Zen Garden - Unravelling Its Mystery

‘Garden’ is understood – worried about ‘Zen’ ? Well, Zen in its broad perspective, is a form of Buddhism prevailing in Japan. Zen Buddhism, has been practised in Japan for ages and is known to be the origin of the term ‘Zen Garden’, which is much more than being just an another garden!

A Zen garden is the ‘dry’ sort of garden, with rocks, stones, gravel, boulders, sand – and few plants and shrubs – contrary to what one might be inclined to assume with a glimpse at a phrase – Zen Garden. What should be perceived rightly is, plants here are not of much prominence (in spite of the fact that we’re talking about a kind of garden!), and at times, could be non-existent as well. And this is where a Zen Garden makes its identity, different from our other conventional gardens.

Evolution

The Zen garden is said to have its roots in ‘KareSanSui’ (meaning, ‘Dry-Mountain-Water’), which is briefly a discipline about arranging the rocks artistically.

Known as ‘The Father of Zen Gardens’, Muso Soseki, a Zen priest, born in 1275 and died in 1351 in a temple of Kyoto, Japan – has contributed considerably to the creation of the Zen garden. Rather than having their independent existence, these gardens generally, are found in connection with the temples in Japan, and according to Japanese myths, they are linked with ‘spirituality’ as well, which in turn, is traditionally associated with temples.

Zen Garden is the term used particularly in West for the Japanese rock garden. The words together, were first used by an American writer, Loraine Kuch, in her book, ‘100 Gardens of Kyoto’, published in 1935.

The Message Within

A Zen garden is formed by artfully arranging stones. But the concept is not only limited to this. Besides the aesthetically arranged behavior of rocks so as to produce the scenes and seasonal beauty, the motive behind a Zen garden is to make viewers meditate. Zen Buddhism, they said, places great importance on moment-by-moment awareness and ‘Seeing deeply into the Nature of things’, by one’s direct experience. Glancing at a little garden, according to monks, helps one forget a day’s problems for a moment, resulting in peace of mind and reduction of stress. A Zen garden is believed to be the source of strength, courage, and fortitude – an ability to withstand, without being ruffled, or provocative. It not only instills in one, stillness and self-discipline, but also, transforms people into a state of contentment. They foster health and well-being, and according to some, longetivity too. Summerising, Zen priests believed that the gardens help stirring in their visitors the feeling of being tranquil, calm and serene.

Famous Zen Gardens

• Zen garden at Royanji Temple in northwest Kyoto, Japan.
• Nanzenji Zen Garden in Kyoto, Japan.

Connotations

Here are the different versions of truths about what the elements in the gardens imply:

• The gravel represents ocean and rocks, the islands of Japan.
• The rocks represent Japanese mountains and sand represents water.
• The rocks represent a mother tiger with her cubs, swimming to a dragon.
• The rocks form a part of the ‘kanji’ (Chinese character) for its heart or mind.

Criticisms

The gardens, are interesting targets for critics. Instead of appreciating a Zen garden for the virtues it stands for, some people oppose the idea behind it and cross-counter the arguments. Tamao Goda, a chief Japanese garden researcher, said that gardening in Japan, is an everyday topic, and foreigners should not follow the stories told by priests that easily. J.Skuba, an artist and garden builder in Lake Forest, Illinois, asserts “the label ‘Zen garden’ is a bogus appellation attached to a serious art form.” Another critic, Steve Beimal, editor of The Kyoto Diary, finds that Zen gardens are the contradictions of Zen philosophy in themselves. Zen philosophy follows – “the truth cannot be learned from others, but must be discovered internally.”

Regardless of the comments or criticisms ever applied to it, a Zen garden is definitely a prime example of creativity at its best.

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