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Hiakujo（719…814） the pupil of Baso； first instituted the Zen monastery and
established a ritual and regulations for its government。 In the discussions
of the Zen school after the time of Baso we find the play of the Yangtse…
Kiang mind causing an accession of native modes of thought in contrast to
the former Indian idealism。 Whatever sectarian pride may assert to the
contrary one cannot help being impressed by the similarity of Southern
Zen to the teachings of Laotse and the Taoist Conversationalists。 In the
Tao…teking we already find allusions to the importance of self…
concentration and the need of properly regulating the breathessential
points in the practice of Zen meditation。 Some of the best commentaries
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on the Book of Laotse have been written by Zen scholars。
Zennism； like Taoism； is the worship of Relativity。 One master
defines Zen as the art of feeling the polar star in the southern sky。 Truth
can be reached only through the comprehension of opposites。 Again；
Zennism； like Taoism； is a strong advocate of individualism。 Nothing is
real except that which concerns the working of our own minds。 Yeno； the
sixth patriarch； once saw two monks watching the flag of a pagoda
fluttering in the wind。 One said 〃It is the wind that moves；〃 the other
said 〃It is the flag that moves〃； but Yeno explained to them that the real
movement was neither of the wind nor the flag； but of something within
their own minds。 Hiakujo was walking in the forest with a disciple when
a hare scurried off at their approach。 〃Why does the hare fly from you？〃
asked Hiakujo。 〃Because he is afraid of me；〃 was the answer。 〃No；〃
said the master； 〃it is because you have murderous instinct。〃 The
dialogue recalls that of Soshi （Chauntse）； the Taoist。 One day Soshi was
walking on the bank of a river with a friend。 〃How delightfully the
fishes are enjoying themselves in the water！〃 exclaimed Soshi。 His
friend spake to him thus： 〃You are not a fish； how do you know that the
fishes are enjoying themselves？〃 〃You are not myself；〃 returned Soshi；
〃how do you know that I do not know that the fishes are enjoying
themselves？〃
Zen was often opposed to the precepts of orthodox Buddhism even as
Taoism was opposed to Confucianism。 To the transcendental insight of
the Zen； words were but an incumberance to thought； the whole sway of
Buddhist scriptures only commentaries on personal speculation。 The
followers of Zen aimed at direct communion with the inner nature of
things； regarding their outward accessories only as impediments to a clear
perception of Truth。 It was this love of the Abstract that led the Zen to
prefer black and white sketches to the elaborately coloured paintings of
the classic Buddhist School。 Some of the Zen even became iconoclastic
as a result of their endeavor to recognise the Buddha in themselves rather
than through images and symbolism。 We find Tankawosho breaking up a
wooden statue of Buddha on a wintry day to make a fire。 〃What
sacrilege！〃 said the horror…stricken bystander。 〃I wish to get the Shali out
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of the ashes；〃 camply rejoined the Zen。 〃But you certainly will not get
Shali from this image！〃 was the angry retort； to which Tanka replied； 〃If I
do not； this is certainly not a Buddha and I am committing no sacrilege。〃
Then he turned to warm himself over the kindling fire。
A special contribution of Zen to Easthern thought was its recognition
of the mundane as of equal importance with the spiritual。 It held that in
the great relation of things there was no distinction of small and great； an
atom posessing equal possibilites with the universe。 The seeker for
perfection must discover in his own life the reflection of the inner light。
The organisation of the Zen monastery was very significant of this point of
view。 To every member； except the abbot； was assigned some special
work in the caretaking of the monastery； and curiously enough； to the
novices was committed the lighter duties； while to the most respected and
advanced monks were given the more irksome and menial tasks。 Such
services formed a part of the Zen discipline and every least action must be
done absolutely perfectly。 Thus many a weighty discussion ensued while
weeding the garden； paring a turnip； or serving tea。 The whole ideal of
Teaism is a result of this Zen conception of greatness in the smallest
incidents of life。 Taoism furnished the basis for aesthetic ideals； Zennism
made them practical。
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IV。 The Tea…Room
To European architects brought up on the traditions of stone and
brick construction； our Japanese method of building with wood and
bamboo seems scarcely worthy to be ranked as architecture。 It is but quite
recently that a competent student of Western architecture has recognised
and paid tribute to the remarkable perfection of our great temples。 Such
being the case as regards our classic architecture； we could hardly expect
the outsider to appreciate the subtle beauty of the tea…room； its principles
of construction and decoration being entirely different from those of the
West。
The tea…room （the Sukiya） does not pretend to be other than a mere
cottagea straw hut； as we call it。 The original ideographs for Sukiya
mean the Abode of Fancy。 Latterly the various tea…masters substituted
various Chinese characters according to their conception of the tea…room；
and the term Sukiya may signify the Abode of Vacancy or the Abode of
the Unsymmetrical。 It is an Abode of Fancy inasmuch as it is an ephemeral
structure built to house a poetic impulse。 It is an Abode of Vacancy
inasmuch as it is devoid of ornamentation except for what may be placed
in it to satisfy some aesthetic need of the moment。 It is an Abode of the
Unsymmetrical inasmuch as it is consecrated to the worship of the
Imperfect； purposely leaving some thing unfinished for the play of the
imagination to complete。 The ideals of Teaism have since the sixteenth
century influenced our architecture to such degree that the ordinary
Japanese interior of the present day； on account of the extreme simplicity
and chasteness of its scheme of decoration； appears to foreigners
almost barren。
The first independent tea…room was the creation of Senno…Soyeki；
commonly known by his later name of Rikiu； the greatest of all tea…
masters； who； in the sixteenth century； under the patronage of Taiko…
Hideyoshi； instituted and brought to a high state of perfection the
formalities of the Tea…ceremony。 The proportions of the tea…room had
been previously determined by Jowoa famous tea…master of the fifteenth
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century。 The early tea…room consisted merely of a portion of the ordinary
drawing…room partitioned off by screens for the purpose of the tea…
gathering。 The portion partitioned off was called the Kakoi （enclosure）； a
name still applied to those tea…rooms which are built into a house and are
not independent constructions。 The Sukiya consists of the tea…room
proper； designed to accomodate not more than five persons； a number
suggestive of the saying 〃more than the Graces and less than the Muses；〃
an a