A brief history of Zen

In the Song dynasty, Zen masters were engaged in different kinds of practices which included the study of the Buddha’s discourses.  It was almost impossible to tell the Zen or Chan tradition from other Buddhist traditions. The only unique thing about Zen was its special lineage in which a special transmission certificate was issued to prove that the special transmission had taken place.  This was about the only proof that one was the Dharma heir of a certain Zen master.  This certificate, however, was only important if one were to serve as an abbot of a monastery. 

You could almost call this Zen “genealogy Buddhism” in which a direct link to someone in the transmission history was necessary; who would then be an actual member of the Zen lineage.  In this way, Zen had created for itself an iron clad lineage of Buddhas which spread widely throughout Asia. 

But with the discovery of the documents in the Chinese desert oasis of Dunhuang in 1900, the scholars could see that the so-called Zen lineage was a mythical construct by its mythographers which served, mainly, to legitimize the Zen tradition.  In other words, there was nothing transmitted except paper. 

Yes, the Zen lineage was a great marketing ploy, to say the least, which helped to make Zen popular.  It also helped to gain patronage and power.  Still, the lineage from the very beginning wasn’t smooth.  In fact, it was highly contentious according to scholars.  There were a number of competing lineages, in fact.  Each had their own history.

Zen’s claim of legitimacy is, arguably, more fiction than historical fact.  Enlightenment cannot be handed down from master to disciple in the form of a certificate or some special ceremony like the Masons have.  The student either intuits their true nature which comes in a variety of different names or they don’t.  There is no in-between.  Also, it is important to understand that enlightenment is self-verifying, but not just any unique personal experience is enlightenment insofar as one can often talk oneself into an ‘experience’.

When we put aside the historical fiction and the transmission certificates we are left with two significant practices in Zen both of which aimed at being authentic which made up the real force behind Zen. 

One practice is called silent illumination Chan/Zen 默照禪.  Silent illumination as a Zen practice means to position one’s body and mind in such a way that silence or stillness grows as well as insight. This is what is meant by illumination.  However, strictly speaking, this is not enlightenment in the sense of kenshō 見性 which involves religious intuition or, the same, an epiphany which is the sudden manifestation of the essential nature of reality.

The other important Zen practice involves the koan 公案 or huatou 話頭 called kanhua Chan 看話禅.  In English this is,  introspective Chan, which leads to direct intuition of the huatou, the huatou being the source or origin of thought, which is empty of thought 無心.  To repeat what I said earlier, kanhua Chan involves religious intuition or, the same, an epiphany which is the sudden manifestation of the essential nature of reality. 

Koan practice puts the intellect into such a state that it temporarily cancels itself out.  Suddenly, there is no thought 無心—the intellect has disappeared. And, suddenly, the answer to the koan appears.  But this proves an extremely difficult practice since the answer to the koan is beyond the ken of the intellect. The koan, itself, is composed around a gesture or a word or phrase.  An intuitive leap has to be made into the absolute otherwise one will not be able to answer the koan.

 

 

 

Comments

[Adasatala]

N. Yeti,

LOL.

[Aryeh]

N. Yeti, funny.

Jung, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taṇhā

The real reason I'd say is because Japan wanted to modernize. Look at the state of Buddhism in Japan today. Mostly, it is used for funeral service. People don't really believe in it anymore. Rebirth is mostly ignored or thought of as metaphor.

Which is ironic, because the Buddha taught people how to get out of rebirth by giving up your desire to be reborn. That was the point of his teaching.

Try selling that message to the masses in today's day and age.

[Jung]

"The goal of Buddhism is to overcome desire, especially sexual desire."

No, it is not.

The third of five main precepts for monks concerning sexual desire and anything directly linked to it, was just one of many initial obstructions, interdependent on deeply invested habit energy that plagued the monks as well as laymen on a daily basis, hence Buddhas "lower", or less advanced discourses offered as such to make them abandon said obstacles in order to ease the auspicious opportunity of one day directly intuit the imageless face and nature of the unconditioned.

To quote Maurice Walsh, author on Buddhism and sex; "Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami"

"I undertake the course of training in refraining from wrong-doing in respect of sensuality.

Firstly, in common with all the other precepts, it is a rule of training. It is not a "commandment" from God, the Buddha, or anyone else saying: "Thou shalt not..." There are no such commandments in Buddhism. It is an undertaking by you to yourself, to do your best to observe a certain type of restraint while devoting yourself in trying to face the unconditioned directly, and not through a useless proxy (the skandhas), as most monks, or laymen, do.

The main goal of Buddhism, or Zen Buddhism to be precise, is to, A - discover the presence of the gateless gate of Zen, and B - pass through it and take directly part in the great mystery dangling right in front of ones face. This great mystery is also known as the unconditioned, the Unborn Mind, Nirvana, Svabhava, Dharmakaya, the true person of no rank, and so on...

If you truly desire to understand (Intuit is a better description) the teachings of Buddha Gautama, focus your time in this world to first discover and pass through this gateless gate, and then see if you can offer a more proper comment about what truly is the goal of Buddhism and the Buddha dharma offered by Buddha Gautama and all previous Buddhas before him.

[n. yeti]

Aryeh, the answer may be because nothing works better to extinguish sexual desire than getting married.

[Aryeh]

The goal of Buddhism is to overcome desire, especially sexual desire. So, I don't understand how modern Zen Buddhism allows monks to marry. It seems contradictory to me. It makes me wonder if modern practitioners understand the teachings of Siddhartha Buddha.