What Buddhist sect came to Japan in the seventh century CE?

Question

Here is the question : WHAT BUDDHIST SECT CAME TO JAPAN IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY CE?

Option

Here is the option for the question :

  • Mahayana
  • Zen
  • Dao
  • Dao Theravada

The Answer:

And, the answer for the the question is :

ZEN

Explanation:

When it first emerged in China in the sixth century CE, Zen Buddhism was known there as “Chan Buddhism.” This was due to the fact that Zen Buddhism was influenced by both Daoism and Confucianism. Zen Buddhism did not become fully entrenched on the island of Japan until the 12th century, despite the fact that it came on the island of Japan for the first time in the seventh century CE. The religion quickly developed on the island, which was known for its seclusion, and it had a significant impact on many areas of contemporary Japanese culture.

What Buddhist sect came to Japan in the seventh century CE?
Buddhism, a religion that originated in ancient India, has spread to many parts of the world over the course of two millennia. One of the countries where Buddhism has had a significant impact is Japan, where it arrived in the 6th century CE through China and Korea. Over time, various Buddhist sects developed in Japan, each with its own distinctive teachings and practices. One of the most influential of these sects is Zen, which came to Japan in the 7th century CE.

Zen, also known as Chan in China and Seon in Korea, is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes the practice of meditation as a means of achieving enlightenment. Its origins can be traced back to the teachings of the Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, who is said to have traveled to China in the 5th or 6th century CE and transmitted his teachings to the Chinese monk Huike. From there, the practice of Chan spread throughout China and eventually to Korea and Japan.

The arrival of Zen in Japan is associated with the monk Myōan Eisai, who traveled to China in the early 12th century CE to study Chan. When he returned to Japan, he brought with him the teachings and practices of Chan, which he called “Zen” in Japanese. Eisai’s teachings were based on the idea of “sudden enlightenment,” which holds that enlightenment can be achieved in a moment of insight, rather than through a gradual process of practice and study.

Zen quickly gained popularity in Japan, particularly among members of the samurai class, who saw it as a way to cultivate discipline and focus in their daily lives. One of the central practices of Zen is zazen, or seated meditation, which involves focusing the mind on the breath and letting go of distracting thoughts and emotions. Zen also emphasizes the importance of direct experience and intuition, rather than relying solely on scripture and doctrine.

Over time, Zen developed into several distinct schools in Japan, each with its own lineage of teachers and practitioners. These schools include the Rinzai, Soto, and Obaku schools, each of which emphasizes slightly different aspects of Zen practice and doctrine. Despite these differences, all Zen schools share a common emphasis on the practice of meditation, the cultivation of mindfulness and awareness, and the attainment of enlightenment as the ultimate goal.

Zen remains one of the most popular and influential Buddhist sects in Japan, and has also spread to other parts of the world, including the United States and Europe. Its teachings and practices continue to inspire seekers of spiritual truth and wisdom, and its emphasis on mindfulness and awareness has found resonance in fields such as psychology, neuroscience, and mindfulness-based therapies.