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Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness / Taigen Dan Leighton
“What a delight to have this thorough, wise, and deep work on the teaching of Zen Master Dongshan from the pen of Taigen Dan Leighton! As always, he relates his discussion of traditional Zen materials to contemporary social, ecological, and political issues, bringing up, among many others, Jack London, Lewis Carroll, echinoderms, and, of course, his beloved Bob Dylan. This is a must-have book for all serious students of Zen. It is an education in itself.” —Norman Fischer, author of Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong “A masterful exposition of the life and teachings of Chinese Chan master Dongshan, the ninth century founder of the Caodong school, later transmitted by Dōgen to Japan as the Sōtō sect. Leighton carefully examines in ways that are true to the traditional sources yet have a distinctively contemporary flavor a variety of material attributed to Dongshan. Leighton is masterful in weaving together specific approaches evoked through stories about and sayings by Dongshan to create a powerful and inspiring religious vision that is useful for students and researchers as well as practitioners of Zen. Through his thoughtful reflections, Leighton brings to light the panoramic approach to kōans characteristic of this lineage, including the works of Dōgen. This book also serves as a significant contribution to Dōgen studies, brilliantly explicating his views throughout.” —Steven Heine, author of Did Dōgen Go to China? What He Wrote and When He Wrote It “In his wonderful new book, Just This Is It, Buddhist scholar and teacher Taigen Dan Leighton launches a fresh inquiry into the Zen teachings of Dongshan, drawing new relevance from these ancient tales. -
Contents Transcriptions Romanization Zen 1 Chinese Chán Sanskrit Name 1.1 Periodisation Sanskrit Dhyāna 1.2 Origins and Taoist Influences (C
7/11/2014 Zen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Zen From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism[note 1] that Zen developed in China during the 6th century as Chán. From China, Zen spread south to Vietnam, northeast to Korea and Chinese name east to Japan.[2] Simplified Chinese 禅 Traditional Chinese 禪 The word Zen is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Middle Chinese word 禪 (dʑjen) (pinyin: Chán), which in Transcriptions turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna,[3] which can Mandarin be approximately translated as "absorption" or "meditative Hanyu Pinyin Chán state".[4] Cantonese Zen emphasizes insight into Buddha-nature and the personal Jyutping Sim4 expression of this insight in daily life, especially for the benefit Middle Chinese [5][6] of others. As such, it de-emphasizes mere knowledge of Middle Chinese dʑjen sutras and doctrine[7][8] and favors direct understanding Vietnamese name through zazen and interaction with an accomplished Vietnamese Thiền teacher.[9] Korean name The teachings of Zen include various sources of Mahāyāna Hangul 선 thought, especially Yogācāra, the Tathāgatagarbha Sutras and Huayan, with their emphasis on Buddha-nature, totality, Hanja 禪 and the Bodhisattva-ideal.[10][11] The Prajñāpāramitā Transcriptions literature[12] and, to a lesser extent, Madhyamaka have also Revised Romanization Seon been influential. Japanese name Kanji 禅 Contents Transcriptions Romanization Zen 1 Chinese Chán Sanskrit name 1.1 Periodisation Sanskrit dhyāna 1.2 Origins and Taoist influences (c. 200- 500) 1.3 Legendary or Proto-Chán - Six Patriarchs (c. 500-600) 1.4 Early Chán - Tang Dynasty (c. -
A Beginner's Guide to Meditation
ABOUT THE BOOK As countless meditators have learned firsthand, meditation practice can positively transform the way we see and experience our lives. This practical, accessible guide to the fundamentals of Buddhist meditation introduces you to the practice, explains how it is approached in the main schools of Buddhism, and offers advice and inspiration from Buddhism’s most renowned and effective meditation teachers, including Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Sharon Salzberg, Norman Fischer, Ajahn Chah, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, Sylvia Boorstein, Noah Levine, Judy Lief, and many others. Topics include how to build excitement and energy to start a meditation routine and keep it going, setting up a meditation space, working with and through boredom, what to look for when seeking others to meditate with, how to know when it’s time to try doing a formal meditation retreat, how to bring the practice “off the cushion” with walking meditation and other practices, and much more. ROD MEADE SPERRY is an editor and writer for the Shambhala Sun magazine. Sign up to receive news and special offers from Shambhala Publications. Or visit us online to sign up at shambhala.com/eshambhala. A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO Meditation Practical Advice and Inspiration from Contemporary Buddhist Teachers Edited by Rod Meade Sperry and the Editors of the Shambhala Sun SHAMBHALA Boston & London 2014 Shambhala Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 www.shambhala.com © 2014 by Shambhala Sun Cover art: André Slob Cover design: Liza Matthews All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. -
A Geographic History of Song-Dynasty Chan Buddhism: the Decline of the Yunmen Lineage
decline of the yunmen lineage Asia Major (2019) 3d ser. Vol. 32.1: 113-60 jason protass A Geographic History of Song-Dynasty Chan Buddhism: The Decline of the Yunmen Lineage abstract: For a century during China’s Northern Song era, the Yunmen Chan lineage, one of several such regional networks, rose to dominance in the east and north and then abruptly disappeared. Whereas others suggested the decline was caused by a doctri- nal problem, this essay argues that the geopolitics of the Song–Jin wars were the pri- mary cause. The argument builds upon a dataset of Chan abbots gleaned from Flame Records. A chronological series of maps shows that Chan lineages were regionally based. Moreover, Song-era writers knew of regional differences among Chan lin- eages and suggested that regionalism was part of Chan identity: this corroborates my assertion. The essay turns to local gazetteers and early-Southern Song texts that re- cord the impacts of the Song–Jin wars on monasteries in regions associated with the Yunmen lineage. Finally, I consider reasons why the few Yunmen monks who sur- vived into the Southern Song did not reconstitute their lineage, and discuss a small group of Yunmen monks who endured in north China under Jin and Yuan control. keywords: Chan, Buddhism, geographic history, mapping, spatial data n 1101, the recently installed emperor Huizong 徽宗 (r. 1100–1126) I authored a preface for a new collection of Chan 禪 religious biogra- phies, Record of the Continuation of the Flame of the Jianzhong Jingguo Era (Jianzhong Jingguo xudeng lu 建中靖國續燈錄, hereafter Continuation of the Flame).1 The emperor praised the old “five [Chan] lineages, each ex- celling in a family style 五宗各擅家風,” a semimythical system promul- gated by the Chan tradition itself to assert a shared identity among the ramifying branches of master-disciple relationships. -
Gongan Collections I 公案集公案集 Gongangongan Collectionscollections I I Juhn Y
7-1 COLLECTED WORKS OF KOREAN BUDDHISM 7-1 GONGAN COLLECTIONS I COLLECTIONS GONGAN 公案集公案集 GONGANGONGAN COLLECTIONSCOLLECTIONS I I JUHN Y. AHN JUHN Y. (EDITOR) JOHN JORGENSEN COLLECTED WORKS OF KOREAN BUDDHISM VOLUME 7-1 公案集 GONGAN COLLECTIONS I Collected Works of Korean Buddhism, Vol. 7-1 Gongan Collections I Edited by John Jorgensen Translated by Juhn Y. Ahn Published by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism Distributed by the Compilation Committee of Korean Buddhist Thought 45 Gyeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-170, Korea / T. 82-2-725-0364 / F. 82-2-725-0365 First printed on June 25, 2012 Designed by ahn graphics ltd. Printed by Chun-il Munhwasa, Paju, Korea © 2012 by the Compilation Committee of Korean Buddhist Thought, Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism This project has been supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Republic of Korea. ISBN: 978-89-94117-10-2 ISBN: 978-89-94117-17-1 (Set) Printed in Korea COLLECTED WORKS OF KOREAN BUDDHISM VOLUME 7-1 公案集 GONGAN COLLECTIONS I EDITED BY JOHN JORGENSEN TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY JUHN Y. AHN i Preface to The Collected Works of Korean Buddhism At the start of the twenty-first century, humanity looked with hope on the dawning of a new millennium. A decade later, however, the global village still faces the continued reality of suffering, whether it is the slaughter of innocents in politically volatile regions, the ongoing economic crisis that currently roils the world financial system, or repeated natural disasters. Buddhism has always taught that the world is inherently unstable and its teachings are rooted in the perception of the three marks that govern all conditioned existence: impermanence, suffering, and non-self. -
Bowz Liturgy 2011.Corrected
Boundless Way Zen LITURGY BOOK SECOND EDITION _/\_ All buddhas throughout space and time, All honored ones, bodhisattva-mahasattvas, Wisdom beyond wisdom, Maha Prajna Paramita. Page 1 Notation ring kesu (bowl gong) muffle kesu (bowl gong) ring small bell 123 ring kesu or small bell on 1st, 2nd, or 3rd repetition accordingly underlined syllables indicate the point at which underlined bells are rung 1 mokugyo (wooden drum) beat once after then on each syllable taiko (large drum) beat once after then in single or double beats -_^ notation for tonal chanting (mid-low-high shown in this example) WORDS IN ALL CAPS are CHANTED by chant-leader only [Words in brackets & regular case] are spoken by chant-leader only {Words in braces} are CHANTED or spoken or sung !by chant-leader only 1st time, and by everyone subsequently (words in parenthesis) are not spoken, chanted, or sung at all _/\_ ! place or keep hands palm-to-palm in gassho, or hold liturgy book in gassho -(0)-! place or keep hands in zazen mudra, or hold liturgy book open !with little fingers and thumbs on the front of the book and !middle three fingers on the back seated bow at end of chant, or after final repetition Beginning our sutra service I vow with all beings To join my voice with all voices And give life to each word as it comes. —Robert Aitken Language cannot reach it, hearing and seeing cannot touch it. In this single beam of illumination, you genuinely wander in practice. Use your vitality to enact this. -
Killing Cats and Other Imaginary Happenings: Milieus and Features of Chan Exegesis
Chapter 3 Killing Cats and Other Imaginary Happenings: Milieus and Features of Chan Exegesis Mario Poceski Introduction Using the well-known story of Nanquan Puyuan 南泉普願 (J: Nansen Fugan; 749–835) killing a cat (南泉斬猫) as a prime example of a prominent sub- genre, this chapter explores some of the key issues raised by Chan/Zen exegesis, especially as it pertains to the explanation or rationalization of idiosyncratic anecdotes composed in the encounter dialogue format. By looking at the religious, literary, and social contexts that shape the dissemination and interpretation of stories that depict morally questionable, seemingly pointless, or eccentric behaviors, the chapter attempts to arrive at preliminary conclusions about the nature and latitude of dominant models of Chan/Zen exegesis, as they developed in China, Japan, and elsewhere. That involves careful consideration of the ideological outlooks and institutional constraints that affected the creation and diffusion of these kinds of narratives. It also ties up with the book’s general theme of communities of memory and interpretation, by highlighting salient facets of the Chan tradition’s general attitudes towards collective memory, religious imagina- tion, and canonical interpretation. The chapter starts with an analysis of the textual provenance of Nanquan’s story and its relationship with the relevant Chan texts and milieus. That is followed by a survey of its exegesis in classical Chan texts such as Wumen guan 無門關 (Wumen’s Passage), compiled by Wumen Huikai 無門慧開 (1183–1260), and the records of various Chan/Zen masters from the Song (960–1279) and later eras. The later part of the paper briefly examines 112 Poceski modern interpretations of this and other similar stories, especially in light of the developing popularity of Zen and its integration into progressively global modes of religious discourse and practice. -
Gushan: the Formation of a Chan Lineage During the Seventeenth Century and Its Spread to Taiwan
Gushan: the Formation of a Chan Lineage During the Seventeenth Century and Its Spread to Taiwan Hsuan-Li Wang Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2014 © 2014 Hsuan-Li Wang All rights reserved ABSTRACT Gushan: the Formation of a Chan Lineage During the Seventeenth Century and Its Spread to Taiwan Hsuan-Li Wang Taking Gushan 鼓山 Monastery in Fujian Province as a reference point, this dissertation investigates the formation of the Gushan Chan lineage in Fujian area and its later diffusion process to Taiwan. From the perspective of religion diffusion studies, this dissertation investigates the three stages of this process: 1. the displacement of Caodong 曹洞 Chan center to Fujian in the seventeenth century; 2. Chinese migration bringing Buddhism to Taiwan in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and 3. the expansion diffusion activities of the institutions and masters affiliated with this lineage in Taiwan during the Japanese rule (1895-1945), and the new developments of humanistic Buddhism (renjian fojiao 人間佛教) after 1949. In this spreading process of the Gushan Chan lineage, Taiwanese Buddhism has emerged as the bridge between Chinese and Japanese Buddhism because of its unique historical experiences. It is in the expansion diffusion activities of the Gushan Chan lineage in Taiwan that Taiwanese Buddhism has gradually attained autonomy during the Japanese rule, leading to post-war new developments in contemporary humanistic Buddhism. Table of Contents List of Chart, Maps and Tables iii Acknowledgements iv Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1. Research Motives and Goals 2 2. -
Chan Buddhism and the Chinese Ancestors Spring Term 2014 Seminary Class Sylabus
Chan Buddhism and the Chinese Ancestors Spring Term 2014 Seminary Class Sylabus The seminary class offering for the spring 2014 term will be Chan Buddhism and the Chinese Ancestors. This ten-week class series is scheduled for Tuesday evenings from February 4th through April 15th. During this class series, we will examine the stories and traditional teachings of and about our Chinese Dharma ancestors and other significant Chan masters from the time of Bodhidharma, through the Tang and Sung Dynasties to and including Tiantong Rujing. Through these stories, we experience the particular way in which we hold the memory of our lineage tradition. We will also follow the development of Chan as it gains color and additional meaning through the authenticity and uniqueness of each generation to become an important cultural force in Chinese and other East Asian societies. The primary text for the reading assignments for each class (listed below) is Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and their Teachings by Andy Ferguson either the first (2000) edition or the expanded (2011) edition. Optional, supplemental text materials will include sections from (1) The Platform Sutra: The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng by Red Pine and (2) Zen Buddhism: A History: Volume 1, India and China by Heinrich Dumoulin. Texts may be purchased; however, copies of all three texts will be placed on reserve for this class in the DRZC library. The classes will be led by Fumyo Mishaga, Genko Rainwater, and Allison Shin'ei Brown. For Seminary credit, each student will be required to complete a written assignment. Also, class attendance will be considered a very important criterion. -
UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles the Poetic Practices Of
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles The Poetic Practices of Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091–1157): Gong’an Commentarial Verses on Old Cases and Verses for Lay Literati A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures by Yu-Chen Tsui 2018 © Copyright by Yu-Chen Tsui 2018 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION The Poetic Practices of Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091–1157): Gong’an Commentarial Verses on Old Cases and Verses for Lay Literati by Yu-Chen Tsui Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2018 Professor Natasha L. Heller, Chair This dissertation examines the textual production and doctrinal import of the gong’an commentarial verses of Hongzhi Zhengjue in the context of Chan literary traditions as well as his usage of secular literature. During the Song period (960–1279) revival of the Caodong lineage, Hongzhi was an influential figure, who promoted Silent Illumination Chan (mozhao chan). Hongzhi was talented in writing in a variety of genres, including verses, portrait poetry, and commentaries on gong’an (public cases). My study examines Hongzhi’s gong’an texts and uses them as a window to understand Chan literary traditions of the Song period. In addition to situating Hongzhi’s gong’an writings within Chan contexts, my dissertation places his gong’an commentarial verses within contemporary secular literary culture. My study considers how Hongzhi participated in mainstream literary culture by engaging in gong’an commentarial verses and poetry for literati. ii My dissertation is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 considers the context and Hongzhi’s life. -
Koan, Hua-T'ou, and Kensho
Koan, Hua-t’ou, and Kensho Ama Samy Bodhi Zendo, Perumalmalai, Kodaikanal, India The zen of ‘encounter dialogue’ (in koan stories, koan dialogues and transmission stories) is a captivating form of zen, more so than the Soto variety of just sitting or ‘silent illumination’. Koan zen is colourful and exciting to our imagination though the Soto shikantaza is the more widely practiced form. The practice of shikantaza or just sitting has its own problems, but the koan practice is more problematic and provokes many questions. Here I would like to focus on the koan practice. I will not be focusing on the problems of koan history, culture or the social-political realities but rather on practice as such. When zen developed in China in the 6th century, it was rather the Indian form of dhyana or meditation, which was silent seated meditation. Gradually the pragmatic students and masters began asking questions as to what was unique to zen, and how the Buddha-nature was present in sentient beings and what constituted liberation and enlightenment. It led to a radical simplification of doctrines, to awakening in the here and now and to oneself as no other than the Buddha-nature. It involved the existential question of trust and faith embracing the self, the teacher, and the teaching. This lead to the so-called ‘encounter dialogues’—questions and answers between students and masters, often the master’s word or gesture provoking a ‘sudden’ awakening in the inquirer. Mazu Daoyi (709—788) seems to have been the pre-eminent master of such dialogue practice. -
Contents Introduction 9
Contents Introduction 9 Avatamsaka Sutra 11 Book 2: Appearance of the Buddha Avatamsaka Sutra 15 Book 11: Purifying Practice Avatamsaka Sutra 18 Book 26: The Ten Stages Avatamsaka Sutra 20 Book 30: The Incalculable Avatamsaka Sutra 25 Book 36: The Practice of Universal Good Avatamsaka Sutra 27 Book 39: Entry into the Realm of Reality (1) Avatamsaka Sutra 31 Book 39: Entry into the Realm of Reality (2) Pali Canon 33 Minds like the Wild Deer Pali Canon 34 Dhammapada, Chapter 1: Dichotomies Pali Canon 36 The Divine Messengers Pali Canon 38 The First Discourse Pali Canon 40 No Dogmas or Blind Belief Pali Canon 42 Four Kinds of Kamma Pali Canon 43 Mindfulness of Breathing Pali Canon 45 The Domain of Wisdom & The Goal of Wisdom Pali Canon 47 The Tathāgata Lankavatara Sutra 48 Chapter 2: Mahamati’s Questions Lankavatara Sutra 49 Chapter 3: More Questions Vimalakīrti Sūtra 51 Chapter 2: Inconceivable Skill in Liberative Technique Vimalakīrti Sūtra 53 Chapter 3: The Disciples Vimalakīrti Sūtra 55 Chapter 5: Inquiring about the Illness Vimalakīrti Sūtra 57 Chapter 6: Beyond Comprehension Vimalakīrti Sūtra 59 Chapter 7: Regarding Living Beings Vimalakīrti Sūtra 61 Chapter 9: Entering the Gate of Nondualism 3 The Almighty Letter A 62 ‘Sacred Calligraphy of the East’, by John Stevens Diamond Sutra 63 Section 3: The Real Teaching of the Great Way Diamond Sutra 64 Section 5: Understanding the Ultimate Principle of Reality Diamond Sutra 65 Section 6: Rare is True Faith Diamond Sutra 66 Section 26: The Body of Truth Has No Marks Diamond Sutra 67 Section