Matsuo Basho's most celebrated work, The Narrow Road [sometimes translated as "Narrow Journey" ] to the Interior (Jap. Oku no Hosomichi) is also a prosimetrum of sorts, based on a travelogue. In Japanese poetics, this form of hybrid prose-poetry form is called the haibun and is based on the alternation of prose ruminations and compressed poetic thought. To put it more succinctly, Basho's haiku poetry represents the distillation of insight based on the experiences recounted in the prose that surrounds it. While Boethius uses prose and poetry as a sort of formal dialogic device in the Consolation, and in Vita nuova Dante very subtly and disingenuously plays up his poetic authorship, Basho systematically crafts a poetic in which the subjectivity of both writer and reader seem to fuse with pure objectivity. The images Basho sees do not come from outside himself; rather, based on the Buddhist idea of co-dependent origination (pratityasamutpada) the images he sees are not in any way separate from himself.
The notion of co-dependent origination represented aesthetically is present in Basho's work from its start; though the narrative is based on the experiences of a very personal journey (both literal and allegorical) undertaken during a period of hardship in the poet's life, Basho announces that narrative with a reference to the movements of celestial bodies: "The moon and sun are eternal travelers. Even the years wander on. A lifetime adrift in a boat, or in old age leading a tired horse into the years, every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home" (Hamill 1). By beginning an ostensibly personal narrative with a reference to celestial bodies, Basho imbues his text with a sense of pantheism that epitomizes the "undoing" characteristic of a haiku's kireji or "cutting words." A reader confronts the poetics of haiku in a similar way as a Zen student confronts a ko'an, a spiritually-productive paradox such as the famous "what was my face before my parents were born?" Basho's personal travelogue is simultaneously an unraveling of the very notion of an independent self.
For the next two weeks we will be reading personal narratives whose ideology challenges the very notion of the integrated, diachronic self. Through the practice of zazen and ruminating on ko'ans which push logic to its very limits, Zen forces a practitioner to question his or her identity before ultimately concluding that such an identity, in fact, does not exist. Ontologically, this stance poses a clear threat to the practice of autobiography. How do you think Buddhist ideology and the genre of autobiography can be reconciled, if at all?
Nikki Worthman
ReplyDelete3/1/2013
Response to Basho’s Narrow Road
When Basho begins his journey it is in more than one way. He is physically journeying somewhere new, but he is also journeying within himself. While Basho’s physical journey is influenced by nature because he and his companions specifically stop at places with beautiful views and shrines, his emotional journey is affected even more by this nature around him. In all aspects of Basho’s journey, nature plays a highly important role.
At many points throughout Basho’s journey he is reduced to tears from the beautiful views that he witnesses. This relates directly to the concept of awaré that we discussed in class. This awe of nature seems to overwhelm Basho. He describes himself as awestruck, weeping, and moved at several points throughout the novel. For Basho this is in part a spiritual journey. The environment and shrines that he sees and visits are sacred places to him.
In many of his haikus, Basho mentions seasons, specifically autumn. In this way, the reader experiences both the seasons transitioning around Basho as well as seeing the changes occurring within his own mind. These haikus are a vital part of his journey and allow the reader to experience nature with Basho on a deeper level.
The importance of nature throughout Basho’s story makes the novel extremely relatable. Even today, people take similar journeys. People in today’s modern world still journey for the same reasons that Basho did, both for a physical change in environment as well as for an emotional change within themselves. People also frequently travel to appreciate nature, such as traveling to New England for fall foliage views.
Basho’s journey is dependent on nature. If he was simply traveling through a cityscape, it would change the entire meaning of his travels. The nature that he experiences changes his entire world view and through his haikus and descriptions, Basho attempts to in turn do this for the reader.
Sophia Carreras
ReplyDeleteBasho’s “Narrow Road to the Interior”:
A Study of the Directness of the Heart
One of the greatest Japanese poets, Basho wrote of his spiritual and physical travels in his collection of pieces entitled, “Narrow Road to the Interior.” Similar to the organization of some of Dante’s writing, Basho uses both haiku poems accompanied by journal style prose outlining his journey. This style of documentation is called the Haibun, in which the two different forms serve to enrich one another.
The most striking aspect of his spiritual journey to me is his understanding and appreciation of solitude. He is a wanderer, completely immersed in his environment, traveling mostly alone in a spiritual awareness of all that is around him. In this way, much of his writing centers around nature and his connection to it. He expresses that living in the core of this tie to the earth is imperative, and that opening ones heart and mind will allow them to become one with it. He depicts this connection with many vivid literary illustrations of nature with himself as an intrical part of the experience.
The other aspect of his writing that I found moving was his sense of directness and sincerity tied to the matters of the heart and mind. He uses the haiku in order to convey this most effectively, for the framework of this style of poetry is so confined and short that the words must be chosen carefully. There is a divine importance embedded in each word, conveying just what needs to be said for the reader to feel as he does. Each piece shows a little more of his spiritual growth and his physical travels, which he so beautifully shows live hand in hand. He exists in understanding of impermanence and connectedness, narrated with his prose and colored by his haikus. Even in his final death poem, Bashu releases himself knowing that his dreams will continue on, and that his spiritual existence will go on long after his ability to document it.
No-Mind
ReplyDeleteD.T. Suzuki’s “The Zen Doctrine of No-Mind” discusses the concept of “no-mind,” a state of mind that sees no separation of thoughts and action, no separation between people and no separation between people and nature. To be in the state of no-mind, one needs to meditate. The act of meditating allows “the mind [to] flow out as it comes into contact with the environment” (Suzuki, pg. 28). When the mind, thought and conscious feeling are released through the act of meditation, it is possible to become one with the environment; this oneness means that the experience one has is not interpreted, merely experienced. Basho’s “Narrow Road to the Interior” underscores the idea of no-mind as Basho makes a pilgrimage to numerous shrines and natural sites. His writings reflect his journey to the state of no-mind.
Basho’s journey shaped his beliefs in which he uncovered information about himself and the world in which he lived. He began his journey after realizing that his wanderlust could not contain him to his hut, thus deciding to sell his house and begin his journey. His hut was symbolic of all that he initially believed to be true. When he felt materialism contracting his growth, Basho decided to embark upon a physical and spiritual journey to change his beliefs. At his first stop, Senji, he exclaims, “I felt three thousand miles rushing through my heart, the whole world only a dream” (Basho, pg. 3). His feeling is a moment of no-mind, a place where he realizes there is no separation between himself and nature. At that moment, he understood that his journey would be one of experiencing rather than judging his experiences, a practice of Suzuki’s no-mind.
As Basho’s journey progresses, he comes closer to the state of no-mind. The purpose of his trip is to attain an aspect of Buddhahood that he never before experienced—being one with the land. His experience is not a matter of separating himself from nature; rather, it is to experience all that he witnesses. When describing Moon Mountain, Basho states “it’s all here, in these tiny blossoms. To say more is sacrilege” (Basho, pg. 65). There are no words to describe what he wishes to describe. He does not input his interpretation on the cherry blossoms and the overall scenery he witnesses. He merely documents the fact that he has no words to describe the wondrous nature of a cherry blossom. He realizes that words detract from his overall experience and understands that it separates him from being in a state of no-mind. This is his ultimate act of attaining no-mind.
Overall, Basho’s journey had no final destination. Simpatico with Eastern ideology, the purpose of a journey is to experience the journey itself regardless of the final destination. This is in contrast with Western tradition, which places heavy importance on the destination and not on the journey. If Basho knew where he wanted to finish traveling, he would have defeated the purpose of his trip. The purpose of his trip was to experience nature and listen to his internal inclinations; not listening to his wandering feet would have denied him the essence of that experience, as it would have cut off his creativity, the most basic form of an inclination made manifest by willpower. Basho not only journeyed to numerous sites, but documented his experience through haikus and journaling.
Basho’s journey is an expedition to the state of no-mind. Leaving his home allows him to cast away the materialistic world embodied in a home, and take a pilgrimage to the place of no-mind. His trip shaped his understanding of the nature of the world through the eyes of Zen. Instead of interpreting his experiences, he absorbed the world around him, actively practicing no-mind. He did not place interpret the beauty of nature or the shrines he visited, but understood that through the interconnection of the world, there existed no separation between himself and his journey.
Works Cited
Suzuki, D.T.. The Zen Doctrine of No-Mind. San Francisco: Weiser Books, 1972. Print.
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ReplyDeleteNathan Riley
ReplyDeleteThroughout Basho’s “Narrow Road to the Interior”, he breaks down the events he lives and the people he encounters sporadically throughout the use of haiku. Although, he does not merit everything worthy of a haiku, and distributes them unevenly, moving a better narrative to the forefront. Going back to what the question defined as the Zen practice of forcing the practitioner to question their identity before concluding that it doesn’t exist, it appears to me that Basho, through these principles, left out the negative and upsetting portions of his journey and instead only allowed those that he felt could aid people in forging a better version of themselves. He mentions both in the beginning of his account, and in the middle of the notion of death on the road; in the beginning, saying it is a known event, and the second time, it is brought up in his sickness, where he contemplates if that fate will befall him. However, he doesn’t negatively reflect on this, or express worry or concern about what may be the end of his life, instead using the story to focus on the beauty around him and the kindness he received in his travels. Along that vein, Basho can be caught omitting negative aspects when he describes the village he and Sora reached in the rain, where no one offered the lodging. He touches upon that stark difference in the people, the lack of kindness, once, and then immediately moves on. He doesn’t delve into haiku to explore his emotions surrounding it, only puts it aside and moves forward. These practices of an “ideal autobiography” can be reconciled if the author acknowledges the problem in the beginning, and enlightens the readers that they leave out the bad, to help expose the good they encounter.
I think the Buddhist ideology and the genre of autobiography can be reconciled. I actually believe they are quite similar in fact. Zen forces you to question your identity before you come to the conclusion that this thing you call ‘identity’ does not exist. An autobiography is defined as, “an account of a person’s life written by that person.” I believe that if you are Buddhist and trying to find your identity only to realize you don’t have one can still be considered a part of your story. I believe this because trying to find your identity only to realize it doesn’t really exist is still a part of your journey and your life. I also believe that since this is related to the religion of Buddhism and you are taking the time to try to find your identity for this religion, this religion must be an integral part of your life and affected it in many ways. Thus it should be included in your autobiography and if not there will be a significant chunk of your life story missing.
ReplyDeleteNickole Kugel
ReplyDeleteWhile the two concepts seem to contradict one another, I believe that Buddhism and autobiography can be reconciled. Basho viewed his identity as part of his surroundings and his autobiographical text reflected that belief. As we have discussed in class, autobiography comes in many forms, and can be less about one's identity and more about his/her experiences. Rather than explicitly writing about oneself, an autobiography can flourish when allowing the experiences and environment that one includes to write the story. The things that Basho found meaning in and chose to write Haikus about can tell more about Basho's character and what he finds important than a straightforward autobiography. Buddhism and this idea of "co-dependent origination" is an fundamental part of Basho's character and thus in order for us to understand Basho, this part of his life must be heavily included in the story.
Its an interesting query that an intense reflection, even upon ones self, can lead to a state of understanding where there is no true self. However I believe that Buddhism and Autobiography can not only coexist, but thrive in one another's company. In a sense I feel that Basho's take on autobiography was more truthful than those from other sources. Basho viewed his "autobiography" as a hear and now, where his "self" was a collective of experiences instead of personal details, and his own thoughts are expressed in poetry. While this is a unique way of creating an autobiography, I dont think it is any less valid than the conventional methods of writing one. Additionally, without all the fluff of personal preference or bias, whats left is true, genuine experiences. So in many ways the biography of Basho could be more accurate than that of someone else because of that simple reason. Its a biography of spirit and experience rather than of personal ideas Regardless, Basho's biography is still a straightforward autobiography nonetheless.
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ReplyDeleteAs we have discovered in class, the genre of autobiography and the way in which it is written is arbitrary. We have seen various approaches to the ways in which it can be defined. Watts suggested that the reader was in fact writing the autobiography, while Milarepa was written by someone that believed they were a reincarnation of the true author. With this in mind I do think autobiography and Buddhist ideology can be reconciled. It has been said that, “Buddhism is not about teaching or learning, but about experiencing.” Basho very much speaks to true, personal, experience. So in this way I do believe the two ideologies can complement each other.
ReplyDeleteQuote citation: http://www.buddhist-temples.com/buddhist-religion.html
-Devin Colón
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ReplyDeleteAlthough Buddhist ideology clashes with the general principles of autobiography, Basho demonstrates how the two conflicting ideas are reconcilable. In the introduction of this course, we defined autobiography as a genre in which the author is also the primary subject of his own work, and that work is purportedly true. Authors often develop their works based on his or her unique, personal experiences. If an author were to follow a cookie-cutter format to autobiographical literature, the audience would be deprived of the ability to grasp the full authenticity through which the author conveys his or her experiences. As Basho delved into his spiritual awakening, he practiced Zen which requires the practitioner to question his or her identity, only to discover that no definite identity existed. This epiphany resulted in a defining manifestation for Basho, allowing him to develop a true understand of his existence. While seemingly contradictory with conventional autobiographical criterion, Basho’s utilization of the diachronic self actually serves as an integral literary element in helping the audience understand his journey to self discovery.
ReplyDeleteBasho is on a solitary path as a wonderer, traveling to the interior of what may be a physical place, but may also have a second meaning of the interior of his mind. He is trying to find himself and the beauty and essence of everything. I am a fan of this text because I like how well balanced it is between the prose and the poems/haikus. Haikus must have conviction and honesty in order to truly be haiku. “It needs to leave an aftertaste.” Basho's experiences of his journey are recounted through prose. He then writes haikus between the prose to provide insight on these experiences. Basho seems to believe that the images he sees are in no way separate from himself. This is a Buddhist idea called dependent origination, a belief that no one thing or being originated before any other. We are all one and the same. He chooses to not separate what he physically sees and his practices, which he brings together through his poetry and haikus.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many reasons Buddhist monks shave their heads is to rid anything that may give them a separate identity. They are all bald together because they are trying to understand that there is no real identity. The ideology of no real individual identities existing clashes with the genre of autobiography because each autobiography is totally different and told from a different alleged identity. If the whole entire world were populated with monks that believed there was no true identity, then there would only be one book to write.
ReplyDeleteThis genre and Buddhist ideology can reconcile because not everyone on Earth is a monk. Everyone has a different perspective and experience, which forms a personal identity on the way. Basho shares his spiritual autobiography because he can touch those who are not enlightened by sharing his journey. Stories are to be shared, but stories are by no means identity-less. They are meant to teach and inspire which may, in turn make people realize how Zen is preaching there are no identities. Although people may supposedly not have identities, the world has endless amounts of identities. If it did not, then everything may just be grey and flat. We become a part of the environments we live in – the environment does not become a part of us.
Basho’s definitive destination is actually closer than what it appears. In fact, his physical pilgrimage occurs with specific intentions to discover his true inner-self. Through prominent influences, such as nature, Basho is taken on a true emotional voyage that allows him to truly open his mind. Basho’s attitude towards nature is definitely highlighted through the usage of haikus. Aside from expressing his overwhelmed state and awe of nature, the haikus personally transport us into the changing seasons through detail and bold imagery. With that, it is clear that Basho’s emotional transformation is due to the new environment he is exposed to.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding Basho’s motives is crucial to understanding if the genre of an autobiography can be reconciled or not. If we take a closer look at Basho’s solitary journey, it is evident that Basho is unable to separate himself from nature because he believes the beauty around him and his own physical being essentially combine as one whole. It is clear that Basho wants us to comprehend that we are just like nature and nature is just like us, therefore, we are the same. If such is true, there is a question imposed on whether or not we are subject to our own identity.
With that said, if everyone possesses this sense of undistinguishable identity from one another, the genre of autobiography must be reconsidered. The main purpose of an autobiography is to share the story of an individual through their own perspective. However, if everyone is a like, there is no truth to be shared. Buddhist ideology in my opinion, can not go hand-in-hand with the genre of autobiography due to this manner. Everyone is supposed to have their own personal identity and be influenced in their own manner.
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ReplyDeleteBuddhists seek understanding not just from the teachings but through philosophical analysis. It is a deliberate way of understanding oneself. Practices, such as, meditation help people develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. Through these practices they learn that actions have consequences and change is possible. Not only does it open a person up to a higher sense of consciousness but it brings them to a more spiritual self. I believe that all of this is necessary when trying to learn who we are as a person. It is difficult to write about things we know nothing about. By searching deeper within ourselves, we allow ourselves to be open about our feelings and experiences. It takes on a different perspective and we can view things more objectively. We resolve any incongruence we may have within and are able to put the puzzle pieces together in a much larger picture. We have a better understanding of who we are and can therefore relate our experiences in an autobiography because we have explored them from multiple angles. Buddhism can be important because of the deliberate search within and help bridge our experiences from how we perceive things to details that actually occurred.
ReplyDeleteI actually liked that Basho read like a diary because I felt I was living what he wrote about. I found that his details of color and descriptions helped make the scenery come alive even though it was simplistic in detail. His journey truly was spiritual and you could tell that everything he experienced had deeper meaning. Things weren’t taken at face value—this can be noted several times when he talks about how he wept. He is internalizing what he is experiencing. I feel that the description, similar to the journal entry, is like the autobiographical piece. The haiku is the spiritual piece where I feel the Buddhism stands out. He brings both, spiritual and autographical, together gloriously.
****Sherri-Lyn VonSchmidt*****
The Buddhist ideology and the genre of autobiography may feel contradictory, but that does not mean they cannot coexist together. In the same way that Basho's physical and internal journey both play a part in the story of his life, this realization he has that his identity does not exist also plays a part, a big part, in the story of who the author is. Plus, a wanderer, traveler with no set destination is who Basho is. In the same way that his journey was not focused on a set destination, or an endpoint, Basho's life story does not focus on the concrete nature of one individual. And I think it's fitting that Basho used haikus to share his thoughts on the nature around him, and by extension, explore himself. Because that's what this autobiography is, an exploration of the self, and not just a retelling of the self.
ReplyDeleteI think the Buddhist ideology of co dependent origination and the concept of autobiography can coexist together. This is because an autobiography focuses on the viewpoint of a person and how because of this outlook it influences the way they live. The Buddhist ideology even though it focuses on the fact that personal identity does not really exist, it still constitutes a viewpoint towards life. This is what defines their life and what gives it identity. Something else that it is important to mention is that like Basho journeyed to the interior to discover more about himself and the world, the realization of the codependent origination comes from a journey of discovery. Therefore, a way that autobiography and codependent origination can work in harmony is in the fact that the autobiography of this sort focuses on the discovery that personal identity does not really exist.
ReplyDeleteThis relationship between codependent origination and autobiography is a very interesting because it makes for a very different autobiography. The fact of the matter is that even though an autobiography with someone who believes in codependent origination is going to make a stand for non identity, each writing of this sort is going to be unique. As long as each autobiography is authentic, then I believe the ideology of co dependent origination can be reconciled with autobiography.
Combining the the concepts of Buddhist identity and autobiography and you find spiritual autobiography. The notion of co-dependent origination and lack of personal identity that is found in Buddhist beliefs coincides in perfect symmetry with the goals of spiritual autobiography; the goal to transcend personal identity to find the core of our being and existence.
ReplyDeleteBasho is THE historic poetic master of wanderlust dreams and nomad adventures. His life story, in which you bring up, intersects with the actual and the metaphorical aspect of his Budhdist journeys. I believe that he was a great traveler that was almost transcendentalist in a way. Showing the true isolation of the human soul, mind, body, and spirit. Challenging our true identities to the core of our beings is liberating to an extent and then complexly confrontational. You bring the perfect point of the story's ability to unravel "...the very notion of an independent self." And that is the very premise of religion ideology, is to question the true aspects of our beings. The articulate symbolic journey of Basho embodies Buddhist culture of deep recognition and humbleness. I was comletely moved by the short, sweet, and symbolic nature of his poetry.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Buddhist ideology may seem to conflict with autobiographical pieces themselves, they relate to each other more than one would think. Buddhist ideology involves the practicing of zazen and ko'ans which causes the practitioner to question his or her own identity. This may seem like it contradicts autobiographies, but in this genre, the author usually recounts past experiences from his or her life because they believed that it had some sort of meaning. This process of reflection, by the author, can be a very emotional experience considering they are writing about themself, and, particularly, something that means a lot to them. Writing a book is a process, and authors usually must put their entire energy and focus towards a book for years. In this time period of reflecting on your own life in so much detail and for so long, it can be a life changing experience and could even bring someone to think about the nature of their own identity. Especially in spiritual autobiographies such as Basho and Milarepa in which they take these pilgrimages to find themselves constantly in a mental conflict with themselves trying to find peace. Autobiographies may ultimately be the best way to demonstrate Buddhist ideologies to a reader.
ReplyDeleteBasho has a true flow of nature when it comes to the essence of haikus. He personified many parts of the natural environment around him and was able to bring to life the scenes he was seeing durring his long, long self-enlightening pilgrimage. His cutting words bring deep metaphorical meaning to simple phrases like,
ReplyDelete'Lonely Stillness- a single cicada's cry, sinking into stone.'
Contemporary autobiographical narratives do not come close to the writing aesthetic that Basho displays. I believe that one of the only ways Buddhist ideology will be able to continue to inspire people and be more recognized by the general public, is to have more spiritual guru's and shamans record their own spiritual quests. It is important to always remember that this kind of spirituality is very sacred and should be honored with complete respect and maturity, but that should not stop the sharing of great prohpetic text.
I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about Matsuo Bashō, and look forward to reading more of his work this summer! As I have explored my faith growing up, thankfully without pressure from the parents to conform to a specific religion, I found that my faith has been both very natural and very spiritual, and I found great peace while reading Narrow Road to the Interior. The combination of prose and poetry is quite masterful when done by Bashō, and his haiku style reflects many emotions without explicitly stating them. The way that he interacts with the land and describes the people and places of his nomadic journey (and “wanderlust dreams” as Hannah Smalls perfectly puts it) create a very mystical read. Although this is not the “typical” autobiographical read, it revealed just as much about Bashō and his life as a mere retelling would do. I felt as though I was traveling alongside him, (three’s a crowd-sorry Sora!) and learned a great deal about his character from his commentary and interactions with travelers and nature. His humor and insightful commentary are extraordinary, and I want to discuss one of my favorite haikus of his: Things beyond number,/ all somehow called to mind by/ blossoming cherries. At first I read this poem as a literal description of a blooming cherry blossom tree, but realized that Bashō is instead stating that looking at the seemingly endless amount of cherry blossoms on the tree makes him reflect on other parts of life that are just as vast and expansive. The experience he is having with this cherry blossom tree is incredible, and relatable to me on a very personal level. He is truly a master of his craft, and an enchanting storyteller.
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