Zen Buddhism is not the native religion of the Japanese people. Yet, it has had significant influence on the culture and history of this island nation. Buddhism actually originated in India in the 6th century B.C. The religion includes the teachings of Buddha, Gautama Siddhartha. This one man produced a religion that has affected the lives of millions of individuals. Gautama became known as the Buddha after his personal bodhi, or enlightenment and used his knowledge to teach other individuals his faith and how they too could reach enlightenment and Nirvana, the end of all suffering.

Buddhism is broken up into a number of branches, with variations in some of their teachings. The main branches of Buddhism, though, are Theravada and Mahayana. The Mahayana, or “Greater Vehicle,” is the branch that traveled to Japan. Its fundamental principles include the belief in universal freedom from suffering for all beings and the presence of Buddhas in all beings, sometimes unrecognized. So, how did the teachings of one man find its way to Japan and influence them, especially historically?

According to “Japanese Buddhism,” the religion traveled to Japan by way of China and Korea in the 6th century “from the friendly Korean kingdom of Kudara (Paikche).” The ruling nobles of Japan accepted the Buddhism as the new state religion, but the common people had a hard time embracing the teachings because of its complex theories. Additionally, this new religion conflicted with Japan’s native religion, Shinto. Eventually, they found a way to peacefully co-exist with one another and even complemented one another. Nevertheless, it was not all roses and flowers when Buddhism came to Japan.

During the Nara Period, there was a major conflict between Buddhist monasteries and the government. “Japanese Buddhism” stated that great Buddhist monasteries in the capital of Nara attained powerful political influence; this forced the government to move the capital to Nagaoka in 784 and to Kyoto in 794. For many centuries, politically ambitious and militant monasteries continued to be a major problem for the government of Japan.

For a number of years, Chinese introduced a number of Buddhists sects to Japan, exerting some influence in their wake. However, the Zen sect had a lasting foothold on the island. In 1191, China brought the Zen sect to Japan. Zen’s complicated theories especially appealed to the members of the military class. Zen teachings state that “one can achieve self enlightenment through meditation and discipline.” This idea was exemplified by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

At present, approximately 90 million Japanese identify themselves as Buddhists, but the religion does not have a strong affect on the daily lives of most Japanese. In actuality, Zen enjoyed greater popularity worldwide. There are, however, a few remnants of Zen in Japanese culture. Generally, funerals are conducted according Buddhist tradition, and many families have small altars in their homes to honor their ancestors.

Sources:

Japanese Buddhism
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2055.html

Who was Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama?
http://www.fundamentalbuddhism.com/who-was-buddha.html