Steven Heine and Dale Wright (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Zen Masters contains ten articles by prominent scholars about the most significant “product” of the Zen tradition—the life and teachings of the masters or patriarchs who have made this ...
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Zen Masters contains ten articles by prominent scholars about the most significant “product” of the Zen tradition—the life and teachings of the masters or patriarchs who have made this kind of Buddhism the most renowned in the world. In contrast to most other forms of Buddhism, sacred literature in Chan or Zen primarily consists of religious biographies, or stories about the lives of Zen masters. The emergence of these narratives, often in anecdotal style, concerning the practices and teachings of the patriarchs in the late Tang and early Song dynasties in China provided new and vivid models for what it meant to be awakened. Iconic images of these often irreverent, blasphemous patriarchs spread quickly, and became the basis of a new school that rose to prominence throughout East Asia. The focus of these collected essays is a critical examination of the “image” of the Zen master as it has been projected over the past millennium, in both classic literature and the lives of modern examples, in order to capture a sense of the history and evolutionary quality of narratives about Zen patriarchs. What it means to be a Zen master is something that changes over time and is related to social context. The masters are selected from different historical periods and geographical areas, ranging from medieval China to early modern Japan and contemporary America. Essays in this volume highlight which elements of Zen identity came into focus during various periods of history, and attempt to show how each of these factors stands in relations to earlier and later Zen personalities. The audience for this volume will include both specialists and more general readers. The potency of the Zen master’s image is so far-reaching that there will be an enthusiastic readership from all quarters of interest in Buddhism and in the image of sainthood more generally. Teachers of comparative religion, those analyzing diverse images of spiritual practice, and instructors of the history of the Buddhist tradition will be able to use this volume for classroom purposes. Practitioners of Zen will find the volume particularly helpful in their efforts to imagine and engage what Zen enlightenment means for understanding human behavior and comportment.Less
Zen Masters contains ten articles by prominent scholars about the most significant “product” of the Zen tradition—the life and teachings of the masters or patriarchs who have made this kind of Buddhism the most renowned in the world. In contrast to most other forms of Buddhism, sacred literature in Chan or Zen primarily consists of religious biographies, or stories about the lives of Zen masters. The emergence of these narratives, often in anecdotal style, concerning the practices and teachings of the patriarchs in the late Tang and early Song dynasties in China provided new and vivid models for what it meant to be awakened. Iconic images of these often irreverent, blasphemous patriarchs spread quickly, and became the basis of a new school that rose to prominence throughout East Asia. The focus of these collected essays is a critical examination of the “image” of the Zen master as it has been projected over the past millennium, in both classic literature and the lives of modern examples, in order to capture a sense of the history and evolutionary quality of narratives about Zen patriarchs. What it means to be a Zen master is something that changes over time and is related to social context. The masters are selected from different historical periods and geographical areas, ranging from medieval China to early modern Japan and contemporary America. Essays in this volume highlight which elements of Zen identity came into focus during various periods of history, and attempt to show how each of these factors stands in relations to earlier and later Zen personalities. The audience for this volume will include both specialists and more general readers. The potency of the Zen master’s image is so far-reaching that there will be an enthusiastic readership from all quarters of interest in Buddhism and in the image of sainthood more generally. Teachers of comparative religion, those analyzing diverse images of spiritual practice, and instructors of the history of the Buddhist tradition will be able to use this volume for classroom purposes. Practitioners of Zen will find the volume particularly helpful in their efforts to imagine and engage what Zen enlightenment means for understanding human behavior and comportment.
Steven Heine and Dale S. Wright (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195304671
- eISBN:
- 9780199866861
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304671.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Theory in Practice contains nine articles by prominent scholars about a variety of topics including Zen rituals kinhin and zazen, and covers rituals from the early Chan ...
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Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Theory in Practice contains nine articles by prominent scholars about a variety of topics including Zen rituals kinhin and zazen, and covers rituals from the early Chan period to modern Japan. Each chapter attempts to describe how ritual in Zen, covering key developments that occurred in the Linji/Rinzai and Caodong/Sōtō schools in China and Japan, molds the lives and characters of practitioners, shaping them in accordance with the ideal of Zen awakening.When books on Zen Buddhism began to appear in Western languages just over a half century ago, there was no interest in the role of ritual in Zen. Indeed, what attracted interest among Western readers was the Zen rejection of ritual. The famous “Beat Zen” writers were delighted by the Zen emphasis on spontaneity as opposed to planned, repetitious action, and wrote inspirationally about the demythologized, anti‐ritualized spirit of Zen. Quotes from the great Zen masters supported this understanding of Zen and led to the excitement that surrounded the opening of “Zen centers” throughout the West.Once Western practitioners in these centers began seriously to practice Zen, however, they discovered that zazen—Zen meditation—is a ritualized practice surrounded by supporting practices that have been ritualized for centuries in East Asia. Although initially in tension with the anti‐ritual image of ancient Zen masters, interest in Zen ritual has increased along with the realization that ritual is fundamental to the spirit of Zen. Later Zen practitioners would connect the idea of “no‐mind,” or the open and awakened state of mind in which ingrained habits of thinking have given way to more receptive, direct forms of experience. This provides a perspective from which ritual could gain enormous respect as a vehicle rather than obstacle to spiritual awakening, and this volume seeks to emphasize the significance of ritual in Zen.Less
Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Theory in Practice contains nine articles by prominent scholars about a variety of topics including Zen rituals kinhin and zazen, and covers rituals from the early Chan period to modern Japan. Each chapter attempts to describe how ritual in Zen, covering key developments that occurred in the Linji/Rinzai and Caodong/Sōtō schools in China and Japan, molds the lives and characters of practitioners, shaping them in accordance with the ideal of Zen awakening.
When books on Zen Buddhism began to appear in Western languages just over a half century ago, there was no interest in the role of ritual in Zen. Indeed, what attracted interest among Western readers was the Zen rejection of ritual. The famous “Beat Zen” writers were delighted by the Zen emphasis on spontaneity as opposed to planned, repetitious action, and wrote inspirationally about the demythologized, anti‐ritualized spirit of Zen. Quotes from the great Zen masters supported this understanding of Zen and led to the excitement that surrounded the opening of “Zen centers” throughout the West.
Once Western practitioners in these centers began seriously to practice Zen, however, they discovered that zazen—Zen meditation—is a ritualized practice surrounded by supporting practices that have been ritualized for centuries in East Asia. Although initially in tension with the anti‐ritual image of ancient Zen masters, interest in Zen ritual has increased along with the realization that ritual is fundamental to the spirit of Zen. Later Zen practitioners would connect the idea of “no‐mind,” or the open and awakened state of mind in which ingrained habits of thinking have given way to more receptive, direct forms of experience. This provides a perspective from which ritual could gain enormous respect as a vehicle rather than obstacle to spiritual awakening, and this volume seeks to emphasize the significance of ritual in Zen.
Mario Poceski
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Over the centuries, diverse Chan/Zen traditions throughout East Asia have venerated Baizhang Huaihai (J. Hyakujō Ekai, 749–814) as one of the greatest Chan teachers of the Tang era (618–907). ...
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Over the centuries, diverse Chan/Zen traditions throughout East Asia have venerated Baizhang Huaihai (J. Hyakujō Ekai, 749–814) as one of the greatest Chan teachers of the Tang era (618–907). Celebrated as the leading disciple of the renowned Mazu Daoyi (709–788), the “founder” of the Hongzhou school that came to dominate Chan during the mid-Tang period, Baizhang is still evoked as a source of religious inspiration and authority, and he remains one of the most recognized Chan teachers of all time. This chapter is a brief study of those changing perceptions and images, spanning most of the history of Chan in East Asia, down to the present. The shifting images of Baizhang mirror the multifaceted and far-reaching changes that marked Chan’s historical trajectory as a major tradition of East Asian Buddhism, with significant ramifications for its complex evolution that still shape its intricate present-day predicaments.Less
Over the centuries, diverse Chan/Zen traditions throughout East Asia have venerated Baizhang Huaihai (J. Hyakujō Ekai, 749–814) as one of the greatest Chan teachers of the Tang era (618–907). Celebrated as the leading disciple of the renowned Mazu Daoyi (709–788), the “founder” of the Hongzhou school that came to dominate Chan during the mid-Tang period, Baizhang is still evoked as a source of religious inspiration and authority, and he remains one of the most recognized Chan teachers of all time. This chapter is a brief study of those changing perceptions and images, spanning most of the history of Chan in East Asia, down to the present. The shifting images of Baizhang mirror the multifaceted and far-reaching changes that marked Chan’s historical trajectory as a major tradition of East Asian Buddhism, with significant ramifications for its complex evolution that still shape its intricate present-day predicaments.
Miriam Levering
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter focuses on the image of Zen (Chan) Master Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163) presented in the Dahui’s Letters (Dahui shu) and the Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Dahui Pujue (Dahui Pujue Chanshi ...
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This chapter focuses on the image of Zen (Chan) Master Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163) presented in the Dahui’s Letters (Dahui shu) and the Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Dahui Pujue (Dahui Pujue Chanshi yulu). Dahui Zonggao permanently transformed Chinese Chan Buddhism. First, he was strongly influential in blending Chan with Huayan Buddhist philosophy; second and most important, Dahui devised a meditation method that has been fundamental to Chan practice ever since, the kan huatou method. Dahui Zonggao’s influence has been vast, and a considerable part of his lasting attraction and popularity can be attributed to the image of his forceful, fearless and caring personality and teaching style found in his records. It is high time that we examined these texts in terms of the image of Dahui, his insights and ideas, his personality, and his teaching methods, for it is through this image that his influence has been felt.Less
This chapter focuses on the image of Zen (Chan) Master Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163) presented in the Dahui’s Letters (Dahui shu) and the Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Dahui Pujue (Dahui Pujue Chanshi yulu). Dahui Zonggao permanently transformed Chinese Chan Buddhism. First, he was strongly influential in blending Chan with Huayan Buddhist philosophy; second and most important, Dahui devised a meditation method that has been fundamental to Chan practice ever since, the kan huatou method. Dahui Zonggao’s influence has been vast, and a considerable part of his lasting attraction and popularity can be attributed to the image of his forceful, fearless and caring personality and teaching style found in his records. It is high time that we examined these texts in terms of the image of Dahui, his insights and ideas, his personality, and his teaching methods, for it is through this image that his influence has been felt.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195367645
- eISBN:
- 9780199777181
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Chan/Zen Buddhism is a tradition known for the transmission of lineages whereby a current master at once pays obeisance to and severely criticizes the patriarchs. East Asian training traditions ...
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Chan/Zen Buddhism is a tradition known for the transmission of lineages whereby a current master at once pays obeisance to and severely criticizes the patriarchs. East Asian training traditions generally emphasize that a disciple needs to be able to surpass his teacher, who must be magnanimous enough to encourage and acknowledge the value of the comeuppance. The literary works of Dōgen (1200–1253) epitomize this process. This chapter examines the various ways Dōgen’s image and sense of self-identity is formed by his twofold approach to his predecessors. First, it surveys the full extent of Chan masters cited by Dōgen and what this indicates about his view of sectarian transmission; for example, who he cites and why he praises or refutes their teachings. Next, it focuses on the ways that Chinese Caodong school masters Hongzhi (1091–1157) and Rujing (1163–1228) influenced Dōgen’s philosophy and literary style and helped shape his view of monastic institutional administration and practice.Less
Chan/Zen Buddhism is a tradition known for the transmission of lineages whereby a current master at once pays obeisance to and severely criticizes the patriarchs. East Asian training traditions generally emphasize that a disciple needs to be able to surpass his teacher, who must be magnanimous enough to encourage and acknowledge the value of the comeuppance. The literary works of Dōgen (1200–1253) epitomize this process. This chapter examines the various ways Dōgen’s image and sense of self-identity is formed by his twofold approach to his predecessors. First, it surveys the full extent of Chan masters cited by Dōgen and what this indicates about his view of sectarian transmission; for example, who he cites and why he praises or refutes their teachings. Next, it focuses on the ways that Chinese Caodong school masters Hongzhi (1091–1157) and Rujing (1163–1228) influenced Dōgen’s philosophy and literary style and helped shape his view of monastic institutional administration and practice.
Jiang Wu
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195333572
- eISBN:
- 9780199868872
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195333572.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter describes the rise of Chan Buddhism by focusing on the Linji and Caodong schools and their leaders such as Miyun Yuanwu, Hanyue Fazang, Muchen Daomin, Feiyin Tongrong, Zhanran Yuancheng, ...
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This chapter describes the rise of Chan Buddhism by focusing on the Linji and Caodong schools and their leaders such as Miyun Yuanwu, Hanyue Fazang, Muchen Daomin, Feiyin Tongrong, Zhanran Yuancheng, Wuming Huijing, Yinyuan Longgi, Shilian Dashan, and Fang Yizhi. It shows that these prominent figures first rose under the patronage of the literati, and later their lineage spread all over China in the late Ming and early Qing. During the Ming‐Qing transition, many literati became monks.Less
This chapter describes the rise of Chan Buddhism by focusing on the Linji and Caodong schools and their leaders such as Miyun Yuanwu, Hanyue Fazang, Muchen Daomin, Feiyin Tongrong, Zhanran Yuancheng, Wuming Huijing, Yinyuan Longgi, Shilian Dashan, and Fang Yizhi. It shows that these prominent figures first rose under the patronage of the literati, and later their lineage spread all over China in the late Ming and early Qing. During the Ming‐Qing transition, many literati became monks.
Albert Welter
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195175219
- eISBN:
- 9780199850679
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195175219.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines literature influences on the compilation of records of Chan Buddhism, particularly the Jingde Transmission of the Lamp and the Tiansheng Expanded Lamp Record. It describes the ...
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This chapter examines literature influences on the compilation of records of Chan Buddhism, particularly the Jingde Transmission of the Lamp and the Tiansheng Expanded Lamp Record. It describes the Jingde Transmission of the Lamp as reflecting a compromise between rhetorical definitions of Chan as independent, subitist, antinomian, and so forth, as opposed to interpretations of Chan as harmonious with the rituals and traditions of conventional Buddhism. It suggests that the purpose of the Tiansheng Expanded Lamp Record was to affirm an interpretation of Chan associated with members of the Linji faction who had become increasingly influential among officials at the Song court and it functioned as a vehicle promoting the Linji faction and its interpretation of Chan.Less
This chapter examines literature influences on the compilation of records of Chan Buddhism, particularly the Jingde Transmission of the Lamp and the Tiansheng Expanded Lamp Record. It describes the Jingde Transmission of the Lamp as reflecting a compromise between rhetorical definitions of Chan as independent, subitist, antinomian, and so forth, as opposed to interpretations of Chan as harmonious with the rituals and traditions of conventional Buddhism. It suggests that the purpose of the Tiansheng Expanded Lamp Record was to affirm an interpretation of Chan associated with members of the Linji faction who had become increasingly influential among officials at the Song court and it functioned as a vehicle promoting the Linji faction and its interpretation of Chan.
Morten Schlütter
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832551
- eISBN:
- 9780824870720
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832551.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This book takes a novel approach to understanding one of the most crucial developments in Zen Buddhism: the dispute over the nature of enlightenment that erupted within the Chinese Chan (Zen) school ...
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This book takes a novel approach to understanding one of the most crucial developments in Zen Buddhism: the dispute over the nature of enlightenment that erupted within the Chinese Chan (Zen) school in the twelfth century. The famous Linji (Rinzai) Chan master Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163) railed against “heretical silent illumination Chan” and strongly advocated kanhua (koan) meditation as an antidote. This book shows that Dahui's target was the Caodong (Soto) Chan tradition that had been revived and reinvented in the early twelfth century, and that silent meditation was an approach to practice and enlightenment that originated within this “new” Chan tradition. Although much of the book is devoted to illuminating the doctrinal and soteriological issues behind the enlightenment dispute, it makes the case that the dispute must be understood in the context of government policies toward Buddhism, economic factors, and social changes. The book analyzes the remarkable ascent of Chan during the first centuries of the Song dynasty, when it became the dominant form of elite monastic Buddhism, and demonstrates that secular educated elites came to control the critical transmission from master to disciple (“procreation” as Schlütter terms it) in the Chan School.Less
This book takes a novel approach to understanding one of the most crucial developments in Zen Buddhism: the dispute over the nature of enlightenment that erupted within the Chinese Chan (Zen) school in the twelfth century. The famous Linji (Rinzai) Chan master Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163) railed against “heretical silent illumination Chan” and strongly advocated kanhua (koan) meditation as an antidote. This book shows that Dahui's target was the Caodong (Soto) Chan tradition that had been revived and reinvented in the early twelfth century, and that silent meditation was an approach to practice and enlightenment that originated within this “new” Chan tradition. Although much of the book is devoted to illuminating the doctrinal and soteriological issues behind the enlightenment dispute, it makes the case that the dispute must be understood in the context of government policies toward Buddhism, economic factors, and social changes. The book analyzes the remarkable ascent of Chan during the first centuries of the Song dynasty, when it became the dominant form of elite monastic Buddhism, and demonstrates that secular educated elites came to control the critical transmission from master to disciple (“procreation” as Schlütter terms it) in the Chan School.
Ishii Shūdō and Albert Welter
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199754465
- eISBN:
- 9780199932801
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199754465.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter explores the relationship between Dōgen's thought and that of leading Song Chan thinkers of the Caodong (Sōtō) and Linji (Rinzai) lineages, particularly the intense rivalry between the ...
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This chapter explores the relationship between Dōgen's thought and that of leading Song Chan thinkers of the Caodong (Sōtō) and Linji (Rinzai) lineages, particularly the intense rivalry between the approaches of “silent illumination” and “introspecting the kōan.”. When considering the concept of silent illumination, Chan refers to the Chan style of Hongzhi, a fellow disciple with Zhenxie of Danxia and a member of the same Caodong order as Dōgen's teacher, Rujing. Although not necessarily aligning himself with this view, it is clear that the style Dōgen disagreed with most strongly was introspecting the kōan Zen, represented by the illustrious Linji master Dahui (1089–1163), whom Dōgen both praised and excoriated in various writings. The chapter addresses the following questions that are critical to Dōgen studies: What kind of attributes characterized the paths of silent illumination and introspecting-the-kōan during the Song Dynasty? What connection does Dōgen Zen, which resulted from his importation of Song Chan to Kamakura Japan, have with the various Song schools and approaches? In short, it considers the characteristics of Dōgen Zen against the currents of Chinese Chan history and ideology in order to understand and explicates the influences Dōgen received, as well as the unique features of religious practice he formulated and promulgated.Less
This chapter explores the relationship between Dōgen's thought and that of leading Song Chan thinkers of the Caodong (Sōtō) and Linji (Rinzai) lineages, particularly the intense rivalry between the approaches of “silent illumination” and “introspecting the kōan.”. When considering the concept of silent illumination, Chan refers to the Chan style of Hongzhi, a fellow disciple with Zhenxie of Danxia and a member of the same Caodong order as Dōgen's teacher, Rujing. Although not necessarily aligning himself with this view, it is clear that the style Dōgen disagreed with most strongly was introspecting the kōan Zen, represented by the illustrious Linji master Dahui (1089–1163), whom Dōgen both praised and excoriated in various writings. The chapter addresses the following questions that are critical to Dōgen studies: What kind of attributes characterized the paths of silent illumination and introspecting-the-kōan during the Song Dynasty? What connection does Dōgen Zen, which resulted from his importation of Song Chan to Kamakura Japan, have with the various Song schools and approaches? In short, it considers the characteristics of Dōgen Zen against the currents of Chinese Chan history and ideology in order to understand and explicates the influences Dōgen received, as well as the unique features of religious practice he formulated and promulgated.
Morten Schlütter
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832551
- eISBN:
- 9780824870720
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832551.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter examines how the Linji tradition targeted the entire new Caodong tradition with their criticism of silent illumination. Available sources suggest that other members of the Linji lineage ...
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This chapter examines how the Linji tradition targeted the entire new Caodong tradition with their criticism of silent illumination. Available sources suggest that other members of the Linji lineage began attacking the silent illumination teachings of the new Caodong tradition even prior to the time of Dahui Zonggao. However, Dahui's attacks ushered in a whole new era in the relations between the different Chan traditions. With his fierce attacks on the Caodong tradition, Dahui was the first to break the code of harmony that the Chan school had been able to maintain throughout the earlier part of the Song. This surely was noted across Song-dynasty elite society, and many literati and officials may have felt uncomfortable with it.Less
This chapter examines how the Linji tradition targeted the entire new Caodong tradition with their criticism of silent illumination. Available sources suggest that other members of the Linji lineage began attacking the silent illumination teachings of the new Caodong tradition even prior to the time of Dahui Zonggao. However, Dahui's attacks ushered in a whole new era in the relations between the different Chan traditions. With his fierce attacks on the Caodong tradition, Dahui was the first to break the code of harmony that the Chan school had been able to maintain throughout the earlier part of the Song. This surely was noted across Song-dynasty elite society, and many literati and officials may have felt uncomfortable with it.
Morten Schlütter
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832551
- eISBN:
- 9780824870720
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832551.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This conclusion discusses the sectarianism seen in Dahui and other Linji masters. The apex of the rise of the new Caodong tradition coincided with a time when the Chan school as a whole had begun to ...
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This conclusion discusses the sectarianism seen in Dahui and other Linji masters. The apex of the rise of the new Caodong tradition coincided with a time when the Chan school as a whole had begun to feel itself under pressure and had become more dependent on support from the literati. This helps to explain why the reinvented Caodong tradition may not have been regarded as a welcome addition by the other Chan traditions and why it may have seen an early need to differentiate itself from the dominant Linji tradition by shifting to a more sectarian mode and developing a distinctive teaching that could appeal to literati. It also suggests that the Linji tradition's attacks on the Caodong teachings were mainly directed toward members of the literati rather than toward monastics.Less
This conclusion discusses the sectarianism seen in Dahui and other Linji masters. The apex of the rise of the new Caodong tradition coincided with a time when the Chan school as a whole had begun to feel itself under pressure and had become more dependent on support from the literati. This helps to explain why the reinvented Caodong tradition may not have been regarded as a welcome addition by the other Chan traditions and why it may have seen an early need to differentiate itself from the dominant Linji tradition by shifting to a more sectarian mode and developing a distinctive teaching that could appeal to literati. It also suggests that the Linji tradition's attacks on the Caodong teachings were mainly directed toward members of the literati rather than toward monastics.
Jeffrey Broughton and Elise Yoko Watanabe
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199936410
- eISBN:
- 9780199980680
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199936410.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
The Linjilu (Record of Linji or LJL) is one of the foundational texts of Chan/Zen Buddhist literature, and an accomplished work of baihua (vernacular) literature. Its indelibly memorable title ...
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The Linjilu (Record of Linji or LJL) is one of the foundational texts of Chan/Zen Buddhist literature, and an accomplished work of baihua (vernacular) literature. Its indelibly memorable title character, Master Linji—infamous for the shout, the whack of the rattan stick, and the declaration that sutras are toilet paper—is himself an embodiment of the very teachings that he propounds to his students: he is a “true person,” free of dithering; he exhibits the non-verbal, unconstrained spontaneity of the buddha-nature; he is always active, never passive; and he is aware that nothing is lacking at all, at any time, in his round of daily activities. This new translation transmits the LJL’s living expression of Chan/Zen’s “personal-realization-of-the-meaning-beyond-words,” as interpreted by ten commentaries produced by Japanese Zen monks, over a span of over four centuries. Ranging from the late 1300s, when Five-Mountains Zen flourished in Kyoto and Kamakura, through the early 1700s, an age of thriving interest in the LJL, these Zen commentaries form a body of vital, in-house interpretive literature never before given full credit or center stage in previous translations of the LJL. Here, their insights are fully incorporated into the translation itself, allowing the reader unimpeded access throughout, with more extensive excerpts available in the notes. Also provided are translations of the earliest extant material on Linji, including a neglected transmission-record entry relating to his associate Puhua, which indicate that the LJL is a full-fledged work of literature that has undergone editorial changes over time to become the compelling work we know today.Less
The Linjilu (Record of Linji or LJL) is one of the foundational texts of Chan/Zen Buddhist literature, and an accomplished work of baihua (vernacular) literature. Its indelibly memorable title character, Master Linji—infamous for the shout, the whack of the rattan stick, and the declaration that sutras are toilet paper—is himself an embodiment of the very teachings that he propounds to his students: he is a “true person,” free of dithering; he exhibits the non-verbal, unconstrained spontaneity of the buddha-nature; he is always active, never passive; and he is aware that nothing is lacking at all, at any time, in his round of daily activities. This new translation transmits the LJL’s living expression of Chan/Zen’s “personal-realization-of-the-meaning-beyond-words,” as interpreted by ten commentaries produced by Japanese Zen monks, over a span of over four centuries. Ranging from the late 1300s, when Five-Mountains Zen flourished in Kyoto and Kamakura, through the early 1700s, an age of thriving interest in the LJL, these Zen commentaries form a body of vital, in-house interpretive literature never before given full credit or center stage in previous translations of the LJL. Here, their insights are fully incorporated into the translation itself, allowing the reader unimpeded access throughout, with more extensive excerpts available in the notes. Also provided are translations of the earliest extant material on Linji, including a neglected transmission-record entry relating to his associate Puhua, which indicate that the LJL is a full-fledged work of literature that has undergone editorial changes over time to become the compelling work we know today.
Morten Schlütter
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832551
- eISBN:
- 9780824870720
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832551.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This introductory chapter provides a background of the Buddhism that developed in the Song dynasty. Two developments in Song Buddhism are especially well known. The first is the growth of Chan ...
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This introductory chapter provides a background of the Buddhism that developed in the Song dynasty. Two developments in Song Buddhism are especially well known. The first is the growth of Chan Buddhism, which became the dominant form of elite monastic Buddhism in the Song. The other is the sectarian dispute that took place between the Linji and Caodong traditions of Chan in the twelfth century, involving competing approaches to enlightenment and practice known as “silent illumination” (mozhao) and kanhua Chan (literally, Chan of observing the word). Silent illumination is associated with a quiet meditation in which the inherent Buddha-nature that all sentient beings possess naturally shines forth, while kanhua Chan is associated with an intense focus on the punch line of a gongan that is meant to lead to a dramatic breakthrough experience of original enlightenment.Less
This introductory chapter provides a background of the Buddhism that developed in the Song dynasty. Two developments in Song Buddhism are especially well known. The first is the growth of Chan Buddhism, which became the dominant form of elite monastic Buddhism in the Song. The other is the sectarian dispute that took place between the Linji and Caodong traditions of Chan in the twelfth century, involving competing approaches to enlightenment and practice known as “silent illumination” (mozhao) and kanhua Chan (literally, Chan of observing the word). Silent illumination is associated with a quiet meditation in which the inherent Buddha-nature that all sentient beings possess naturally shines forth, while kanhua Chan is associated with an intense focus on the punch line of a gongan that is meant to lead to a dramatic breakthrough experience of original enlightenment.
Morten Schlütter
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832551
- eISBN:
- 9780824870720
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832551.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter analyzes Dahui Zonggao's (1089–1163) attacks on Caodong tradition's silent illumination, and discusses the kanhua Chan that he developed to counter it. The success of the Caodong ...
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This chapter analyzes Dahui Zonggao's (1089–1163) attacks on Caodong tradition's silent illumination, and discusses the kanhua Chan that he developed to counter it. The success of the Caodong tradition was clearly perceived as a threat by the dominant Linji tradition, whose members attacked the Caodong tradition in various ways—most notably targeting its teachings of “heretical silent illumination Chan.” Indeed, Dahui associated silent illumination with a kind of meditation that uses the mind to control the mind, which suppresses thought and which induces a state of unreflective calm devoid of wisdom. This kind of practice, he argued, is a soteriological dead end and can never lead to enlightenment.Less
This chapter analyzes Dahui Zonggao's (1089–1163) attacks on Caodong tradition's silent illumination, and discusses the kanhua Chan that he developed to counter it. The success of the Caodong tradition was clearly perceived as a threat by the dominant Linji tradition, whose members attacked the Caodong tradition in various ways—most notably targeting its teachings of “heretical silent illumination Chan.” Indeed, Dahui associated silent illumination with a kind of meditation that uses the mind to control the mind, which suppresses thought and which induces a state of unreflective calm devoid of wisdom. This kind of practice, he argued, is a soteriological dead end and can never lead to enlightenment.
Beata Grant
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832025
- eISBN:
- 9780824871758
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832025.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This epilogue assesses the extent to which seventeenth-century women Chan masters participate in, benefit from, and contribute to the revival of seventeenth-century Linji Chan. The first thing to ...
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This epilogue assesses the extent to which seventeenth-century women Chan masters participate in, benefit from, and contribute to the revival of seventeenth-century Linji Chan. The first thing to note is that this was a time when more and more educated women were becoming active participants in the literary world through reading, writing, editing, and having works published, and they, like their male literati counterparts, were attracted and intrigued by this “textual” Chan revival. Indeed, the rhetoric of heroism and equality that was reimagined as part of the seventeenth-century revival of Chan Buddhism provided women with an opportunity to “do what men do”—that is, pursue active and respected public lives as Chan masters.Less
This epilogue assesses the extent to which seventeenth-century women Chan masters participate in, benefit from, and contribute to the revival of seventeenth-century Linji Chan. The first thing to note is that this was a time when more and more educated women were becoming active participants in the literary world through reading, writing, editing, and having works published, and they, like their male literati counterparts, were attracted and intrigued by this “textual” Chan revival. Indeed, the rhetoric of heroism and equality that was reimagined as part of the seventeenth-century revival of Chan Buddhism provided women with an opportunity to “do what men do”—that is, pursue active and respected public lives as Chan masters.
Morten Schlütter
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780824855680
- eISBN:
- 9780824873028
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824855680.003.0009
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This paper discusses the kànhuà technique developed by the Chinese Línjì (Jpn.: Rinzai) master Dàhuì Zōnggǎo (1089-1163) that became a widespread form of meditation in East Asian Zen. Kànhuà ...
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This paper discusses the kànhuà technique developed by the Chinese Línjì (Jpn.: Rinzai) master Dàhuì Zōnggǎo (1089-1163) that became a widespread form of meditation in East Asian Zen. Kànhuà meditation focuses on the keyword or “punch line” (Ch.: huàtóu, Jpn.: watō, Kor.: hwadu) of puzzling Chán “encounter dialogues” (or kōan stories) associated with past Chán (Zen) masters. Dàhuì insisted on a sudden breakthrough enlightenment and considered kànhuà meditation an alternative to a dead-end, no-enlightenment, seated meditation that he associated with the rival Cáodòng (Jpn.: Sōtō) tradition of Chán. The paper further explores four innovations in kànhuà meditation during the centuries after Dàhuì: the use of kànhuà meditation to calm the mind; a greater emphasis on doubt; the integration of Pure Land practice into the kànhuà technique; and the notion that the huàtóu could be called out aloud. However, in spite of such changes kànhuà Chán stayed close to Dàhuì’s vision.Less
This paper discusses the kànhuà technique developed by the Chinese Línjì (Jpn.: Rinzai) master Dàhuì Zōnggǎo (1089-1163) that became a widespread form of meditation in East Asian Zen. Kànhuà meditation focuses on the keyword or “punch line” (Ch.: huàtóu, Jpn.: watō, Kor.: hwadu) of puzzling Chán “encounter dialogues” (or kōan stories) associated with past Chán (Zen) masters. Dàhuì insisted on a sudden breakthrough enlightenment and considered kànhuà meditation an alternative to a dead-end, no-enlightenment, seated meditation that he associated with the rival Cáodòng (Jpn.: Sōtō) tradition of Chán. The paper further explores four innovations in kànhuà meditation during the centuries after Dàhuì: the use of kànhuà meditation to calm the mind; a greater emphasis on doubt; the integration of Pure Land practice into the kànhuà technique; and the notion that the huàtóu could be called out aloud. However, in spite of such changes kànhuà Chán stayed close to Dàhuì’s vision.
Benjamin Brose
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824853815
- eISBN:
- 9780824868147
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824853815.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
The sixth and final chapter begins with a sketch of sa?gha-state relations in northern China over the course of the Five Dynasties and then explores the effects of the Five Dynasties–Song transition ...
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The sixth and final chapter begins with a sketch of sa?gha-state relations in northern China over the course of the Five Dynasties and then explores the effects of the Five Dynasties–Song transition on Chan monks in and around the Song capital at Kaifeng and in southeastern cities. As is well known, beginning in the early decades of the Song dynasty, the dharma-heirs of the renowned Tang-dynasty Chan master Linji Yixuan consistently won the support of prominent Song officials. The biographies of Linji clerics and their patrons in northern cities recounted in the final section of this chapter indicate that the processes of political unification and cultural consolidation influenced a shift in imperial patronage from monks affiliated with the lineages of Yicun and Shibei to the descendants of Linji.Less
The sixth and final chapter begins with a sketch of sa?gha-state relations in northern China over the course of the Five Dynasties and then explores the effects of the Five Dynasties–Song transition on Chan monks in and around the Song capital at Kaifeng and in southeastern cities. As is well known, beginning in the early decades of the Song dynasty, the dharma-heirs of the renowned Tang-dynasty Chan master Linji Yixuan consistently won the support of prominent Song officials. The biographies of Linji clerics and their patrons in northern cities recounted in the final section of this chapter indicate that the processes of political unification and cultural consolidation influenced a shift in imperial patronage from monks affiliated with the lineages of Yicun and Shibei to the descendants of Linji.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- June 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199397761
- eISBN:
- 9780199397792
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199397761.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
A discussion of the main issues regarding Yuanwu’s appropriation of Xuedou’s verse comments through interlinear capping phrases and prose evaluations by looking carefully at several examples in ...
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A discussion of the main issues regarding Yuanwu’s appropriation of Xuedou’s verse comments through interlinear capping phrases and prose evaluations by looking carefully at several examples in selected cases of the way Yuanwu reacts to his predecessor. According to my reading, from the very start of the collection Yuanwu emphasizes the innate limitations of discourse as a possible detriment to awakening, while at the same time he shows, perhaps in somewhat tongue-in-cheek fashion, how appropriate language in the hands of a powerfully expressive poet-monk such as Xuedou can and does become a constructive tool for realizing enlightenment.Less
A discussion of the main issues regarding Yuanwu’s appropriation of Xuedou’s verse comments through interlinear capping phrases and prose evaluations by looking carefully at several examples in selected cases of the way Yuanwu reacts to his predecessor. According to my reading, from the very start of the collection Yuanwu emphasizes the innate limitations of discourse as a possible detriment to awakening, while at the same time he shows, perhaps in somewhat tongue-in-cheek fashion, how appropriate language in the hands of a powerfully expressive poet-monk such as Xuedou can and does become a constructive tool for realizing enlightenment.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- June 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199397761
- eISBN:
- 9780199397792
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199397761.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
An explanation of specific rhetorical functions of several representative Blue Cliff Record cases by focusing on three levels of writing: the first level includes prominent words or phrasing used by ...
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An explanation of specific rhetorical functions of several representative Blue Cliff Record cases by focusing on three levels of writing: the first level includes prominent words or phrasing used by Yuanwu; the second level refers to how his interlinear comments on cases and verse selected by Xuedou provide remarks regarding the dynamics of the competitive style of the source encounter dialogues; and the third level indicates how literary techniques construct the rhetoric of uncertainty, or a studied ambivalence and indeterminacy about the basis for truth-claims regarding issues of language, perception, doubt, and time in relation to awakening as well as issues concerning Chan’s lineal transmission. Special emphasis is on analyzing the interpretative styles of capping phrases and evaluative reactions, a style that is used with two different structures based on whether Yuanwu is commenting on cases or on verses.Less
An explanation of specific rhetorical functions of several representative Blue Cliff Record cases by focusing on three levels of writing: the first level includes prominent words or phrasing used by Yuanwu; the second level refers to how his interlinear comments on cases and verse selected by Xuedou provide remarks regarding the dynamics of the competitive style of the source encounter dialogues; and the third level indicates how literary techniques construct the rhetoric of uncertainty, or a studied ambivalence and indeterminacy about the basis for truth-claims regarding issues of language, perception, doubt, and time in relation to awakening as well as issues concerning Chan’s lineal transmission. Special emphasis is on analyzing the interpretative styles of capping phrases and evaluative reactions, a style that is used with two different structures based on whether Yuanwu is commenting on cases or on verses.
Bret W. Davis
- Published in print:
- 2022
- Published Online:
- January 2022
- ISBN:
- 9780197573686
- eISBN:
- 9780197573723
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780197573686.003.0011
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter addresses the question of what “Buddha” means for Zen Buddhists. It begins with Zen master Hakuin’s claim that “unenlightened beings are originally Buddhas,” and with his analogy of this ...
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This chapter addresses the question of what “Buddha” means for Zen Buddhists. It begins with Zen master Hakuin’s claim that “unenlightened beings are originally Buddhas,” and with his analogy of this being like the relation between ice and water. Linji’s shocking teaching “If you encounter the Buddha, kill him!” is explained as an exhortation to smash all idols of the Buddha. This means to let go of all objectifications of Buddha as something outside oneself. We must realize that “Mind is Buddha.” And yet, it is explained, the philosophy of Zen is a nondualism rather than either an idealism or a materialism. In the end, Zen enlightenment cannot be reduced to an intellectual grasp of a philosophical formula. Hence, the chapter concludes with a commentary on some famous thought-provoking (and practice-provoking) kōans on the question “What is Buddha?”Less
This chapter addresses the question of what “Buddha” means for Zen Buddhists. It begins with Zen master Hakuin’s claim that “unenlightened beings are originally Buddhas,” and with his analogy of this being like the relation between ice and water. Linji’s shocking teaching “If you encounter the Buddha, kill him!” is explained as an exhortation to smash all idols of the Buddha. This means to let go of all objectifications of Buddha as something outside oneself. We must realize that “Mind is Buddha.” And yet, it is explained, the philosophy of Zen is a nondualism rather than either an idealism or a materialism. In the end, Zen enlightenment cannot be reduced to an intellectual grasp of a philosophical formula. Hence, the chapter concludes with a commentary on some famous thought-provoking (and practice-provoking) kōans on the question “What is Buddha?”