Do All Forms of Artistic Expression Have A Place in Buddhism?

PivotalSyntax

It seems like as I learn more about Buddhism, the more art seems to play a minor role. Art involves some sort of attachment, suffering, display of emotions. I guess art could be done emotionlessly and mechanically but then it wouldn't really be art. Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to come to is the question of does writing, literature, music, art, theatre, or any other forms of art have a place in Buddhism? How do they fit in?

Glow

It depends on the culture/tradition of Buddhism. Zen, for example, has a diverse and rich tradition of poetry, art and music. Poetry especially is a large part of Zen; it's a tradition in some Zen schools for monks to write a poem on their deathbed. Famous Zen poets include Ryokan (from Japan), Ko Un (from Korea) and Thich Nhat Hanh (from Vietnam). Zen poetry, like much East Asian poetry, tends to be more spare and focuses on the human in the context of all of nature.

Traditionally, at least in Theravada monasticism, monks and nuns abstain from music and other performance art. As Buddhism becomes more and more established in the West, I think our inheritance from the humanistic tradition that gave us Beethoven, Shakespeare and Da Vinci will become integrated into Buddhism practice in new and different ways. Most of our artists who are also Buddhists, such as John Cage, W.S. Merwin, Jane Hirshfield, Allen Ginsberg, etc. practice Zen Buddhism.

RenGalskap

The question of whether all forms of artistic expression have a place in Buddhism makes me wonder what would have happened if Maplethorpe had placed a miniature statue of a meditating Buddha in a jar of piss. :-)

Obviously, Buddhism has always had a place for art that served religious purposes. Theravadins needed sculptors to create statues of the Buddha. The Tibetans needed specially trained painters to paint the intricate mandalas and other types of painting. As Glow says, Zen has a tradition of painters and poets.

Glow wrote: »

Most of our artists who are also Buddhists, such as John Cage, W.S. Merwin, Jane Hirshfield, Allen Ginsberg, etc. practice Zen Buddhism.

With the exception of Hirshfield, these are older artists who were contemporary with the beats, and started their careers when Zen was terribly hip. Nowadays I think you find much more diversity of traditions.

thegoldeneternity

i think that sincere art certainly has a place in buddhism. i have heard many people around here criticize an attachment to art, music, etc. and i think perhaps it is an attachment to some degree. but what is art? i think that all real 'art' reveals truth, at least to some degree. and i think buddhism is also about revealing truth. they share that connection.

i have heard many people criticize jack kerouac for his "hippie buddhism," but i think that they are missing the point. he was a human being seeking truth. he found some solace and truth in buddhism and so much of his writing alludes to buddhism. Sure, maybe he was "wrong" at times. he certainly struggled with his own vices, as we all do (alcoholism, for example). but his writing was a sincere expression of himself. His writing did not make him less of a buddhist. he didn't intend to start the 'beat' movement. He was critical of the whole idea himself.

i would say that if art is created for the intention of gaining popularity, it is incompatible with buddhism. if it is created for the intention of revealing truth, with no regard for how it will be received by others, it shares much with buddhism. I would argue that only the latter is actually art.

Glow

RenGalskap wrote: »

With the exception of Hirshfield, these are older artists who were contemporary with the beats, and started their careers when Zen was terribly hip. Nowadays I think you find much more diversity of traditions.

That's true. Also in that group would be poet Gary Snyder. I have a recording of him reading Dogen. And, as the golden eternity mentioned, Jack Kerouac. I found here a list of alleged Western celebrities who are also Buddhist, although I'd take it with a grain of salt. Some of them are well-known Buddhists (Leonard Cohen, Richard Gere, Alice Walker), but others I'm not finding too much reliable information on (Orlando Bloom?).

PietroPumokin

art is instrumental to buddhism, as a mahayana religion. literature, theatre, film, especially film, art, these are all things that help buddhism greatly. especially individual practictioners, where making art can be just as meditative as meditation... art can cause craving but it's a simple human expression of nature just as eating and urinating are. life goes in the mouth and art comes out the bottom. but here art is better than caca, re-eatable caca, for we art inspires more art, more life, more joy, more compassion..... i would imagine this is also how real caca is too. does our caca feed the earth? where does all the caca go? manure feeds the ground. HAHA ANYWAYS, art is one of the five pancyavidas (the five sciences of a bodhisattva):

<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> As a Bodhisattva always comes to live in this world in order to save the sentient beings, he/she must be proficient in all kinds of worldly knowledge and skills. Thus, he/she should have a good profession for earning a living and serving the other people. Through all these actions, he/she can gather the other sentient beings and show them how to cultivate the Buddhist Way. A Bodhisattva must have a good knowledge of the Five Sciences.

with zen , and i mean this in a general buddhist way as 'meditational force', with zen & dharma art-making can be put to very good, positive and constructive use. it is practically indispensable, anyways, because everyone enjoys it. everything considered art is constantly a part of one's daily experiences. buddhism would be crippled without the aid of art. most arts can be very cathartic processes and the buddha's doctrine is a doctrine of "release"