breathing exercise remarkably improves one's physical condition is an
established fact. And history proves that most Zen masters enjoyed a
long life in spite of their extremely simple mode of living. Its
mental discipline, however, is by far more fruitful, and keeps one's
mind in equipoise, making one neither passionate nor dispassionate,
neither sentimental nor unintelligent, neither nervous nor senseless.
It is well known as a cure to all sorts of mental disease,
occasioned by nervous disturbance, as a nourishment to the fatigued
brain, and also as a stimulus to torpor and sloth. It is
self-control, as it is the subduing of such pernicious passions as
anger, jealousy, hatred, and the like, and the awakening of noble
emotions such as sympathy, mercy, generosity, and what not. It is a
mode of Enlightenment, as it is the dispelling of illusion and of
doubt, and at the same time it is the overcoming of egoism, the
destroying of mean desires, the uplifting of the moral ideal, and the
disclosing of inborn wisdom.


[FN#12] The sitting-in-meditation, for the full explanation of which
see Chapter VIII.


The historical importance of Zen can hardly be exaggerated. After
its introduction into China in the sixth century, A.D., it grew
ascendant through the Sui (598-617) and the Tang dynasty (618-906),
and enjoyed greater popularity than any other sect of Buddhism during
the whole period of the Sung (976-1126) and the Southern Sung dynasty
(1127-1367). In these times its commanding influence became so
irresistible that Confucianism, assimilating the Buddhist teachings,
especially those of Zen, into itself and changing its entire aspect,