October 14 - Miyake - Japanese Literature

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Hello everyone,

Please share your thoughts about our October 14 session - Japanese Literature by Lynne Miyake - by replying to this post.

-Miranda

[Anonymous]

Loved this lecture! The pacing was quick and interesting. Dr. Miyake made the information relevant to my class instruction. I appreciated the supplemental materials she brought with her as possible resources to use in the classroom. After Dr. Yamashita's lecture, I didn't feel as lost when the discussion veered towards Murasaki and the other woman writers. The literature selections were interesting, especially the poetry. I would benefit from an additional session with Dr. Miyake.

[Anonymous]

We are so lucky to have such wonderful and brilliant professors to learn from.Thank you to the the Institute, Prof Dube and Ms Ko.

Dr. Miyake presented us with a lot of fun notes and ideas. I appreciate her humor, erudition, and passion. I would love to take a class taught by her. But alas, I am too old to go back to school and to acquire new school loans. haha

There is so much I don't know and am unfaimilar with when it comes to Far East history, literature, geography, etc. I'm trying to assimilate the teachings--a prodigious but worthwhile--task.

Dr. Miyake gave me the title to a novel for my students. How exciting.

Shauna Rae

[Anonymous]

Ms. "K" and Classmates:
In confession, I have to say that many of the historic transitions Prof. Miyake made from one time period to another tended to become blurred in my head and my notes. I suspect that this was the result of have a great deal of information to cover in just one evening. As a result, I am not too sure I could logically state or responsibly "section" the development of literary trends.
If I heard and understood correctly, there was a significant development during the Heian Period. This is where ther role of women developed and where the Japanese language itself took on a degree of cultural autonomy. Because women were outside of politics, they were allowed to use the Japanese vernacular, and the culturally elite(aristocratic)women did so in literature and poetry. Men, on the other hand, were trained in the use of Chinese, so their language and usage were classical in nature or perhaps a hybrid of Chinese and Japanese.
If one goes back to Prof. Yamashita's talk of the previous Saturday, I suspect that this is the period of "Aware" or the period where wealth, rank, and pedigree indicated one's worth in society. To take this one step further, the "culture of the brain" was provided with/in classical Chinese training; whereas, the "culture of the heart" was embodied in/by the Japanese vernacular. Those that lived in that time or believed in this type of cultural variation placed Kyoto at the center of their universe and placed all other areas in the backwash of society. Only one-tenth of one percent were "worthy" of distinction or imperial in nature/birth.
Most, if not all, of the Japanese literature that Prof. Miyake presented in lecture and example were outside of my framework of experience. Perhaps the comics would work for students, but if I understood correctly, some comics are a bit too explicit for classroom use.
Walt Banta

[Anonymous]

Ms. Rae:
I am in the same boat when it comes to "lots" and "little". I have "lots" of curiosity regarding the things we hear in class; however, I have "little" background or time/ability to follow-up on my questions. Hence, what I gather/learn during our meetings is like the tip of an iceberg, nine-tenths of the overall body of knowledge is still below water and somewhat inaccessible. To make matters worse(better?), each class section leads to more questions.
Alas! A life of the mind is not my lot. To even make logical postings for each lecture/class/speaker, I must spend a good deal of time going over the notes to sort out what I do/don't know. Hours go by very quickly.
Walt Banta

[Anonymous]

Hi!

I was EXTREMELY ill last week and so was very sorry to have to miss this class!

See you all soon!

Becca

[Anonymous]

I think about the upcoming election all the time because I believe Obama is as Colin Powll stated a "transformational figure" in the world. Obama declares he will reach out internationally the the spirit of diplomacy and unification of all countries to help solve America's problems, which are global problems. The LA Times also endorsed him Sunday because they, like those of us who are Obama devotees, note his impeccable resume and his cosmpolitanism with roots in Christianity, Islam, Hawaii, the Phillipines, Kenya, Kansas, Harvard, Chicago. . . . His dreama are expansive, and the Far East will benefit from his visions in my opinion.

S. Rae 10/22/.08

[Anonymous]

S. Rae

For what it's worth, I was thinking the primary world problem or concern is not economics but instead race. In my opinion economics, racism, religion, energy, global warning,, etc. all fall under the aegis of race. Obama not winning will be a devastating loss to race relations in our cities, our coiuntries, our world.

I state this because if Barack Obama were white he would be hailed as the new Jpolitical messiah--the new JFK yet better with his soul of Everyman. The presidential race would by now essentially be over, but he is African-American in the truest. Americans, like many of my Kansas relatives and friends, still believe whites are the superior, and thus should be our elected officials. They vote their inherited prejudices, not their chance to embrace a new race-free consciousness.

To me Obama is 1/2 MLK, 1/2 JFK--a thrilling symbolic New Wave of hope and change.

[Anonymous]

S.Rae 10/23

The Dhammapada: Sayings of the Buddha. Trans. And Introduction by Thomas Cleary. New York: Bantam, 1985.

“Don’t ride another’s horse, don’t draw another’s bow, don’t mind another’s business.”
Zen master Dahui

“If you keep your mouth as silent as your nose, you will avoid a lot of trouble.”
Zen master Dogen

‘Having imbibed the flavor of solitude and the flavor of tranquility, one becomes free from evil, drinking the juice of delight in truth” [7].

“Abandon anger, give up pride, overcome all attachment. No miseries befall one who does not cling to name and form” [77].

[Anonymous]

S. Rae

I have long been a fan the Beats and of Alan Watts, eastern philosopher, and also Allen Ginsberg, poet and Buddhist. In 1996, I was at the University of Arkansas studying writing. Ginsberg was guest lecturer for 2 days at Hot Springs, Ark , a famous 40s retreat, where he conducted a chant / meditation workshop which I participated in. He was somewhat frail in body but his soul and spirit were a force to be reckoned with, as was always true of his life.

If he were alive he might have just married his gay partner in celebration of their LOVE--our Constitution's promise of freedom for ALL. That's why Proposition 8 is so disturbing. A rainbow-colored me shouts NO to prop 8. The ads have been disturbing in their close-mindedness and in their ultra-conservatism. Sunday's Times had an ad quoting Leviticus about homosexual love as an abomination--a sin.

But it failed to quote 2 Commandments: "Do not covet your neighbor's wife.
Do not commit adultery."

Jesus had the simple answer: "You who are without sin cast the first stone."

Later, Ginsberg gave a 2 hour reading /chanting of his poetry.

All from memory. Bless the Ginsberg's of the world.

Howl on.

[Anonymous]

from Alan Watts's Tao: The Watercourse Way. New York: Pantheon, 1975

"Those who would take over the world and manage it,
I see they cannot grasp it;
for the world is a spiritual [shen] vessel
and cannot be forced.
Whoever forces it spoils it.
Whoever grasps it loses it."(52)

Lao-tzu

[Anonymous]

S.Rae 10.25

The Zen Teaching of the Bodhidharma. Trans. and Intro. by Red Pine. North Point Press, 1987.

“Unless you see your own nature, it’s not zen.

Even if you can explain a thousand sutras and shastras, unless you see your own nature yours is the teaching of a mortal, not a Buddha. The true way is sublime. It can not be expressed in language. . . .

Someone who sees his nature is a Buddha. . . . The Way is basically perfect. It doesn’t require perfecting. . . . If you know that everything comes from the mind, Don’t become attached. If you are attached, you are unaware. , , ,

The Ultimate truth is beyond words” (29-30).

[Anonymous]

I enjoyed the session with Professor Lynne Miyake. The supplemental material that she brought to class were books that could be used in a classroom of all levels. Cartoons are big among students of all ages. I have many students who are big fans of Japanese cartoons such as Anime. To be able to give some history with the cartoons is wonderful. This would be a great opportunity for me to learn what they know about Japanese cartoons, and to compare and contrast Japanese cartoons with American cartoons.

Dawn

[Anonymous]

I was unable to attend this session. I will look for the make up assignment. Text

[clay dube]

Hi Shauna,
I'm sorry that I was away and could not attend this session - I'm a bit puzzled though by your posts. Please explain the connections to Japanese literature or the challenges of incorporating it into what you teach. For example, you mention that Lynne Miyake suggested a novel that you'll be recommending to students. Which one was that? On the various Zen and Daoist quotes, those could be tied to elements of Japanese thought and literature, but where and how?

Thanks -
clay

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