Archery in buddhism

Besides being a weapon of war and killing others,  in many ancient texts on buddhism listed among the sacred implements is the bow and arrow. This relationship has existed since at least the time of Shakyamuni Butsu. Before being a sage he was the prince, and the best archer in the land. Even before buddhism the bow and arrow were considered sacred in many religious circles.

The same is true in Japan, the bow and arrow were sacred long before buddhism came.

In China Confucianism used archery as a gentlemanly pursuit as well. But most interesting for buddhism is the choice of Chinese Characters being a man standing with a bow and two arrows to represent a Buddha.

When buddhism arrives in Japan with these same characters, and finds the sacred use of the bow already in place, a syncretic effect takes place in Japanese archery. By the 12th century, simultaneous with the arrival of Zen Buddhism, the evolution caused by this effect really starts to take shape.

In this day and age Zen enjoyed much of their patronage from families of the warrior nobility.

Prominent families, to one degree or another, often would mix, match and merge the teachings from the mainland like Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism with the indigenous religion of Shinto and its sacred practices with the bow.

How much this happened in any given school varied greatly. The mixture too, even when all elements were present, which elements took prominence varied. But most were effected at least a touch by one or more of these elements.

This evolution took on even greater speed during peace time in Japan. The evolution has never stopped with even archery done for sport being effected.

There are some schools that from the beginning were heavily influenced by Buddhism. In most cases the influence has increased over time, and today this continues to be true.

For those of us in Buddhism, we know of this sacred use of the bow, but the strength of that use has always been minimal at best.

In Japan the existing sacred use, allowed some monks, especially those who might be retired warriors to use the bow. So we see the actual use of the bow as a sacred implement in buddhism most prominently in Japan.

With the arrival of Zen Buddhism, and its patronage by the warrior class, this happens even more often;
Among temple life were many activities that took the form of great art like the serving of tea, incense offering, flower arrangements, calligraphy, and more. These arts infiltrated the aristocracy as games.

With the closer relationship of Zen Monks and the warrior nobility we see a greater influence to not just play, but to bring the games into line with the artistic method of the temple. As this happens we see the Zen Monks bringing this way to all the warrior arts of the day, especially the sword, but also the bow and arrow. A few Zen Monks too take up these arts as part of this interaction with the warrior families. Reviving again the sacred Buddhist use of the bow.

Today, few outside of the Zen sect use the bow in this way. But here too, there may be a few. We probably just don't hear much about them.

Even the bit I write here, to some is almost sacrilege. Many prefer to stay out of history, quietly practicing. To float as a cloud, leaving no wake in their passing...

Quote from Shakyamuni

"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path" Shakyamuni Butsu

Be a lamp unto yourself

In our school we are taught 'jiriki'. Jiriki is self power.

Kosaka Sensei once told me that he would like to pass his realization on to us. But that there is a problem. Once he tells me of his experience, it is 5 steps away from the Truth. 'Why is that?' was the question on my face. He answered, 'When I want to say it, I have to formulate the experience into thoughts and then into words...then you hear those words and interpret them your own way...and create your own understanding of my experience. So, we are 5 steps away from my experience; we have no idea how far away from yours.'

Shakyamuni Buddha told his followers, just before his death (when asked who would be their teacher once he was gone).

"Be lamps unto yourselves.
Be refuges unto yourselves.
Take yourself no external refuge.
Hold fast to the truth as a lamp.
Hold fast to the truth as a refuge.
Look not for a refuge in anyone besides yourselves.
And those, Ananda, who either now or after I am dead,
Shall be a lamp unto themselves,
Shall betake themselves as no external refuge,
But holding fast to the truth as their lamp,
Holding fast to the truth as their refuge,
Shall not look for refuge to anyone else besides themselves,
It is they who shall reach to the very topmost height;
But they must be anxious to learn."
(Quoted in Joseph Goldstein, The Experience of Insight)

The Flower Story

There is a story we call nengemisho(u) (pick up flower, subtle smile). This story is about the transmission of Buddhism from Sakyamuni Butsu to Kasho(u). Sakyamuni silently held a up a lotus blossom for his disciples. As the others waited for the sermon of Sakyamuni to begin, Kasho smiled. Sakyamuni then recognized him in front of all others as having truly received the tradition, and he was henceforth known as Makakasho.

This transmission was wordless not resting on words or sacred texts, but a transmission outside the scriptures.

Thus was born Fu-Ryu Monji, the tradition of Zen to 'not stand on words and letters (sacred writtings).

This transmission is a direct experience of the individual. A spontaneous realization born of spiritual insight.

Makakasho had stepped through the gateless gate.

Hitote - one handful

In the Do(u) arts of Japan many schools have the teaching of Hitote. This is most often associated with Kado(u) (The way of flower arrangement); in this art our school teaches it as one handful that easily is picked and we combine this with 3 other handfuls of some other flower or branch or leaf etc. Though since the Meiji Restoration many ikebana schools have written down how many flowers are in a handful...which is usually defined as 3, 5, and/or 7 pieces. In kyudo(u) most schools define Hitote as two arrows.

This teaching of Hitote, though, is a buddhist term and comes from the following story.

The Buddha said that his teaching is “a single handful.” A passage in the Samyutta-nikaya makes that clear. While walking through the forest, the Buddha picked up a handful of fallen leaves and asked the monks who were present to decide which was the greater amount, the leaves in his hand or all the leaves in the forest. Of course, they all said that there were more leaves in the forest, that the difference was beyond comparison. Try to imagine the truth of this scene; clearly see how huge the difference is. The Buddha then said that, similarly, those things that he had realized were a great amount, equal to all the leaves in the forest. However, that which was necessary to know, those things that should be taught and practiced, were equal to the number of leaves in his hand.

- Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, from “A Single Handful,” Tricycle, Winter 1996