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From Buddha to Brahma, Ishwar Harris is an authority on Eastern religions. A professor of religious studies as well as chair of the department at The College of Wooster and a member of the faculty since 1981, Harris has an in-depth knowledge of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. He is also an expert on India’s culture and civilization, and he is familiar with Gandhian thought and the Sarvodaya movement. Harris received his bachelor’s degree from the Lucknow Christian College in India, his master’s of divinity from the Howard Divinity School, his S.T.M. from the Pacific School of Religion, and his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School in 1974. Before coming to Wooster, Harris taught religion at Rutgers University from 1974-1981, and he was an instructor at San Bernadino State College in 1973-1974. Harris has written two books: Gandhians in Contemporary India: The Vision and the Visionaries in 1998 and Radhakrishna: Profile of a Universalist in 1982. A member of the American Academy of Religion, the Society for Asian Studies, ASIANetwork, and the Ohio Academy of Religion, Harris has spent several weeks in Sri Lanka as well as a Japanese monastery to study Buddhism. |
Ishwar Harris, professor of religious studies
at The College of Wooster since 1981, has spent much of his career studying
eastern religions, particularly Zen Buddhism. In the summer of 1999, he
spent five weeks in Japan at the Tofuku-ji Monastery, where he meditated
with the monks and observed their lifestyle under head abbot Fukushima Keido.
Here, Professor Harris talks about Zen Buddhism and the power of meditation.
What is Zen Buddhism? Buddhism is an ancient eastern religion with two major groups or denominations – the Theravada, which means "teaching of the elders," and Mahayana, which means " greater vehicle." Zen is a sect of the Theravada. The literal translation of Zen is meditation, which is a major focus for those who practice Zen Buddhism. What is the history of Zen meditation in the United States? Many may remember the hippies and flower children of the 1960s turning on to Zen meditation, and while some from that generation became legitimate Zen practitioners, including writer Alan Watts and poet Gary Snyder, many were doing it just for the fun of it. Zen master Fukushima Keido wants to erase that image of Zen meditation and emphasize that it is a much deeper and more serious exercise, not a frivolous activity done just for kicks. Why is meditation such an important aspect of Zen Buddhism? Meditation helps to clear and purify the mind. The Buddhist concept of reality is that everything is in a constant state of flux. Whether we like it or not, change occurs. As humans, we have the tendency to attach ourselves to things through our ego and desire, which results from a false understanding of self. The consequence of such a mindset is often suffering. Meditation is a way to deal with the mind and allow the individual to see reality from a higher level. In Buddhism, the belief is that there is "no soul to be saved but a mind to be purified." How does Zen meditation work? Meditation the Zen way is not a mystical or extraordinary process as many have been led to believe. It begins with a simple breathing pattern in which one counts his or her breaths from 1-10. Posture is also important, with legs crossed and back straight to allow energy to flow through the spinal cord. The purpose is to achieve a level of concentration that settles and purifies the mind. Practicing Zen Buddhists believe that negative emotions start with the mind, but this process helps to control those images. It also leads to an intuitive mind that allows the individual to see reality as it is, not as it is shaped by the human ego. What is the practical value of Zen meditation? The meditation process has considerable value. First, it helps individuals to focus and clear their minds. Secondly, it invites physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual relaxation, which can reduce a person’s stress, anxiety, and nervous tension in all phases of life. Can an individual practice Zen and remain true to his or her own religion? Absolutely. In fact, many Jews and Catholics around the world are Zen practitioners. Zen does not require that individuals turn their backs on their current faith. For some, Zen Buddhism is a way of life, for others, it is an appropriate way to make positive changes in their routine and improve the quality of their life. |
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| Last updated: January 10, 2006 · For more information, contact John Finn | ||
