Space in Japanese Zen Buddhist Architecture PDF
Space in Japanese Zen Buddhist Architecture PDF
Space in Japanese Zen Buddhist Architecture PDF
Antariksa
Lecturer at Department of Architecture Faculty of Engineering - Brawijaya University
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
The beginning in the medieval period the ideas “emptiness” and “nothingness” in Buddhist doctrine
influences over the Japanese.
Space in Japanese architecture (kukan), as a empty place. This word originally stood for a “hole in the
ground”, and in on present meaning of a “hole in the universe”, or “sky”. The ancient Japanese divided space
vertically into two parts, sora (sky) and ame or ama (heaven). In the concept of emptiness both of this above it
can be said is a part of space.
This paper will tries to explain and discusses about the meaning of space in Japanese Zen Buddhist
architecture.
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SPACE IN JAPAN ZEN BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE (Antariksa)
THE CONCEPT OF EMPTINESS (sunyata) 1 so full of potentiality that all emerges from it, all
is reabsorbed in it. In Emptiness, forms are born.
The concept of Emptiness as classic When one becomes empty of the assumptions,
expression of the paradoxical nature of the inferences, and judgments he has aquined over
emptiness or nothingness is the Heart Sutra, it is the years, he comes close to the original inature
one of the discourses ascribed by Gautama and is capable of conceiving original ideas and
Buddha. When the Bodhisattva Kannon was reacting freshly (Holmes, 1990:66). Emptiness=
practicing the profound Prajna Paramita 2 wisdom ”There is no here, no there. Infinity is before our
he saw all the true aggregates3 to be Emptiness, eyes”, says the seventh century Zen Patriarch
and passed beyond suffering. It begins with Sentsang in his Hsin Hsin Ming (Frank,
(Legget, 1989:75): 1973:105). Here emptiness give a special form to
O disciple Shariputra, form is not different enter in every place of human live and inanimate
from Emptiness, Emptiness is not different object. Actually most of the paintings consists of
from form; form is Emptiness and Emptiness “nothing”, of space, emptiness, the void (Figure
is form; and also with sensation, thinking, 4). Despite this, the feeling for abstract
impulse and consciousness. All this things, composition is somewhat stronger than the
Shariputra, have the character of illusion of deep space. It comes the closet to
Emptiness, neither born or dying, neither reflecting the tendency in Zen Buddhiam to
defiled nor pure, neither increased nor stress rapid flashes of intuitive insight into
lessened. spiritual phenomena.
The word empty that appears in the final
response of the conservation is fundamental.
Ehei Dogen (1200-1253) adds some important
clarification of the relationship between
nothingness and emptiness, the key concept in
the philosophy of the Middle Way (madhyamika)
Dumoulin (1988:83):
Emptiness is not “no”. [But] in uttering
“Buddha-nature-emptiness”, one say “no”.
One does not say, “half a pound”, or “eight
ounces”. One does not say emptiness,
because it is emptiness. One does not say
no, because it is no. One say no because it is
Buddha-nature-emptiness. Thus, each piece
of no is a touch stone to articulate
emptiness; emptiness is the power
articulating no.
The experience of this ultimate mystery is
what Buddhist speak of in negative terms as Figure 4.There is a line drawn in empty space.
sunyata, or emptiness, or in positive terms as Above that line, the absolute is
tathagata, or suchness4 . Sunyata is an Emptiness actual and the world of distinction
only theoretical. Below that line, the
world of distinction is actual and the
1
Emptiness in the translation of the Sanskrit word sunyata,
absolute only theoretical. A Zen
which means “everything is no-substantial.” The Japanese picture of a familiar science. The
word for emptiness is ku, which also means “sky”. artist has altered the proportion of
2
Prajna, this Sanskrit term is generally translated as column and figure to express the
“transcendental wisdom.” It is a kind of intuitive knowledge transcendental aloneness of Zen
in its deepest sense. When this is awakened, one has the
enlightenment-experience that constitutes the center of (Zen and the Ways, 1989)
Buddhist philosophy.
3
“Five guards who approach in friendly manner” mean
the five aggregates –-form, feeling, perception, volition and
consciousness- which frame body and mind.
4
In the terminology of Prajna school, this is: sunyata sunyata is the world of the Absolute, and tathata is the
(“emptiness”) tathata (“suchness”), and tathata is sunyata: world of particulars.
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SPACE IN JAPAN ZEN BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE (Antariksa)
by reading the mind of all conceptual thinking. depends on how a man looks into the nature of
As we have seen, the idea of meaningfulness of things. (Figure 7)
empty space, that fruitful void or sunyata of the
Buddhist, was carried over into the Japanese
architecture of the rooms, and the planning of
gardens. Example can be seen at Daisen-in
garden. The southern end of the garden is empty.
There are no more rocks. It is world without
form, void of passion, thoughts and emotions
which only distract. The white sand of purity and
complete freedom make this garden a fit of
object for meditation. Ikkyu said, “All things
inevitably turn to nothingness, and this ‘turning
to nothingness’ means a return to original being.
Another is the interaction between form and
space is one of the keys to Ryoan-ji compiling
suggestiveness (Figure 6). Evoking a sense of Figure 7. Myokian Tea house, Kyoto. Late
infinity in a strictly confined space, of Sixteenth century.
nothingness and non attachment (Hover,
1989:110).
THE PILLARING OF HEAVEN AND
EARTH
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DIMENSI TEKNIK ARSITEKTUR Vol. 29, No. 1, Juli 2001: 75 - 84
next, and later deity (kami) were produced in the may indicate to the inner experience of satori,
space between them. When the Sky and the Earth which for an example has cast its illumination
began, there was a something in the very midst into the mind. Enlightenment is like rain that
of the emptiness whose shape cannot be falls on a mountain and gathers into rivulets that
described. run into brooks, and then into rivers which
The genesis of the world is described in the finally flow into the ocean (Bukkyo Dendo
Vedas as a “pillaring a part” of Heaven and Kyokai, 1985:480). From the Zenist point of
Earth: “It is by being pillared a part by this pillar view does not wait for satori to come to him, but
that Heaven and earth stand fast”. Heaven and has own special mode of meditation leading to it.
Earth, originally fused, are split apart and held And adopted from Zen Flesh, Zen Bone it to say
firm by the world Axis. The symbolic analogue (Ross, 1966:138):
is the rising of the Sun: Sky and earth which had The great path has no gate
been confused and indistinct in the darkness of Thousands of roads enter it
night, become distinct in the light of the dawn. When one passes through this gateless gate
The light separates them and, pillar-like, props He walks between heaven and earth
them apart: “the light of Dawn” divorces the
According to Snodgrass (1985:336-337), he
conterminous regions (Sky and Earth) and makes
explain about the four loci of liberation, range
manifest the “general Worlds”. So likewise
one above the other on the axis of the world,
Heaven and Earth are propped apart by the
corresponding to four within the stupa. The
column of the Sun at the dawn of the Cosmos.
central point at ground level (A), the point of
The pillaring apart of Heaven and Earth by the
origin for the setting out and orientation of the
column of the Sun coincides with the
plan, locates the bodhimanda visible to the eyes
development of Midspace: “The Sun’s space, for
of man on the plane of earth; the place were the
it is only when it rises that the world is seen”.
axis emerges from the stupa dome (B), marked
The directions of space emanate from the Sun-
by the harmika, is the bodhimanda in the
Pillar, and when the Sun sets space return into
Mountain top; the uppermost disc of the spire (C)
the Void. The Sun-strut, support of the worlds
locates the Akanistha Heaven; and the jewel or
and origin of the quarters of space, is
vase at the pinnacle of the spire (D) locates
symbolically raised each morning of the world
bhutakoti5 , the point where the Buddhas make
and removed each evening (Snodgrass,
their exit from the cosmos and enter the void
1985:163-164).
(Snodgrass, 1985:336-337). As we have seen
above, there are some deployment space to the
architecture when the Buddha in process to enter
THE WAY OF ENLIGHTENMENT the other worlds. Each of these position locates a
point of transition one world to another (Figure
The story of the fourthy nine days following
9).
in the Enlightenment (satori) is an account of the
The harmika marks, the point of transition
cosmic peregrination of the Buddha. Starting
from the world of desire to the world of form.
from the center of the universe, he ascends to the
The upper most disc of spire is the point of
supernal worlds, then he encompasses the four
transition from the world of form to the world of
directions of space. And finally he descends into
the formless. The tip of spire is the point where
the underworlds by being fully enwrapped by the
the formless world and the cosmos in its entirety
coils of the serpent. The Buddha has traversed
is left behind, and the realm of the void is
the six directions on the horizontal plane, and the
entered. Then the harmika is the structure built at
nadir, recomposing then within the center, which
the summit of the dome or tower (Jpn., ukebana),
is himself (Figure 8). This concept constitute one
marking the place where the central axis emerges
alteration of the position of place on
from within the edifice (Figure 10). This is the
philosophical in the enlightenment. Because
center of the world, the location where the
freedom in here it means freedom from worldly.
Buddha attained Enlightenment.
The position in the center, is the center of the
world, where the upper world is a part from the
cosmos itself. Where in the process of
enlightenment it was mentioned above, its try for
5
liberated oneself and enter the upper world. But Bhutakoti: bhuta is “real, true, not false”, koti is “end” or
“goal”. The Chinese translation is shih chi, in Japanese is
at the same time it must be said that an intuition jissai, is also literally “the limit of the real”.
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SPACE IN JAPAN ZEN BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE (Antariksa)
Figure 8. The Six direction of the universe. Figure 10. A sacred space at the summit of
The centrifugal expansion of the the mountain. This is the center of
directions from the center. The the world where the Buddha
Buddha attained Enlightenment attain enlightenment. Its places in
(The Symbolism of the Stupa, 1985) the top of the pagoda. Its called
fukubachi for the dome and
ukebana for the harmika. (the
Symbolism of the Stupa, 1985)
SPACE IN
JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
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DIMENSI TEKNIK ARSITEKTUR Vol. 29, No. 1, Juli 2001: 75 - 84
emptiness. The other was ame or ama (heaven), The highly Japanese natural philosopher
which was the opposite of kuni (region, realm, Miura Baien (1723-1789) interprets, space not as
government) and thus meant an unearthly area of a container but as something that fill bodies. In
habitation and value. In the concept of emptiness part of his Discourse on Metaphysics, he says
both of this above it can be said is a part of that place includes interior (naka). This interior is
space. Here space embraces universal or ground the skeleton or framework of place. Time open
in the whole sense, but in philosophical side this the present. The present vitalizes time. Nothing
can be different. Space as physical meaning or exists without form. Consequently, place and
space as a form which contain space itself. In things are able to come into being. By interior
principle, this case dependent how we see a Miura means something that is not physical in
space, as a part of philosophy or as a form of nature and that is neither area nor volume. In a
architecture. letter, Miura wrote: “considering the theory of
Zeami Motokijo (1364?-1443), who the division of one makes it apparent that all
developed the art of Noh drama into one of Japan things in the universe contend with each other.
great dramatic forms, wrote in Kakyo (The But, though they are different in quality, in the
Mirror of the Flower), his discourse on the Noh, total view, they are all one. They are all,
of a concept called senuhima 6 . Senuhima then, therefore, compounded of the same divinity. It is
describes the role of ma on the Noh stage, but important to see unity transcending difference
there it does not mean “interval” as of time (Kurokawa, 1988: 42). Living space becomes
between events, but a moment of silent fullness nothing and empty only when we take it for
that contains profound meaning. In this senuhima granted that the existence of air is natural and
also be speaks the idea of ku (Kurokawa, deservesless consideration. Relatively, but
1988:55). This character can also be read sora. In consistently, void could be defined as something
the former reading it means “emptiness” or occupied by nothing and solid is as something
“void”, in the later it means “sky”. The idea of surrounded by nothing. Functionally, void
ku goes back to the concept of absolute without solid would mean return to nebulous
emptiness, or sunyata. The second of the wilderness. Visually, solid without void would
character sora, meaning “sky”, implies the mean loss of visible form (Chang, 1981:27). This
universe and the infinite. Therefore ku represents Lao Tzu illustrates by his favorite metaphor of
a view of the universe which embraces all the vacuum lay the true essential. The reality of a
contradictions and paradoxes. room, for instance, was to be found in the vacant
In swordsman ship, instead of keeping his space, not in the roof and wall them selves
mind in a state of perfect fluidity, so that he can (Okakura, 1864:24).
strike the enemy the moment the latter shows a Room in the Japanese residence becomes
suki, he will have to have the attention glued to human only through man’s presence. Without
the enemy’s sword. This gluing is “stoppage,” him, there is no human trace. Thus, the empty
and every stoppage means giving and advantage room provides the very space where man’s spirit
to the enemy, which is a suki. Suki as has already can more freely and where his thoughts can reach
been stated, means “a space between two the very limits of their potential (Engel in Hover,
objects.” Or “a slit or split or crack in one solid 1989:44). The relationship between interior and
object.” When continuity is broken up and crack exterior spaces is no less important, and as an
begins to show, there is a suki. When tension expression of the continuity between interior and
slackness, certain signs of laxity appears – which exterior spaces, an entrance is of great
is suki. In Takuan’s terminology, suki significance in movement (Inoue, 1985:154). In
corresponds to “stopping.” In swordsman ship, Japanese architecture, in the respect, is an
this is taken advantage of by the enemy, who is architecture of vistas, of continuity, of
always too ready not to let the opportunity slip perspective. There is a constant movement of
away vainly (Suzuki, 1988:143). space, a gentle shifting from place to place; but
no matter how far one pursues the movement one
never arrives of a conception of a plastic whole
(Gropius and Tange, 1960).
6
Senuhima are the moments in which the music stops and
the actor arrest all perceptible movement; yet in this
movement of suspended action and sound the actor can
express the spirit of his role more movingly than through all
his other modes of performance.
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SPACE IN JAPAN ZEN BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE (Antariksa)
Bukyo Dendo Kyokai, The Teaching of Buddha, Nishi, Kazuo and Kazuo, Hozumi, What is
Tokyo: Kosardo Printing Company Ltd., Japanese Architecture, Tokyo: Kodansha
1985. p. 480. International Ltd., 1986. p. 118.
Chang, Amos Ih Tiao, The Tao of Architecture, Nitschke, Gunter, Ma: Place, Space and Void,
New Jersey: Princeton University Press, Kyoto: Kyoto Journal No. 8, Fall, 1988. p.
1981. p. 27. 38 and p. 55.
Dumoulin, Heinrich, Zen Buddhism: A History, Okakura, Kakuzo, The Book of Tea, New York:
Japan, Vol. 2, Translated by James W. Dover Publications Inc., 1964. p. 24.
Heisig and Paul Knitter, New York:
Macmillan Publishing Company, 1988. p. Plitschow, Herbert E., Historical Kyoto with
279 and p. 280. Illustration and guides maps, Tokyo: The
Japan Times, 1986. p. 143.
Dumoulin, Heinrich, Zen Buddhism: A History
India and China, Vol. 1, Translated by Ross, Nancy Wilson, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen,
James W. Heisig and Paul Knitter, New An Introduction to their Meaning and their
York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Arts, London: Faber and Faber, 1966. p.
1988. p. xvii; p. 83 and p. 225. 88 and p. 138.
Engel, Heinrich, 1964, The Japanese House a Snodgrass, Adrian, The Symbolism of the Stupa,
Tradition for Contemporary Architecture, New York: Southeast Asia Program
Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Company, p. Cornell University, 1985. p. 27; pp. 163-
365. 164; p. 233 and pp. 336-337.
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