A Study on the Japanese Gardens Viewed from the Rinzai Zen Budhism (XIV)

Case Study on the Tenryuji Garden Kyoto

Abstract

The Object of This Study
The Tenryu-ji Garden lies in the western part of the master's room there and has the wandering paths, among artificial hills and ponds against the Kameyama (a tortoise-shaped hill) and the fai ther scenery of the Arashiyama. This study is to theoretically expound the intention and expression of this gardening in accordance with the “Muso-kokushi-goroku” (=the Analects of Muso-kokushi).
The Essentials of This Garden
This garden belongs to the Tenryu-ji of the Rinzai sect and was made to express the fundamental doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism. Muso-kokushi. founded this temple for the repose of war victims, and the repentance of murder or with the prayer of the blessing and construction of the new state, regarding it as a memorial monastery of the Emperor Go-daigo.
The subject of this gardening means the promotion of the tathagata-Zen (=the highest supreme Zen), based on the “Song of Enlightenment”, the conception of it shows the construction of the ideal state, based on the Vimalakirti-nirdesa-sutra; and theformation of its expresses the elevation of oneself by aiming at the attainment of enlightenment, based on the Case 49 of the “Hekigan-roku”-Sansho Asks, Seppo What a Golden Fish Going through a Net Eats, and further the salvation of sentient beings, from suffering, based on the Case 52 of the same-A Monk Regards JOshu as a Single Bridge, not as a Stone One.