Published
The Way of Eiheiji: Zen-Buddhist Ceremony
Taken from fourteen hours of recordings, The Way of Eiheiji provides a generous introduction to Japanese Zen Buddhist ceremonies. The rituals and daily tasks performed at the Eiheiji (temple of Great Peace) include zazen (a type of seated meditation), chanting Buddhist scriptures, performing manual labor, and ceremonies including the Fire Protection Ceremony for the temple’s safety. Gongs, drums, and bells are commonly used at the temple, and all three can be heard on the track “Time-Telling Drum and Gong.” Liner notes include a description of different types of Japanese Buddhism and a glossary.
Buddhist philosophy does not condone petitionary prayer or any attempt to cajole a supernatural force into watching out for human interests; however, popular Buddhism has accepted and absorbed those indigenous practices which are based on deep seated human hopes and fears. These practices have been gently manipulated and molded to fit harmoniously into the structure of the Buddhist framework. And, it is important to remember that Buddhism teaches that intellection alone is not capable of probing the secrets of the universe. The great mysteries of change; of death and regeneration must be approached differently to be truly apprehended.