Basho's Narrow Road: Spring And Autumn Passages

In Western thought the understanding of Zen and Japanese Buddhism, and even Japanese faith, remains somewhat elusive. The word ‘zen’ is thrown around rather casually in conversation, but whether or not people in the West actually understand the meaning of that word has yet to be seen. However the elusiveness of the Zen Buddhist tradition is not a Western failure, but instead a factor of the Zen faith itself. It is an elusive faith - the main focus is not going to heaven, honoring certain gods, or giving a certain type of tithe. The foundations of Zen Buddhism lie in the impermanence of things, the constant changing cycle of life, connection to nature, lack of “self” and attachments to the world, and the innateness of enlightenment. Basho’s Narrow Road: Spring and Autumn Passages highlights these staples in the Buddhist faith. The reader follows Basho and Sora through their journey across the ‘Narrow Interior’ of Japan, witnessing them stop at various
“But now, finally, here was an indubitable monument from a thousand years ago, which, right in front of my eyes, allowed me to contemplate the minds of ancient people… This was one virtue of pilgrimage, the joy of being alive” (Sato, 75). Basho’s reaction to discovering an old temple, something that has withstood the sands of time, displays numerous traits of Zen: the sacredness of nature and the transcendence of it, the cycle of changes in the world, the power of meditation and looking into ones own mind, and finally the joy of reaching enlightenment. Although Basho has not reached enlightenment in this scene, the joy he feels is built on the same principle. Understanding ones innate enlightenment through nature and detachment from the self and from the material world is the end goal of those who practice Zen Buddhism and in this moment, Basho understands that. This scene illuminates the core of how one can hope to reach