Haiku and Zen

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the relationship between the poetic style of haiku and the philosophy of Zen. The paper first discusses the history of Zen and haiku and then develops the relationship between the two.

From the Paper:

"The art of haiku and the philosophy of Zen both date back centuries into Japan's history. Many haiku poets also practice Zen. The relationship between haiku and Zen lies in the use of meditation and the ability to express or feel one's senses. To truly understand the relationship between haiku writing and Zen philosophy, one must first understand the history and background of each.
The philosophy of Zen originally began in the East in India, but was later mixed with Chinese teachings to form Zen Buddhism- which then became popular in Japan as well. Around 500 B.C. there lived a prince named Siddhartha Gautama who ruled in what is now India. He was very wealthy, but when he was 29 years old he became troubled by the world around him. He decided to give up his privileged lifestyle in search for a deeper meaning of life. He searched for six years until he "achieved Enlightenment" (www. Ibibli.org/zen/faq. Html#1). He then became known as the Buddha, or one who is awake, because he discovered that everything in life can change if one changes their attachments to things in their lives (www. Ibibli.org/zen/faq. Html#1)."

More papers on Haiku and Zen:

• Term Paper # 75473 : "Zen and Haiku"
• Research Paper # 14689 : "Zen Buddhism and Art"
• Essay # 17918 : "Zen Buddhism & Japanese Arts"

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