Zen for nothing. The film
“Zen for Nothing” is a documentary directed by Werner Penzel. The film follows the journey of a Swiss woman as she spends several months in a Zen monastery called Antaiji. The documentary provides an immersion into Zen monastic life, capturing the monks’ daily rhythm marked by meditation, physical labor, and contemplation.
Through her experience, the protagonist explores the practice of zazen (seated meditation) and the teachings of Zen Buddhism, which focus on simplicity, self-discipline, and the pursuit of selflessness. The film captures the essence of Zen life, with minimal dialogue or narration, allowing the landscape, actions, and silence to speak for themselves. Zen for Nothing is a reflection on life, emptiness, and the meaning of our existence.
Zen for Nothing. Presentation by Lluís Nansen
The screening of Zen for Nothing is part of the program for the 2024 Catalonia Buddhist Film Festival (Festival C. 2024). On Friday, October 25, at 6:30 PM, and Saturday, October 26, at 4:15 PM, at Cinema Verdi Park, Zen master Lluís Nansen Salas gave a brief introduction to the film before its screening.
What is the connection between Antaiji in Zen for Nothing and Taisen Deshimaru’s large sangha in Europe?
In his talk, Lluís Nansen discusses the relationship between the Antaiji temple featured in the film Zen for Nothing and Taisen Deshimaru’s large sangha, particularly in connection with the Zen Kannon community. Kodo Sawaki, who revitalized Antaiji, was the teacher of Taisen Deshimaru. Taisen became the teacher of Roland Yuno Rech, who is my teacher. But this is not all; important events that affect our sangha have taken place at Antaiji.
Antaiji Temple founded by Kodo Sawaki
The documentary takes place at the Antaiji Temple in Japan, founded in 1919. After World War II, Antaiji was left without an abbot, and the position was offered to Kodo Sawaki, who had previously been serving at other temples. Known as “Homeless Kodo” due to his constant travels, often with a van full of books, teaching Zen Buddhism wherever he went, Kodo Sawaki, along with his disciple Uchiyama, took charge of Antaiji. They transformed it into a temple where practice centered around zazen (seated meditation) and samu (voluntary work). Concerned with the state of Zen in Japan, Kodo sought to revive pure Zen and the practice of shikantaza (just sitting), as originally taught by Bodhidharma and Dogen. This is the practice that Taisen Deshimaru later brought to Europe.
Taisen Deshimaru’s Ordination as a Monk at Antaiji
Taisen Deshimaru was a devoted disciple of Kodo Sawaki, following him to sesshins (zazen retreats) whenever possible. When he became a disciple, Deshimaru requested to be ordained as a monk, but Kodo Sawaki refused at the time, not wanting him to become a “professional monk.” Another factor was that Deshimaru’s wife had asked Sawaki not to ordain him, fearing he would abandon his family obligations (BLAIN, D., 2011). Kodo did not ordain Deshimaru until he was on his deathbed, calling him to Antaiji for his ordination as a monk.
After Deshimaru’s ordination, Kodo Sawaki handed him his Zen notebooks, a kyosaku (encouragement stick), and one of his kesa (monk’s robes). It seems that, at that time, Kodo also conferred upon Deshimaru the shiho, the Dharma transmission. However, this was not formally recognized within the Soto Zen institution (BLAIN, D., 2011). Years later, he received formal certification from Yamada Roirin.
After Kodo Sawaki’s death, Uchiyama, the succeeding abbot of Antaiji, followed Kodo’s wishes by organizing a 49-day sesshin at Antaiji instead of a traditional funeral, in Kodo’s memory. Taisen Deshimaru participated in this 49-day sesshin at Antaiji.
Roland Yuno Rech descobreix el Zen a Antaiji
Alguns anys més tard, Roland Yuno Rech era de viatge pel Japó i va poder fer un zazen al Temple d’Antaiji. Aquesta experiència el va fer descobrir que el Zen era la via espiritual que tant havia buscat. Després d’una estada en un altre temple del Japó, va assabentar-se de la vinguda de Taisen Deshimaru a Europa, i s’hi va unir.
El budisme modern i les seves traduccions culturals
Les coincidències amb Antaiji no acaben aquí. Recentment, Ismael Apud, un antropolèg de la Universitat de Montevideo, va realitzar un treball d’investigació anomenat: El budisme modern i les seves traduccions culturals. El seu treball reflexiona de manera crítica sobre aquesta qüestió, en què utilitza la noció de ‘traducció cultural’. Ismael presenta un estudi qualitatiu de casos, amb dos monjos zen europeus. Un és el monjo zen català, Lluís Nansen Salas, Mestre de Zen Kannon. L’altre és un monjo zen alemany, Jens Olaf Christian Muhō Nölke, que va ser abat del temple Antaiji del Japó. Apud, I. (2021). L’abat Muhō és el mestre d’origen alemany que apareix en el film “Zen per a no res”.
Zen per a no res. Tot acaba on comença
Encara hi ha una altra coincidència, que vaig descobrir en veure la pel·lícula. En les primeres imatges apareix en Gerard, un noi que havia estat practicant del nostre Centre Zen Kannon fa uns anys. De fet, va ser el 2012 que en Gerard em va demanar que li escrivís una carta de recomanació per ingressar a Antaiji. La carta anava dirigida precisament a Muhō Nölke, l’abat en aquell moment, i Muhō va acceptar el Gerard. Pocs mesos després, en Gerard va marxar a Antaiji, i des d’aleshores no en sabia res. Em va alegrar molt veure’ls a tots dos a la pel·lícula. Sembla que els va anar prou bé. En veure’ls em va envair el sentiment que el vincle de la Sangha va més enllà del temps i l’espai, i això em va commoure.
Roland Yuno Rech Discovers Zen at Antaiji
Years later, Roland Yuno Rech was traveling through Japan and had the opportunity to do zazen at Antaiji Temple. This experience led him to realize that Zen was the spiritual path he had long sought. After staying at another temple in Japan, he learned about Taisen Deshimaru’s arrival in Europe and decided to join him.
Modern Buddhism and Its Cultural Translations
The connections with Antaiji don’t end there. Recently, Ismael Apud, an anthropologist from the University of Montevideo, conducted research titled Modern Buddhism and Its Cultural Translations. His work critically examines this topic, using the concept of “cultural translation.” Ismael presents a qualitative case study of two European Zen monks. One is Catalan Zen monk Lluís Nansen Salas, Master of Zen Kannon. The other is German Zen monk Jens Olaf Christian Muhō Nölke, former abbot of Antaiji Temple in Japan. Apud, I. (2021). Abbot Muhō, originally from Germany, is the teacher featured in the film Zen for Nothing.
Zen for Nothing: Everything Ends Where It Begins
There is yet another connection I discovered when watching the film. In the opening scenes, we see Gerard, a young man who was a practitioner at our Zen Kannon Center a few years ago. In fact, back in 2012, Gerard asked me to write him a letter of recommendation to enter Antaiji. The letter was addressed to Muhō Nölke, who was abbot at the time, and Muhō accepted Gerard. A few months later, Gerard left for Antaiji, and I hadn’t heard from him since. Seeing them both in the film brought me great joy. It seemed that things went well for them. Watching them, I was overwhelmed with a sense that the Sangha bond transcends time and space, which deeply moved me.
References
Apud, I. (2021). El budisme modern i les seves traduccions culturals. Reflexions a partir d’un estudi qualitatiu de casos amb dos monjos zen europeus. Arxiu d’Etnografia De Catalunya, (23), 207–232.
(Festival, C. 2024) Festival de cinema budista de Catalunya. 23 al 27 d’octubre de 2024. Cinemas Verdi Park, carrer de Torrijos, 19, 08012 Barcelona.
BLAIN, D., 2011. Sensei: Taisen Deshimaru, maître zen. Paris: Albin Michel. ISBN 2226221522.