The Zen buddhist sect known as Rinzai or Rinzai-shu school was originally established in Japan by Myoan Eisai (Eisai Zenji) as an eclectic movement.
Eisai Zenji was but one among other Tendai practitioners who saw the corruption of Buddhism during his time in respect to the political/military influence and recognized the need to reform/revitalize Buddhism by returning it to a pure and pristine condition which he sought to do by means of traveling to China.
However instead of bringing back to Japan a purified Buddhism, which he initially intended, he ended up being persuaded to adapt to a more syncretistic practice as incorporating Chan resulting in a blend of combining Tendai esotericism along with elements from the foreign influence of the Linji school. It would only be latter that the Rinzai leaders would remove this admixture of beliefs in finding a separate identity as definitively differentiating themselves among other competing religious movements by erecting its own school as uniquely Zen.
Anyway Myoan Eisai’s form of buddhism would be further altered and systematized to fit his unique and non traditional way of doing Buddhism which seems to cloud his primary reason to restore buddhism to its original state. Moreover it was marketed in such a way to be accepted among the mainstream Buddhist association apart from any purist Zen movement such as what Nonin pursued.
One of the main controversial ways in which he adapted this new expression of Buddhism, which again seems to be conflicting to his original position, was to accommodate the warrior class or Samurai for the purpose of protecting the state apart from the concern for enlightenment among the common Japanese citizen or general public as it was only reserved for the elitist juxtaposed to ordinary society which also excluded women. I find this difficult to reconcile or swallow as primarily being attentive to the interests of the imperial class as relating to shoguns and emperors along with these militants while neglecting the ordinary individual rights to find spiritual achievement and fulfillment. So on what basis or authority does the modern or contemporary practitioner find confidence regarding its presumptuous application today in light of its pre-qualified historical position? If it was contrived for the elitist from its beginning then what would be it pertinence today for the masses?
Additionally another characteristic to this movement is it’s violation with the basic Buddhist principles which does not support such militant and patriotic measures such as the unorthodoxical approach of aggression in reverting to the martial arts and sword fighting which is antagonistic to the original principles of Buddhism’s five precepts and thus should be excluded as a meaningful expression of the Buddhist religion.
Grievously this contradictory philosophy resulted in the development of a warrior government or bakufu which has found criticism as contributing to the prewar nationalism and imperialism of Japan as the aggressor against China in World War II.
It was in part the theoretical sponsorship of Rinzai which propagated this idea of leading Japan into the ideal of prosperity and security for the nation which unfortunately supported this action leading to its demise. Perhaps this is an analogy or application towards its spiritual truth claims as well.
Adding to the controversy are the use of Koans under the Rinzai reformer Hakuin and his philosophy of Kensho as to see ones nature as it really is. Hakuin uses the methodology of utilizing riddles and parables or Koans as a way of questioning logic so that the practitioner would doubt every aspect of his life which ironically should include the very program and values regarding Rinzai thought itself. Just to propositionally present this concept is inherently flawed as emptying oneself of personal goals, agendas, predisposition’s, presumptions, biases, etc. is equally fallacious to its own system which has a unique criteria that is not neutral to preferences such as circumventing or defeating dualistic thought. Additionally to state that all conceptualization is wrong is equally questionable regarding its own position regarding its conceptualization towards enlightenment with regards to its unconventional attitude.
Furthermore this methodology is impossible to attain and even though you can change your mind it is never completely empty including the very mindset of using these procedural practices as coinciding with a drive or desire to achieve tranquility with the final culmination of satori or enlightenment.
Conclusively how do you really know that this is a vehicle for achieving enlightenment and how livable is it to defy logic? Moreover this philosophy is not even realistic as it is both unlivable and unattainable as conflicting with even the most basic functions of life.
This whole concept of using Koans as a path towards enlightenment should give you great doubt as going against the instinctual and intuitive conclusions of the common sense of logic in favor for some abstract riddle or parable as a means to the ends. After all for the mind to play with convoluted ideas in a head game sort of way may not accomplish anything except a headache and perhaps the westerner really sees through this facade as stating there is no real answer here in that this mental workout of equations only leads to nowhere just like contemplating infinite sets of numbers.
Additionally to use a boot camp methodology that is more consistent with military training as utilizing shouts or katsu and blows/slaps delivered by the master along with a question and answer routine of mondo coupled with these paradoxical statements or koan as a way to effectively shock someone in breaking their will in being instrumental as ultimately awakening an individual is also characteristic of cults who use mind control or brain washing techniques by hypnotically subduing someone into their way of thinking as being subjected to a spiritual master or teacher.
www.apologeticsindex.org/5934-brainwashing-and-mind-control-in-religious-cults-and-elsewhere
Such feelings as nihilism and anxiety or zen sickness should be a strong indicator in the same way an earthquake or tsunami is in that the end result of “shock” is not always desirable or beneficial.
This brain dump technique of confusion is intended to awaken insight that transcends logical distinctions and yet to divorce yourself from the human society of rational thinking is dangerous as well as intellectually suicidal as this head trauma will never leave you the same as it distorts reality bringing you into this make believe land of enchanted enlightenment.
In closing I apologize if I offended you through my rational approach of questioning as my heart and intentions is meant to reawaken you but not in an abusive matter but rather as an honest challenge for you to rethink or reconsider your position.
Lastly in the same way that Eisai travelled to China to look for inspiration and truth I too would ask if you would take a small journey by looking deep into your soul by simply praying and meditating on these matters along with contemplating this saying of Jesus.
Mt:11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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Other links
Encyclopaedia Britannica,Inc., copyright 1993, Vol.10, pg.81, Rinzai
Encyclopaedia Britannica,Inc., copyright 1993, Vol.15, pg.290, Buddhism
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.2, pg.1244, Michio Araki
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.4, pg.2306, Roland A. Delattre
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.4, pgs.2741-2742, Martin Collcutt
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.14, pgs.9943-9951, Steven Heine