Bodhidharma’s “Wall-Gazing” for nine years, (NPM, Taipei)

 

Cleveland Museum of Arts,

 

Bodhidharma

Ridding on the blade of a reed to cross the Yangtze River

Left, by Li Yaofu, Yuan Dynasty

Right: by Master Liaoan Qinyu, Yuan Dynasty

Non-thought: Non-thought: For one’s mind to remain undefiled within For one’s mind to remain undefiled within

the sensory realmsthe sensory realmsWithin one’s own thoughts, one should Within one’s own thoughts, one should

always transcend the realms, one should always transcend the realms, one should not generate the mind relative to the not generate the mind relative to the realmsrealms

If one does not think of the hundred If one does not think of the hundred things, then thoughts will be completely things, then thoughts will be completely eliminatedeliminated

Comment: scriptures teach that one should Comment: scriptures teach that one should rid oneself of sensory desire. The “non-rid oneself of sensory desire. The “non-thought” meditation helps one do that.thought” meditation helps one do that.

Huineng’s ChanHuineng’s Chan

“The Six Patriarch Cutting Bamboo,” Scroll, by Liang Kai, Southern Song, Tokyo National Museum

The Dharma, the Words, and the Meaning

• Huineng’s teachings:– “The wondrous principle of the Buddha has nothing to

do with words.” (said to the nun Inexhaustible Treasury, who studied the Great Nirvana Sutra)

– “Meditation and wisdom are maintained equally/all is pure within the consciousness/the dual cultivation [of meditation and wisdom] is correct. (said to Fa-hai, who learned that the mind is fundamental Buddha and that the function of the dual cultivation is transcendence of all things)

Understand the meaning, forget the wordsUnderstand the meaning, forget the words Understand the meaning of the Understand the meaning of the Lotus SutraLotus Sutra but but

not recite its words only (said to Fada [Fa-ta] not recite its words only (said to Fada [Fa-ta] who recited the sutra 3,000 times without who recited the sutra 3,000 times without understanding its meaning)understanding its meaning)

The central doctrine of the The central doctrine of the Lotus SutraLotus Sutra : : true Enlightenment true Enlightenment Open the perpetual understanding of the Open the perpetual understanding of the

buddhas; manifest the perpetual understanding buddhas; manifest the perpetual understanding of the buddhas; enlightened to the perpetual of the buddhas; enlightened to the perpetual understanding of the buddhas; enter the understanding of the buddhas; enter the perpetual understanding of the buddhasperpetual understanding of the buddhas

Your mind is the Buddha. There is no other Your mind is the Buddha. There is no other BuddhaBuddha

“The Second Patriarch’s Seated Meditation,” Tokyo National Museum

Understanding the SutrasUnderstanding the Sutras

The sutras cannot be in error. They The sutras cannot be in error. They would not impede one’s mindfulness would not impede one’s mindfulness (said To Fada, or Fa-ta, who didn’t (said To Fada, or Fa-ta, who didn’t understand the meaning of the understand the meaning of the sutra and had doubts)sutra and had doubts)

Delusion impedes enlightenment Delusion impedes enlightenment (e.g., according to the (e.g., according to the Lotus SutraLotus Sutra))Deluded in mind, one is turned by the Deluded in mind, one is turned by the

LotusLotusEnlightened in mind, one turns the Enlightened in mind, one turns the

LotusLotus

To recite (with mouth) and to To recite (with mouth) and to practice (with the mind) is to practice (with the mind) is to turn the sutra turn the sutra (zhuan jing(zhuan jing); to ); to recite but not practice (with recite but not practice (with the mind) is to be turned by the mind) is to be turned by the sutra (the sutra (bei jing zhuanbei jing zhuan) ) [said to Fada][said to Fada]

Understanding the meaning of Understanding the meaning of three bodies and four wisdomsthree bodies and four wisdoms

Three bodies and four wisdoms in the Three bodies and four wisdoms in the Lankavatara Sutra Lankavatara Sutra (said to Zhitong, or Chih-(said to Zhitong, or Chih-t’ung, who recited this sutra more than 1,000 t’ung, who recited this sutra more than 1,000 times without understanding the meaning of:)times without understanding the meaning of:)

Three bodies:Three bodies:The true The true dharmakayadharmakaya: (the Buddha as : (the Buddha as

identified with ultimate truth) your natureidentified with ultimate truth) your natureThe perfect The perfect sambhogakaya (the Buddha’s sambhogakaya (the Buddha’s

“heavenly body”)“heavenly body”): your wisdom: your wisdomThe thousand billion The thousand billion nirmanakayanirmanakaya: (the : (the

Buddha’s earthly body) your practiceBuddha’s earthly body) your practice

  Four wisdoms: Four wisdoms:

the great the great roundround, , the universally the universally same same naturenature, , the seeing of the seeing of wondrous wondrous contemplationcontemplation, , what creates that what creates that which is accomplishedwhich is accomplished

Bodhidharma, Kyoto, Myoshin ji

Complete understanding, Complete understanding, complete detachmentcomplete detachment

Not seeing a single Not seeing a single dharma, not maintaining dharma, not maintaining the view of nonbeing, not the view of nonbeing, not knowing a single dharma, knowing a single dharma, not maintaining one’s not maintaining one’s knowledge of emptiness knowledge of emptiness (said to Zhitong)(said to Zhitong)

Three vehicles: (based on Three vehicles: (based on practice)practice) To learn and recite—small To learn and recite—small

vehiclevehicle To be enlightened to the To be enlightened to the

dharma and understand its dharma and understand its meaning—great vehiclemeaning—great vehicle

To penetrate/be equipped To penetrate/be equipped with all the myriad with all the myriad dharmas—supreme vehicledharmas—supreme vehicle

 

Bodhidharma, Anonymous, Song Dynasty, NPM, Taipei

Sudden and GradualSudden and Gradual ““The dharma is without sudden and gradual; The dharma is without sudden and gradual;

it is people that are clever or dull, therefore it is people that are clever or dull, therefore the names of sudden and gradual” (p.91)the names of sudden and gradual” (p.91)

What did Huineng mean by “sudden”?What did Huineng mean by “sudden”? Apprehension of truth/principle all at a single Apprehension of truth/principle all at a single

instance of meditation?instance of meditation? Enlightenment in which all qualities of Buddhahood Enlightenment in which all qualities of Buddhahood

are gained simultaneously through meditation?are gained simultaneously through meditation? From the beginning of meditation to From the beginning of meditation to

enlightenment, how “immediate” can this process enlightenment, how “immediate” can this process and result be defined as “sudden”?and result be defined as “sudden”?

How much weight is given to the meditative How much weight is given to the meditative exercise if it does lead to sudden enlightenment?exercise if it does lead to sudden enlightenment?

Sudden cultivation results in sudden Sudden cultivation results in sudden enlightenment?enlightenment?

Huineng’s theory of meditation

• “Externally, to transcend characteristics is meditation.” “Internally, to be undisturbed is concentration.” (p. 60)– Not “Fix the mind to contemplate purity and sit constantly

without lying down” (p.91)

– Not “seated meditation” that aims at concentration on mind, purity, or motionlessness.” (p.57)

• “Seeing the various realms without the mind being disturbed.” (p. 60)

• “My fundamental self-nature is pure” (p.60)– Within every moment of thought, you should see yourself that

your fundamental nature is pure. (p.61)

Huineng’s Practice of Huineng’s Practice of MeditationMeditation

SamadhiSamadhi of the single practice (or of the single practice (or the “Single-practice the “Single-practice samadhisamadhi”)”)““always practice the single direct mind always practice the single direct mind

in all one’s actions whether walking, in all one’s actions whether walking, standing still, sitting, or lying down.” (p. standing still, sitting, or lying down.” (p. 57)57)

““enlightened to the self-nature”enlightened to the self-nature”Never departs from the self-natureNever departs from the self-natureSeeing the natureSeeing the natureThe self-nature becomes enlightened The self-nature becomes enlightened

itself (p.94)itself (p.94)

RepentanceRepentance• “See your own dharmakaya, see the Buddha within your

own mind” (p.61)• “Five dharmakaya incenses of the self-natures” (p.61)

– Incense of the precepts

– Incense of meditation

– Incense of wisdom

– Incense of emancipation

– Incense of emancipated perpetual understanding• “Formless repentance” (p.62)

– In every moment of thought not subject to the defilements of stupidity, deceitfulness, deception, jealousy, pride, etc.

Huineng’s Three Learnings

• “My morality, meditation, and wisdom are directed to the people of supreme vehicle.”(p.92)

• “my morality, meditation, and wisdom is for exhorting those of great capacities of wisdom” (p.93)

Four Great Vows

Save all sentient beings

Eradicate all afflictions of our own minds

Learn all the teachings of our own minds

Achieve enlightenment of Buddhahood

Formless Precepts of Formless Precepts of the triple refugethe triple refuge

• Take refuge in the Two-legged Honored One of Enlightenment

• Take refuge in the Honored One of the Correct Transcendence of Desire

• Take refuge in the Honored One within the Pure Assembly

• To sum up: take refuge in the “self-Buddha”; take “self-refuge”

Huineng’s Impacts

• Major disciples: Fahai (Fa-hai), Zhicheng (Chih-ch’eng), Fada (Fa-ta), Shenhui (Shen-hui), Zhichang (Chih-ch’ang), Zhitong (Chih-t’ung), Zhiche (Chih-ch’e), Zhitao (Chih-tao), Fazhen (Fa-chen), Faru (Fa-ju)

• Shenhui made Huineng and his Chan prevail

• Theory of sudden enlightenment, seeing one’s Buddha mind and Buddha nature, no-thought, complete detachment, the single dharma, non-duality of meditation and wisdom, supreme vehicle, master’s authority

Chan Study and Chan Study and Encounter DialogueEncounter Dialogue

Southern Chan: the “Direct pointing Southern Chan: the “Direct pointing into mind” entailsinto mind” entailsMaster-disciple relationshipMaster-disciple relationshipCompatibility between the master and the Compatibility between the master and the

disciplediscipleTrue lineage of Southern ChanTrue lineage of Southern Chan

Five houses: Fayan (Fa-yen), Kuiyang (K’uei-Five houses: Fayan (Fa-yen), Kuiyang (K’uei-yang), Yunmen (Yun-men), Linji (Lin-chi), yang), Yunmen (Yun-men), Linji (Lin-chi), Caodong (Ts’ao-tung)Caodong (Ts’ao-tung)

Chan adepts traveled to Chan Chan adepts traveled to Chan monasteries to seek truth master and monasteries to seek truth master and true dharmatrue dharma

Gongan (Kung-an, Koan)Gongan (Kung-an, Koan) Chan Chan

AA Kung-an Kung-an is usually a story drawn is usually a story drawn from Chan historical accounts that from Chan historical accounts that contain stories/records regarding a contain stories/records regarding a disciple’s awakening process.disciple’s awakening process.It entails an enigmatic question It entails an enigmatic question

posed to a disciple by a master to posed to a disciple by a master to solicit a creative and insightful solicit a creative and insightful answeranswer

• The Liji (Rinzai) Lineage/School, regarded as The Liji (Rinzai) Lineage/School, regarded as

the most influential of the “five houses of Chan”, the most influential of the “five houses of Chan”,

used used Kung-an, or GonganKung-an, or Gongan (Jpn. (Jpn. KoanKoan) to facilitate ) to facilitate

learning and understanding of the dharma and learning and understanding of the dharma and

enlightenment;enlightenment;• The approach is said to have been effective in The approach is said to have been effective in

helping disciples to advance their Chan learning helping disciples to advance their Chan learning

and realizationand realization• Master would shout/scream at the disciple, and beat him with

a stick if the answer is based on a rational/logical thinking and

does not show any insight..