Japanese history the Edo Shogunate was flawed in terms of notification The samurai class which was attached to the Shogunate was fundamentally lacking in subject matter and the Tokugawa family gave them the idea of Bushido but not its inner pillar Japanese merchants who had no status spent their money recklessly but gained confusion and emptiness Bijinga-e who specializes in painting Japanese geisha in Ukiyo-e shows all the meanings of Kong through the composition white space and the form of people in the painting Most impressionists in the nineteenth century expressed their emotions and imitated East Asian style artworks and only had the form but not the spirit This paper thus concludes that the status of Kong in Japanese Zen aesthetics is like a butterfly in an invisible net out of control and out of sigh

The Influence of Zen on Contemporary Aesthetics in Decorative Arts and Interior Design

This paper aims to explore a select number of Zen concepts which form the basis of the teachings of Zen Buddhism since its introduction to Japan in the seventh century, and highlight their continued influence on contemporary aesthetics in the decorative arts and design in Japan and elsewhere. These Japanese aesthetic concepts, developed over the centuries, take their cues from the sensitivity to and appreciation of the ephemerality of life and nature, and the popularity of the ritual of the Tea Ceremony, which has been aligned with Zen Buddhism early on. These ideals of beauty have gone beyond religion and spirituality, and have been woven into the very fabric of daily life of the Japanese. Some of the concepts of Zen may be familiar to Euro-American audiences, yet a reevaluation of their influence on design and theories of beauty, and a review of design objects and interiors of the twenty-first century that illustrate Zen aesthetics is timely. Zen may have become a byword for minimalism and tranquillity, however it offers much more depth than just a veneer of simplicity and purity. Zen is a pursuit of spirituality, aesthetic expressions and designs of Zen principles within our homes can remind us to appreciate the fleeting nature of life, and may elevate not just the beauty of our homes, but also our minds

On Zen Art

This article, which has become known as a classic expression of the main characteristics of Zen art, is republished in Marburg Journal of Religion by kind permission of the Eastern Buddhist Society, Kyōto, having been originally published in The Eastern Buddhist in 1966 I/2 (New Series), pages 21-33. It is a translation of “Zen Geijutsu no Rikai” (禅芸術の理解, “On the Understanding of Zen Art”) from Hisamatsu’s book Tōyōteki Mu (東洋的無, “Oriental Nothingness”), Kyōo: Kōundō 1939, pages 86-97. The original translation was made by Richard DeMartino in collaboration with Fujiyoshi Jikai and Abe Masao. For this re-publication the transliteration of Chinese names has been modernized. The Eastern Buddhist is a journal which was founded in Kyōto in 1921 by Suzuki Daisetsu and associates. Many valuable articles were published in its pages during the 1920s and 1930s. Having enjoyed a new lease of life since the second half of the twentieth century, The Eastern Buddhist is today a leading journal in the field of Buddhist Studies. Other important selections from the early contents may be found in the series Eastern Buddhist Voices (Equinox Publishing). It is hoped that this republication of a key article by HISAMATSU Shin’ichi in a convenient quality format will serve to make it available to a wide readership and further the appreciation of Zen art