The Relation between Theory and Practice in Zen - Term Paper Example

What Does the Reading Have To Say about the Relation between Theory And Practice In Zen The word Zen is believed to have been derived from, the Japanese pronunciation of middle Chinese word 禪,dʑjen., this word can be directly translated as meditative or absorption. Zen emphasizes on attainment of enlightenment and personal expression of direct insight in Buddhist teachings. Additionally it de-emphasizes on mere knowledge of sutra and related doctrines After its development, Zen spread to south, Vietnam, northeast to Korea and east to Japan. The teachings of Zen incorporate different sources of Mahayana thought especially huayan the tathagatagarbha sutras and yogacara1. T’an-ching where the precise meaning of t’a that according to Hu Shih is an appeal for more systematic search in Japan for long-hidden T’ang dynasty source materials of the history of Zen Buddhism. It is believed that the monk shen-hui of Ho-use temple that is in the eastern capital would each month make a platform and give sermons to people. Before the platform sutra, there is no instance in that the work that was merely the record of career and sermons of a particular master that was recognised with the name sutra. However, according to Ta-chien bodhisattca monk and his teaching of the platform sutra there is no difference from the Buddha’s preaching of sutra. The monk-disciple recorded his words so that they may be used later in generations to come and offer benefits to students and make them have a pivot of teaching and transmit it among themselves. Connectively, master Hua-neng emphasised that the first thing to do is to purify one's mind and then concentrate on dharma that has great perfection of wisdom. The master recounts how he was able to join the fifth patriarch in Huang-mei hsien in ch’i-chou that presently has thousand disciples 2. Though a commoner from ling-nan, he was reluctantly accepted, the master preached to them and told them that they had first to look into themselves and write a verse and if the master finds that one of them is awakened to the cardinal meaning them he shall be given a robe and the darma that will make him the sixth patriarch. The disciples gave up and refrained from writing the verse, the priest after much thought decided to write a verse in the midnight secretly without letting anyone see it. At dawn, the fifth patriarch swa the verse and decided for the pictures not to be painted after all quoting words from the diamond sutra that all forms everywhere are unreal and also false. The master burned the in-cense before the verse in the presence of all disciples. He ordered the disciples to recite the verse since it will enable them see their own nature, therefore, preventing them from falling three evil ways3 It was evident that many recited the verse but did not have the cardinal meaning the verse that said Buddha originally has no tree The mirror also has no stand Buddha nature is always clean and pure Where can it be stained by dust? After offering his unique mind and writing his own verse, many followers were amazed at midnight the fifth patriarch called him to the hall and expounded the diamond sutra to me that made him more awake. During the night, he received the dharma and was transmitted to the sixth patriarch and had the robe as proof that was expected to be handed down from one generation to the other generation and mind to mind where people should be made to awaken themselves. However, he was warned that from ancient time the dharma transmission had been known to be a dangling thread so was supposed to leave to avoid any harm. After leaving the temple in the mountains, he was followed by hundred men who wanted to kill him. However, when they were half way they returned back but one Hui-ming who was a general of the third rank and violent in nature and conduct, caught upon with him and he demanded to have dharma. Amazingly he was not interested with the robe after transmission he was immediately enlightenment and ordered to go and convert people in the north. The master decided to stayed there and preach to the monks laymen and officials his teaching was handed down from sages of the past, therefore, not his own personal experience. He emphasized that if one needed to hear the teachings of the sage than they were required to quit their mind and cast and cast aside their delusions, therefore, there would be similar with the past the stages. According to master Hui-nengpeole cannot seek awakening on their own they must seek a teacher to show them the wisdom. This is because a dharma teaching takes meditation and wisdom; one should practice self awakening and wisdom (Tomoaki, 134). The platform teaching urges men to separate themselves from views that do not activate thoughts this is if there were no thinking then no thought would have a place to exist. The Vimalakirti sutra notes that externally distinguishing well all the forms of various dharmas’ internally one stands firm within their own determined principles that they abide in. Connectively, in teaching from the outset in meditation that does not concern the mind and does in purity, and then one does not need to talk steadfast. If one speaks of viewing the mind than the mind itself is delusional but because of false thoughts true reality is obscured that excludes delusional that reveals its true purity. Connectively, since delusions of purity have no place that they exist, and then you know that whatever you see is nothing but delusion. People who hold this view obstruct their unique natures and end up bound by the bond of purity, additionally, deluded men however does not move his body will talk of good and bad of others when he sets to speak to people this makes them to behave in opposition to the Tao therefore The act of viewing the mind and viewing purity will result to obstruction of Tao On matters that involve teaching on sitting meditation commonly referred to like, tso-ch'an. According to this teaching's sitting, is used to mean anywhere outwards and not to activate thoughts while as meditations is internally that enables them to see the unique nature and avoid confusion. Alternatively, we call Ch’n meditation ch’anting to exclude form is ch’an this is because the very contact with circumstances itself causes confusion separation that the outside. He advocates for people to be pure in their own nature and carry out practice and be able to accomplish themselves, since their nature is the Dharmakaya and self-practice of Buddha. Additionally, you must all in your own bodies receive the precepts of formlessness and also recite in unison what that will make you see the free fold body of the Buddha in their own selves this then goes as to take refuge in the purity of Dharmakaay Buddha in my physical body. Secondly, I take refuge in the ten thousand hundred billion nirmanakaya Buddha’s in my own physical body. I take refuge in future perfect sambhogakaya Buddha in my physical body this is supposed to be recited three times. It emphasizes that the physical body as your personal home where one cannot speak of turning to it. Here the free fold body is mentioned in within one's self natures where they believe the world possess it but being deluded he cannot see it, this means the freehold body in his own physical body4. The pure dharmakaya Buddha that people in this world outset pure in it the ten thousand things are all within their own practice evil, it is believed that if people think all the evil things then they will then practice evil. Connectively, if they think that all things are good then they will practise well, therefore, it is clear that all way the dharma are within their own natures but yet their own personal nature are always pure. Giving the example of their moon and the sun that is ever bright yet they are ever covered in dark clouds, however, above they are bright together with the sun moon stars and planets that cannot be seen clearly. The wind of wisdom is required to blow and roll away he clouds and mists all forms in the universe appear at once. The purity of a man is associated with the blue sky, information like the moon wisdom is like sun although knowledge and wisdom are far clearer if one decides to cling to external environments, while the floating clouds of false views will create a cover of your personal nature that becomes clear5. After ones have taken refuge in the threefold of Buddha then the next step is to expound the four great vows. That are I vow to save all sentiments’ beings everywhere, I vow to achieve the unsurpassed Buddha way, I vow to cut off all the passions everywhere lastly vow to study all he Buddhist teachings everywhere, this means that one should dedicate. On the issue of repentance and seeking of forgiveness is to-do nothing throughout your life. It remains useless to make a confession in words before the Buddha. However, past thoughts present thoughts and future thoughts in successive thoughts that are not stained by jealousy and also cast aside their own natures in previous jealousy feeling this is referred as seeking of forgives6. After repentance, they are given the formless precepts of three refuges people are urges to take enlightenment of the most honoured among two legged beings where they should take refuge in the truth according to the noble rules that are the most and to take refuge in purity. From there, they are considered as enlightened people the master does not rely on other teachings that are deluded and heretical this means that they are required to prove it clearly yourselves with the treasures of this nature. The master encourages the people to take refuge in the three treasures of their own natures. He says that the Buddha is enlightenment, the sangha is purity and dharma is the truth. Therefore, Buddha is called the most honoured among two legged beings. This calls for those who rely on the truth since there is no falseness in successive thoughts, therefore, will be any attachments7. Prajna that is wisdom, for minds to be successive then they should contain no ignorance and then will practise wisdom but in case the thoughts include ignorance than prajna is cut off. Within the mind, there is always ignorance people will tend to say that neither the shape nor form this are referred as the nature of wisdom. Alternatively po-lo-mi-to that is an Indian pronunciation and means other shore reached it is understood as part from birth and destruction that is attached to the conditions where birth and destruction will arise. Other rising waves on the water they are something that occurs on the shore that is taken as part and parcel of the environment and the end of the sea this means that it puts an end to the birth and destruction that happens from when the water floe along the shore thus referred to as the reaching the shore, here the deluded person reaches the city and the wise man is taken to practice in their care. Connectively, mahaprajnaparamia that is the most honoured and the supreme and the foremost, however, it does no stay nor does it leave and all the Buddha of the three world issue from it. Additionally, with great wisdom it will lead to the other shore and destroy the passions and troubles of the five skanhas this is the most honoured to the supreme beings in Buddha religion. These teachings are derived from the eighty four thousand wisdoms that are made on a passion and not done away with prajna is it not apart from the nature and awaken to dharma and may have no thoughts not recollections. People will hear this preaching that is preached and then they will naturally be rooted on this earth. People with shallow capacity are like such plants. It is like the times when high clouds are used to cover the sun unless the wind blows the clouds than the sun will not appear. However, they are no big and small prajana it is believed that all are the same8. The master also emphasizes that people should be in the body that cause the destruction of crimes of the said deluded people that is commonly called the verse of destroying crime. The master also encouraged people to build more temples, giving alms and also making offering with blessings merit this according to his increases the merit and blessings, since, in dharma, it is their own nature that is straightforward care. However, it is successive thought that there is virtuous practise and straightforward mind merit will not be held lightly 9 Bibliography Borup, K. Jørn Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism: Myōshinji, a Living Religion, Brill Publishers, 2008. 53. Cleary, Thomas Translator's introduction. The Undying Lamp of Zen. The Testament of Zen Master Torei, Boston & London: Shambhala Publications 2010. 84, Collins, Randall. The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change, Harvard University Press, 2000, 85 Dumoulin, Heinrich Zen Buddhism: A History. Volume 2: Japan, World Wisdom Books, 2005. 71. Faure, Bernard Visions of Power. Imaging Medieval Japanese Buddhism, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2000. 95 Ferguson, Andy, Zen's Chinese Heritage, Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2000. 42. Tomoaki, Tsuchida. The Monastic spirituality of Zen Master Dogen. In: Buddhist Spirituality. Later China, Korea, Japan and the Modern World; edited by Takeuchi Yoshinori, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass 2003. 134. Read More