Research On Zen Poetry In The Tang Dynasty

Zen poetry is an important and unique part of Tang poetry,which has both the connotation of Zen and the characteristics of poetry.Zen poetry in the Tang Dynasty is a rich cultural treasure which has been paid more and more attention by researchers.But most study focuses on the literati Zen poetry.They are more concerned about the famous individual casesand refers to the relationship between Zen and poetry.While as towhat makes Zen poetry as Zen poetry,the research is still not enough.Based on the case study,the thesis returns to the Zen poetry characteristicsand study the Zen poetry of Tang dynasty as a whole.As to the writer,not onlyliteratus but buddhists are concerned in the study.Researching on zen poetry,the understanding and reasoning are required as the research method.The thesis studies the Zen poems of Tang Dynasty on the following four aspects:Zen Thoughts,ZenMetaphor,Zen PracticeRealm and Aesthetic Value.The introduction divides into two parts.First part presents a review of the past research achievements.Second part introduces this thesis' research method.The main body divides into four chapters:The first chapter discusses the Zen Buddhism thoughts of the Zen poetry of Tang dynasty.The Zen thoughts have a great influence on the literatis' thoughts and feelings,even change their attitudes towards life.Thus zen improve the thougts and the aesthetic realm of Tang poetry.Tang Dynasty poets are mainly influenced from five aspects by Zen thoughts:1)All of Dharmadhatu comes from our mind."Mind" means a collection of causes.When causes coming together,the mind gives birth to things.Whencausesgoing away,things extinguishes.2)Conditioned Existence and emptiness.Everything is formed by causes,so there is no substantial existence at all.3)Meditation Practice.North Zen advocates practice step by step,while South Zen adopts insight practice.Against this background,the special meditation poetry come into beings.4)The spiritual realm.Zen practice makes people overcome greed,break the ignorance,lead people to get rid of the constrains.Zen helps people to achieve transcendental life pursuit.5)Compassion in every facet of life,The second chapter analyzes on Zen metaphors.Zen sutras have lots of vivid metaphors which are adoptted by Tang poetry.Zen metaphors enrich the theme and content ofTang poetry.There are mainly four major metaphorseries:1)Buddha nature.The moon metaphor refers to the full and bright Buddha nature.While the pearlmetaphor emphasises on precious features.2)Impermanence.The falling flower metaphor refers to the short life;the duckweed and bitter fleabane means one thatlost his heart,adrifting as a homeless child;Puppet metaphor refers to one can't control his fat.3)Fallacious image.The empty flower,Yang Yan,Six metaphors from Diamond Sutraontact.Everything we saw is just fallacious images.People always take them as real thing so that resulting in kinds of pain.4)Subduing wild fancy.People's wild mind runs like a climbing monkey and a running horse.People are always controled by their own greed like a silkwarm constrained by the silk which is made by itself.Zen poetry uses White Buffalo symbolizingsubduing wild fancy.The third chapter analyzes realm of the meditation practicein the Zen poetry of Tang dynasty that forming the unique value:l)Present konwledge state.Buddha nature is born and shown as itself.2)Intutional state.When looking at things,zen tells people to use intuition to judge the nature of things without any rational consideration.3)Integrateharmony state.All things affect each other.Breaking the binary opposition,life and death,out-home and at-home,Bodhi and trouble have no difference between each other.They are in harmony state.4)Everyday life contains zen practice.Eating and sleepingalso show zen to us.The fourth chapter summarizes the aesthetic value of the Zen poetry of Tang dynasty.Zen has enriched aesthetic value of Tang poetry.Zen thinks that all beings have Buddha nature,the natural landscape shows the Buddha nature.Zen and nature are closely related,so zen poetry presents peaceful natural scenery.Zen appeals unrestrained life,which makes the zen poetry show free and easy aesthetic value.Zen beyond language.Monks choose action or absolutely silence to express zen that makes zen poetry full of implication.