Don't Say Noh to Noh Plays

I, too, was puzzled and intrigued as we watched the Noh play in class on Monday. However, this experience did remind me of these plays' connection with Zen Buddhism. It is important for us to remember that one of Buddhism's key teachings is that only through the limitation of the emotions and self-control over pleasure can one reach enlightenment. This is why many Asian Buddhist cultures have such amazing craftsmanship ability; their worship involves self-discipline-a self-discipline that will produce excellence and ultimately harmony with the universe.

Zen Buddhism also emphasizes meditation as part of religious practice, and many Buddhist rituals are intended to evoke altered states of consciousness in the participants. Maybe that is the best way to view these plays. They are not necessarily intended to be representational of actual events or characters, although that may be part of it, but they are intended to evoke a new or heightened way of perception. Western minds have a hard time grasping this idea, because we are mostly unaware of when our consciousness is altered, but even in the West, we begin to grasp such ideas through yoga and similar practices.

So, let's be open-minded about the Noh plays, because they require an open mind in order to enlighten us.