DOCSLIB.ORG

Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimyaku

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimyaku -216 29 The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life Written by Nichiren HAVE just carefully read your let- hell to Buddhahood—are free from Iter. To reply, the ultimate Law of the two phases of life and death. Life life and death as transmitted from and death are simply the two func- the Buddha to all living beings is tions of Myoho-renge-kyo. In his Great Myoho-renge-kyo. The five characters Concentration and Insight, T’ien-t’ai says, of Myoho-renge-kyo were transferred “Arising is the arising of the essential from Shakyamuni and Many Treasures, nature of the Law, and extinction is the the two Buddhas inside the treasure extinction of that nature.” Shakyamuni tower, to Bodhisattva Superior Prac- and Many Treasures, the two Buddhas, tices, carrying on a heritage unbroken are also the two phases of life and since the infinite past. Myo represents death. death, and ho, life. Living beings that Shakyamuni Buddha who attained pass through the two phases of life enlightenment countless kalpas ago, and death are the entities of the Ten the Lotus Sutra that leads all people Worlds, or the entities of Myoho- to Buddhahood, and we ordinary hu- renge-kyo. man beings are in no way different or T’ien-t’ai says that one should un- separate from one another. To chant derstand that living beings and their Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization environments, and the causes and ef- is to inherit the ultimate Law of life fects at work within them, are all the and death. This is a matter of the Law of renge (the lotus).1 Here “living utmost importance for Nichiren’s disci- beings and their environments” means ples and lay supporters, and this is what the phenomena of life and death. Thus, it means to embrace the Lotus Sutra. it is clear that, where life and death For one who summons up one’s exist, cause and effect, or the Law of faith and chants Nam-myoho-renge- the lotus, is at work. kyo with the profound insight that The Great Teacher Dengyo states, now is the last moment of one’s life, “The two phases of life and death are the sutra proclaims: “When the lives of the wonderful workings of one mind. these persons come to an end, they The two ways of existence and non- will be received into the hands of a existence are the true functions of an thousand Buddhas, who will free them inherently enlightened mind.”2 No from all fear and keep them from phenomena—either heaven or earth, falling into the evil paths of existence.”5 yin or yang,3 the sun or the moon, the How can we possibly hold back our five planets,4 or any of the worlds from tears at the inexpressible joy of know- 216 -217 THE HERITAGE OF THE ULTIMATE LAW OF LIFE ing that not just one or two, not just widespread propagation can be ful- one hundred or two hundred, but as filled. But if any of Nichiren’s disciples many as a thousand Buddhas will come disrupt the unity of many in body but to greet us with open arms! one in mind, they would be like war- Concerning one who disbelieves the riors who destroy their own castle from Lotus Sutra, because the sutra states, within. “When his life comes to an end he will Nichiren has been trying to awaken enter the Avichi hell,”6 the wardens of all the people of Japan to faith in the hell will surely come for one and take Lotus Sutra so that they too can share one away by the hands. How pitiful! the heritage and attain Buddhahood. The ten kings7 of the world of the dead But instead they have persecuted me in will then pass judgment, and the heav- various ways and finally had me ban- enly messengers8 who have been with ished to this island. You have followed one since birth will berate one for Nichiren, however, and met with suf- one’s evil deeds. fering as a result. It pains me deeply to Think of those thousand Buddhas think of your anguish. Gold can be extending their hands to all of Nichi- neither burned by fire nor corroded or ren’s disciples and lay supporters who swept away by water, but iron is vul- chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as mel- nerable to both. A worthy person is ons or moonflowers extending their like gold, a fool like iron. You are like slender vines. My followers are now pure gold because you embrace the able to accept and uphold the Lotus “gold” of the Lotus Sutra. The sutra Sutra because of the strong ties they states, “Just as among all the moun- formed with it in their past existences. tains, Mount Sumeru is foremost, so They are certain to obtain the fruit of this Lotus Sutra is likewise.”11 It also Buddhahood in the future. The heri- states, “The good fortune you gain tage of the Lotus Sutra flows within thereby . cannot be burned by fire or the lives of those who never forsake it washed away by water.”12 in any lifetime whatsoever—whether It must be ties of karma from the in the past, the present, or the future. distant past that have destined you to But those who disbelieve and slan- become my disciple at a time like this. der the Lotus Sutra will immediately Shakyamuni and Many Treasures cer- “destroy all the seeds for becoming a tainly realized this truth. The sutra’s Buddha in this world.”9 Because they statement, “Those persons who had cut themselves off from the potential to heard the Law dwelled here and there attain enlightenment, they do not share in various Buddha lands, constantly re- the heritage of the ultimate Law of life born in company with their teachers,”13 and death. cannot be false in any way. All disciples and lay supporters of How admirable that you have asked Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho- about the transmission of the ultimate renge-kyo with the spirit of many in Law of life and death! I have never body but one in mind, transcending all heard of anyone who has asked such a differences among themselves10 to be- question. I have answered in complete come as inseparable as fish and the wa- detail in this letter, so please take it ter in which they swim. This spiritual deeply to heart. The important point is bond is the basis for the universal trans- to carry out your practice confident mission of the ultimate Law of life and that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone is death. Herein lies the true goal of the heritage that was transferred from Nichiren’s propagation. When you are Shakyamuni and Many Treasures to so united, even the great desire for Bodhisattva Superior Practices. 217 -218 THE HERITAGE OF THE ULTIMATE LAW OF LIFE The function of fire is to burn and myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that give light. The function of water is your faith will be steadfast and correct to wash away filth. The winds blow at the moment of death. Never seek away dust and breathe life into plants, any other way to inherit the ultimate animals, and human beings. The earth Law of life and death, and manifest it produces the grasses and trees, and in your life. Only then will you realize heaven provides nourishing moisture. that earthly desires are enlightenment, The five characters of Myoho-renge- and that the sufferings of birth and kyo are also like that. They are the death are nirvana. Even embracing the cluster of blessings brought by the Bo- Lotus Sutra would be useless without dhisattvas of the Earth, disciples of the the heritage of faith. Buddha in his true identity. The Lotus I will go into particulars again on Sutra says that Bodhisattva Superior another occasion. Practices will appear now, in the Latter With my deep respect, Day of the Law, to propagate this teach- Nichiren, ing, but has this happened? Whether the shramana of Japan or not Bodhisattva Superior Practices has appeared in this world, Nichiren The eleventh day of the second has already made a start in propagating month in the ninth year of Bun’ei this teaching. (), cyclical sign mizunoe-saru Be resolved to summon forth the Reply to the Honorable Sairen-bo great power of faith, and chant Nam- Background This letter, dated the eleventh day of Sairen-bo was a highly educated the second month in , was sent priest to whom the Daishonin sent by Nichiren Daishonin to Sairen-bo several important essays, including The Nichijo, a former Tendai priest who, True Aspect of All Phenomena and The for reasons that are unclear, was also Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life. He living in exile on Sado Island. Details had a number of unresolved questions about Sairen-bo are scarce, but it is about Buddhist theory, and he ad- known that he was originally from dressed them one by one to the Dai- Kyoto, and that he had studied at shonin, who in turn answered these Mount Hiei, the seat of the Tendai questions in written form. The Dai- school, before his exile. He was also shonin praised him, saying, “How ad- present at the Tsukahara Debate, held mirable that you have asked about the in front of Sammai-do, the Daishonin’s transmission of the ultimate Law of life dwelling at Tsukahara, on the sixteenth and death!” In his reply the Daisho- and seventeenth days of the first month nin offers a look into the wonder of in .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Myosetsuji News ISSUE 221 NOVEMBER 1, 2019
    NICHIREN SHOSHU TEMPLE FOR THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, EAST CANADA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Myosetsuji News ISSUE 221 NOVEMBER 1, 2019 Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin On the Occasion of the aiming toward the achievement September Kosen-rufu Shodai of this year’s shakubuku goals, as Ceremony well as the realization of the es- On this occasion of the Septem- tablishment of a membership of ber Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremo- 800,000 Hokkeko believers by ny, conducted here today at the 2021, the 800th anniversary of Head Temple, I would like to ex- the advent of our Founder, press my heartfelt appreciation to Nichiren Daishonin. the large number of participants The Daishonin teaches the fol- in attendance. lowing [in the Gosho, The Doc- The month of September al- trine of Ichinen Sanzen (Ichinen ready has begun in “The Year of sanzen homon)]: Courageously Advancing For- Even if a medicine is com- ward,” and we have four months pounded with one hundred or remaining this year. I imagine one thousand ingredients, one’s that all of you are devoting your- illness will not be cured unless selves every spare moment to ex- ert your efforts to do shakubuku, (Continued on page 2) Gosho Quote for November 2019 On the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life and Death (Shoji ichidaiji kechimyaku-sho) All disciples and believers of Nichiren should chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with the spirit of many in body, one in mind (itai dōshin), overcoming all dif- ferences among themselves, [to become united with the heart of the Buddha], just like fish being inseparable from the water in which they swim.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating Heresy: (Mis)Representation, Fabrication, and the Tachikawa-Ryū
    Creating Heresy: (Mis)representation, Fabrication, and the Tachikawa-ryū Takuya Hino Submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2012 © 2012 Takuya Hino All rights reserved ABSTRACT Creating Heresy: (Mis)representation, Fabrication, and the Tachikawa-ryū Takuya Hino In this dissertation I provide a detailed analysis of the role played by the Tachikawa-ryū in the development of Japanese esoteric Buddhist doctrine during the medieval period (900-1200). In doing so, I seek to challenge currently held, inaccurate views of the role played by this tradition in the history of Japanese esoteric Buddhism and Japanese religion more generally. The Tachikawa-ryū, which has yet to receive sustained attention in English-language scholarship, began in the twelfth century and later came to be denounced as heretical by mainstream Buddhist institutions. The project will be divided into four sections: three of these will each focus on a different chronological stage in the development of the Tachikawa-ryū, while the introduction will address the portrayal of this tradition in twentieth-century scholarship. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………………...ii Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………iii Dedication……………………………………………………………………………….………..vi Preface…………………………………………………………………………………………...vii Introduction………………………………………………………………………….…………….1 Chapter 1: Genealogy of a Divination Transmission……………………………………….……40 Chapter
    [Show full text]
  • On the Buddhist Precepts
    OJUKAI – THE CEREMONY OF CONFERRING PRECEPTS By NARA Yasuaki Contents: I. The Meaning of Rites – Mind and Form (1) Buddhism – Zen as the way of life (2) Gassho regulates your mind (3) Mind - Form - Rites (4) What are precepts (sila) and the rules of discipline (vinaya) (5) Precepts and rules of discipline as the Buddhists' way of life (6) Which is to confer – sila or vinaya? II. The History of Precepts (1) gusokukai (upasampada) (2) Mahayana Bodhisattva Precepts (3) The relation between bodhisattva and upasampada precepts (4) What are the Sixteen Precepts? III. Zen and Precepts (1) The essence of precepts (kaitai) (2) The relation between Zen and the precepts – Taking up the precepts itself is becoming the buddha (3) Practice on the basis of realization (practice and realization are one) (4) The Buddha-Way and the way to the Buddha IV. Observing the Precepts (1) Pratimoksa (code of discipline) (2) Regarding the precept of abstaining from killing V. Three Refuges (1) Taking refuge in Three Treasures (2) Buddha (3) Dharma (4) Sangha VI. Three-fold Pure Precepts (1) What are the Three-fold Pure Precepts? (2) Altruistic practices (3) One should train oneself in compassion (4) Full ripening VII. Ten Grave Prohibitions (1) “Don’t do” and “Not doing” (2) Ten Grave Prohibitions seen from the Buddha’s level VIII. Sange dojo （The practice of repentance) (1) Through repentance we re-examine ourselves (2) Angulimala's repentance (3) Repentance and eliminating negative karma (4) Sange dojo 1 IX. Practice of receiving the teachings (Jap. kyoju dojo) (1) Meaning of kyoju dojo X Practice of receiving precepts (Jap.
    [Show full text]
  • Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimyaku-Sho)
    Lecture in Praise of Nichiren Daishonin November 2019, Oko Lecture On the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life and Death (Shoji ichidaiji kechimyaku-sho) All disciples and believers of Nichiren should chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with the spirit of many in body, one in mind, overcoming all differences among themselves, [to become united with the heart of the Buddha], just like fish being inseparable from the water in which they swim. This is called the heritage of the ultimate Law of life and death. This is also what Nichiren is trying to propagate now in the Latter Day of the Law. When you are so united, even the great aspiration for kosen-rufu can be fulfilled without fail. However, if there are any among Nichiren’s disciples who are many in body, many in mind, they are like subjects in a castle who destroy the fortress from within. (Gosho, p. 514) Explanation All the disciples and believers of Nichiren should not hold thoughts in their hearts that distinctly separate themselves from others. They should form a unity of many in body, one in mind (itai doshin) [to become united with the heart of the Buddha], like the fish and the water in which they swim, and together they should chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. This characterizes the Lifeblood Heritage of the ultimate Law of life and death. This [Heritage of the Law based on such a spiritual bond] is, in fact, the essence of what I, Nichiren, seek to propagate at this time. With such unity, even the great aspiration of kosen-rufu can be achieved.
    [Show full text]
  • Pearl in the Shrine a Genealogy of the Buddhist Jewel of the Japanese Sovereign
    Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 2002 29/1-2 Pearl in the Shrine A Genealogy of the Buddhist Jewel of the Japanese Sovereign Brian O. R uppert This study attempts to re-imagine early Japanese sovereignty through an examination of the relationship between the so-called “three regalia ” of the ruler and Buddhism. Based on an analysis of relevant primary sources in printed and archival collections as well as drawing on the recent research of Japanese scholars such as Abe Yasurd, Shirayama Yoshitard and Sato Hiroo, tms paper focuses especially on the connection between the jewel among the regalia and the wish-fulfilling' jewel of esoteric Buddhism to argue that Shinto as we know it is inexorably linked with Buddhism. Cler­ ics of Kenmitsu Buddhist traditions, together with the sovereigns who patronized them, constituted by the fourteenth century a milieu that assumed possession of the remlia guaranteed royal sovereignty—a view that was produced primarily within and through the theories and practices of esoteric Buddhism. This conclusion enables us not only to reenvision the Buddmst character of Japanese sovereignty, but also to embark on a renewed examination of the Buddhist roots of royal Shinto discourse and ideology. Keywords: Nyoi hdju — relics — reffalia — Ise — Tsukai — Shinto — Kitabatake Chikafusa This study began with a query: How did people come to the belief that the shrine of the royal family, Ise Daymgru 伊勢大ネ中宮，enshrined relics, even though it was the only major shrine (yashiro 社，jin ja 神社） in the country that was apparently not an object of the governmental Buddha Relics Offering marking royal accession? During the course of research on relics, I was surprised to notice that people believed Ise Daijmgu enshrined relics.
    [Show full text]
  • Mt. Togakushi, Thirteenth Through Mid-Nineteenth Centuries
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Producing Place, Tradition and the Gods: Mt. Togakushi, Thirteenth through Mid-Nineteenth Centuries A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures by Caleb Swift Carter 2014 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Producing Place, Tradition and the Gods: Mt. Togakushi, Thirteenth through Mid-Nineteenth Centuries by Caleb Swift Carter Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2014 Professor William M. Bodiford, Chair This dissertation considers two intersecting aspects of premodern Japanese religions: the development of mountain-based religious systems and the formation of numinous sites. The first aspect focuses in particular on the historical emergence of a mountain religious school in Japan known as Shugendō. While previous scholarship often categorizes Shugendō as a form of folk religion, this designation tends to situate the school in overly broad terms that neglect its historical and regional stages of formation. In contrast, this project examines Shugendō through the investigation of a single site. Through a close reading of textual, epigraphical, and visual sources from Mt. Togakushi (in present-day Nagano Ken), I trace the development of Shugendō and other religious trends from roughly the thirteenth through mid-nineteenth centuries. This study further differs from previous research insofar as it analyzes Shugendō as a concrete system of practices, doctrines, members, institutions, and identities. By identifying a constituency of i these elements, we can determine the historical and regional contexts in which Shugendō became a self-conscious school. This approach, furthermore, clarifies the interests—religious, social, economic and institutional—that guided the school’s formation.
    [Show full text]
  • Dōgen and Sōtō Zen
    Dōgen and Sōtō Zen DŌGEN AND SŌTŌ ZEN z Edited by STEVEN HEINE 1 3 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With offices in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press in the UK and certain other countries. Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 © Oxford University Press 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above. You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dōgen and Sōtō Zen / edited by Steven Heine. pages cm Includes index. ISBN 978–0–19–932485–9 (hardcover : alk. paper)—ISBN 978–0–19–932486–6 (pbk.
    [Show full text]
  • Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism: Myōshinji, a Living Religion
    Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism BORUP_f1_i-xii.indd i 12/20/2007 6:19:39 PM Numen Book Series Studies in the History of Religions Series Editors Steven Engler (Mount Royal College, Canada) Richard King (Vanderbilt University, U.S.A.) Kocku von Stuckrad (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Gerard Wiegers (Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands) VOLUME 119 BORUP_f1_i-xii.indd ii 12/20/2007 6:19:40 PM Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism Myōshinji, a living religion By Jørn Borup LEIDEN • BOSTON 2008 BORUP_f1_i-xii.indd iii 12/20/2007 6:19:40 PM On the cover: Myōshinji honzan in Kyoto. Photograph by Jørn Borup. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISSN 0169-8834 ISBN 978 90 04 16557 1 Copyright 2008 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands BORUP_f1_i-xii.indd iv 12/20/2007 6:19:40 PM For Marianne, Mads, and Sara BORUP_f1_i-xii.indd v 12/20/2007 6:19:40 PM BORUP_f1_i-xii.indd vi 12/20/2007 6:19:40 PM CONTENTS Acknowledgements ....................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Zen Center of Los Angeles Buddha Essence Temple
    Precept & Jukai Study Workbook: ZEN CENTER OF LOS ANGELES BUDDHA ESSENCE TEMPLE PRECEPTS & JUKAI STUDY WORKBOOK 2020 ZEN CENTER OF LOS ANGELES Great Dragon Mountain Buddha Essence Temple Precept & Jukai Series Workbook The study of the Zen Bodhisattva precepts is an integral part of Zen practice. Traditionally, the Zen Precepts are studied formally at the end of long years of training. We have found that, due to a lack of grounding in Zen as part of our Western cultural upbringing, it is important and useful for us to study the precepts at the beginning, middle and end of training, so that the precepts anchor themselves within the functioning of our daily lives. The ZCLA Precept & Jukai Series is offered to anyone who wishes to study the Zen Bodhisattva precepts and may consider whether to receive Jukai. Practitioners are encouraged to study the precepts regardless of whether one decides to receive Jukai. The decision to receive Jukai is a personal choice and not a requirement for ZCLA membership. Course participants are asked to fulfill all the requirements of the course. The first Jukai Seminar workbook was produced by the Center in 1991 for the purposes of study only. This is an updated and expanded edition and is a work in progress. Not for publication. Permissions from authors have not been obtained. - February 2012; revised September 2019 PRECEPTS & JUKAI SERIES WORKBOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: THE SIXTEEN BODHISATTVA PRECEPTS (KAI) ............................................ 5 Statement of the Precepts ................................................................................................................. 5 Bodhidharma’s One Mind Precepts ................................................................................................. 7 Instructions on the Precepts (Kyojukaimon) by Eihei Dōgen Zenji ...............................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sokukoji Sangha News
    SokukoJi Sangha News April 2013 Click to jump to Stories: SOKUZAN ROBERT BROWN RECEIVES ñ Sokuzan’s Transmission DHARMA TRANSMISSION ñ Okesa: Buddha's Robe On Thursday, March 7, 2013, Ku- ñ Upcoming Memorial zan Shoho Michael Newhall, Resi- Day Retreat dent Teacher and chief priest at Jikoji Zen Center, our sister temple ñ Sokuzan Conducts Jukai in Los Gatos, California, traveled to ñ Traverse City Retreat SokukoJi to confer Dharma trans- mission on Sokuzan Robert Brown. ñ St Louis Workshops In the private ceremony held in the zendo, Shoho and Sokuzan ñ SokukoJi’s Future Annex convened for nearly three hours ñ Help Us Help Others where Shoho administered the rites and conferred transmission ñ Monthly Video Dharma according to the Soto Zen lineage. ñ Monthly Audio Dharma The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Zen ñ Addendum Buddhism (pg. 71) defines Dhar- ma transmission as: “Transmission of the Dharma from master to disciple. According to the Zen tradion, the first exam- ple of Dharma transmission oc- curred on Vulture Peak between Shakyamuni Buddha (Siddharta Gautama) and Mahakashyapa. “Tradional renderings of Zen history are oen referred to as 'transmissions of the lamp.' These maintain that the Dharma was transmied from Shakyamuni through twenty-eight generaons of Indian patriarchs, the last of whom was Bodhidharma, who carried the teaching to China. The Dharma was then transmied through five generaons of Chinese Zen patriarchs to the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng (638-713). Since then, the Dharma has been transmied by masters throughout the genera- ons of the Zen lineage; all surviving Zen lineages trace themselves back to Dharma transmission from the Sixth Patriarch.
    [Show full text]
  • A Long and Winding Road: Soto Zen Training in America
    Teaching Theology and Religion, ISSN 1368-4868, 2006, vol. 9 no. 2, pp 127–132. A Long and Winding Road: Soto Zen Training in America Hozan Alan Senauke Berkeley Zen Center, California Abstract. This paper seeks to outline the broad param- has taken me all those years to develop a sense of lead- eters of Soto Zen Buddhist training in the North Amer- ership in a Zen community, and my learning is still ican context. Using his personal experience of training incomplete. If anything, what it means to train as a Zen as a case study, the author argues that Zen in America priest or teacher in twenty-first-century America is a is strongly oriented towards meditation and everyday more complex question each passing year. practice in the world by dedicated lay people, a situa- The Buddha’s teaching can be reduced to a decep- tion relatively rare in the history of Buddhism. The tively simple sentence: “Both formerly and now what I training of today’s Zen teachers calls for unique skills teach is suffering and its ending” (Nanamoli and Bodhi conditioned by modern life in the developed world: pas- 1995, 235). His response expands to fill whole libraries toral counseling, psychological acuity, communication of texts and commentaries. Zen is just one particular training, political awareness, and an ability to translate expression of Buddhism, developed in East Asia – traditional teachings into terms that are relevant. China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam – from the sixth Teacher training still observes traditional Soto Zen ordi- century C.E. The legendary first ancestor of Zen was the nations and pathways.
    [Show full text]
  • Zen Buddhist Rhetoric in China, Korea, and Japan Conceptual History and Chinese Linguistics
    Zen Buddhist Rhetoric in China, Korea, and Japan Conceptual History and Chinese Linguistics Edited by Christoph Harbsmeier Bjarke Frellesvig Michael Lackner Alain Peyraube Michael Puett Rudolf Wagner VOLUME 3 Th e titles published in this series are listed at brill.nl/chcl Zen Buddhist Rhetoric in China, Korea, and Japan Edited by Christoph Anderl LEIDEN • BOSTON 2012 Cover illustration: Detail from a wall-carving with an illustrated transmission chart of ᒴ]ႚ Account of theڂ]៲ऄב patriarchs, based on the Fù fǎzàng [yīnyuán] zhuàn 24 [Avādana] of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasure (T.50 no.2058). Th is is probably the fi rst Chinese illustration of this topic and was carved as part of an iconographic program ऄ thought. Th e ‘Decline of the Dharma’ and the pending apocalypseأ concerned with mòfǎ was an idea which became very important during the 6th century in Northern China. Transmission theories were consequently adopted by the Tiāntái School, and from the late 7th century onwards also by adherents of the emerging Chán factions. Transmission Texts eventually developed into one of the most important genres of Chán/Sŏn/Zen Buddhism. ;Dàzhù Օ۰ Cave at Bǎoshān ᣪ՞, Hénán Province; constructed in 589 AD) photograph by Christoph Anderl) Th is book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Zen Buddhist rhetoric in China, Korea, and Japan / edited by Christoph Anderl. p. cm. -- (Conceptual history and Chinese linguistics; 3) Includes index. “Th e papers included in this volume are originally based on presentations given at a conference on Zen Buddhist rhetoric in the autumn of 2008 in Norway.” ISBN 978-90-04-18556-2 (hardback : alk.
    [Show full text]