moskowit@paul.rutgers.edu (Len Moskowitz) (06/08/91)
Long ago (7 May 91 01:55:25 GMT) johnw@ready.eng.ready.com (John Wheeler) wrote: > As a final point, I think the assumption that when Hui Neng > said, "Your own mind is the Buddha," he meant that everyday > life is enlightment seems questionable to me. Zen philosphers > may interpret it this way, but if you refer to the source > texts (Chinese) it seems pretty clear that he probably meant > it just like he said it: You are the Buddha. As for zazen, and > such techniques I am sure he would have thoroughly disapproved > of them. He is quite emphatic that Buddhism has nothing to do > with sitting, thought control, breathing or any such > practices. Since he never did these things himself it is not > suprising. > ... > I always feel a twinge when I hear how long some people have > been going at the practice of zazen. Since neither the Buddha > (as far as I can tell), Hui Neng, Huang Po, Bankei, Raman > Maharshi, nor any enlightened sage I am aware of practiced > zazen, I always wonder what it is practitioners are trying to > attain by it? I asked a Ch'an Monk, the Ven. Shih Shen Lung (also known as That Old Frog and Ryugen Fisher), a Dharma heir from the Ch'an line about this in a formal question. He recently answered me thusly: From: Old Frog Rec'd Sent To: Len Moskowitz The proposition that none of the Zen (Ch'an) Masters cited in the message ever practiced "zazen" is ridiculous. The Eightfold Path (the first and primary teaching from Shakyamuni Buddha) has, as its last step, 'Right Meditation' and the tradition of 'sitting' is a fundamental part of the Theraveda tradition as well. In the "Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch", the 18th Chapter opens with the words: "Good and Learned Friends, according to this method (i.e. his method of teaching), as a foundation to sitting in meditation do not look at (for) the mind, do not look at (for) purity, do not (try to) become imperturbable.. Many of the texts do not speak of Enlightened Masters practicing Zazen simply because it is a given. A "highlight" of the teaching of Mother Theresa as written by one of those close to her (and written for a Catholic audience) would probably contain little about her method and manner of prayer, but I would be willing to wager that if one asked HER what was important in her life to guide and sustain her.... If one wants to study the teaching of one of the Enlightened Masters (in written form) that is a) recent enough to be historically verifiable b) written by the teacher rather than by a disciple, and c) available in good English, might I suggest any of the Shobogenzo by Dogen as translated by John Stevens. It is not an accident that the central Buddha image in 90+% of Buddhist iconography shows the Buddha SITTING (as in sitting in meditation). Studying the teachings or life of anyone can not be separated from the cultural and historical assumptions of the author, nor is it safe to assume that a text written for those who have already embraced the philosophical (and practical) assumptions (the mindset, if you will) of the author (and/or subject) will be understood in the way it was intended by those whose mindset does NOT contain those assumptions... That "...and we haven't touched 'ANNICA' yet..." Old Frog (end of Old Frog's reply) Old Frog can be reached online at his BBS 715-362-3895. If you need a voice number, drop me a note and I'll dig it up. Len Moskowitz
dogen@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (John Chq) (06/08/91)
I loved the quote from Old Frog, Len. Sitting meditation is indeed central in all Buddhist traditions. It is one of the few subjects of agreement between the Pali texts of the Theravada and the Chinese/Tibetan Mahayana Sutras. All the great bodhisattvas are said to have mastered the hundred deep samadhis, and the Buddha contemplated his breath for seven days prior to his Nibbana. The only times zazen is criticised, as I recall, is when it is seen as an instrument for enlightenment (as opposed to Dogen's view in which it is an "expression" of Buddha-nature), or when one becomes attached to the activity--the calmness induced--itself. Even Bankei said one should not be adverse to sitting, even though we are already Unborn. It is also interesting to note that many of the great "sages" of Buddhism attained enlightenment by means of their own efforts in zazen; only subsequently did they go to an established teacher for authentication and further cultivation. In fact in the Korean tradition of zen (which strongly follows Chinese chan), it is not unheard of for a disciple to leave the presence of his teacher and sangha, go off by themselves to the mountains, and pursue a rigorous 'program' of isolated sitting; only to come back many years later (up to 10) to recieve more instruction or verification of awakening. The very notion that all one has to do is "be in the presence of an enlightened being" is somewhat poo pooed in Mahayana; hence the derogetory term "sravaka buddha" (a lower form of awakening due to the hearing only of a sage). This is not to invalidate the need for a teacher; but in the end we must resume our Buddha-nature by our own efforts. J. C. -- ******************************************************************************* -- John Cha "The present is always more interesting than the future or the past" *******************************************************************************