Jingju Temple (净居寺 - Jing Ju Si) was built during the Tang Dynasty (705), and its initial name was "An Yin Temple" (安隐寺 - An Yin Si). In the second year of Kaiyuan during the Tang Dynasty (714), Ch’an Master Xingsi (行思) was entrusted by the Sixth Patriarch Huineng to travel from Nanhua Temple to Qingyuan, to open up a Buddhist Training Hall and promote the Ch’an method of "Sudden Enlightenment". Xingsi passed away in the twenty-eighth year of Kaiyuan during the Tang Dynasty (741), Located in Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province, this temple was the ancestral court of the Qingyuan School of Ch'an Buddhism. From this, it is divided into three schools: the Caodong School, the Yunmen School, and the Fayan School, which has influenced as far as Korea and Japan and Southeast Asia.
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Zhusheng Temple - which was formerly known as the Yingxiang (迎祥) Temple, and also as Bo Yu'an (钵盂庵) - is a huge complex of Buddhist monastic buildings situated on Jizu (鸡足) Mountain. The venerable old monk ‘Xu Yun’ (虚云) used his pure influence near and far to raise funds and materials to re-build and enlarge this structure. The Qing Emperor ‘Guangxiu’ (光绪) gave the temple the name ‘Hu Gou Zhu Sheng’ (护国祝圣) Temple or ‘Guard Country Pray Sage’. It is part of the far larger ‘Ten Directions Forest Tradition Great Monastic Residence’ (十方丛林大刹 - Shi Fang Cong Lin Da Sha). With a total area of 13,350 square meters, in 1984, The State Council designated Zhusheng Temple as a ‘key’ national Buddhist Temple in the Han tradition, and a prime Buddhist open event venue.
During the Jiajing (嘉靖) period of the Ming Dynasty, the temple was abandoned and eventually re-built as the Yingxiang ((迎祥) Temple. During the reign of the late Ming Dynasty Emperor ‘Chongzhen’ (崇祯) - between the end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth-lunar month (from the end of December 1638 to the beginning of the first solar-month of 1639), is the time when ‘Xu Xaike’ (徐霞客) and his extended family went on a tour of the Jizu Mountains. In his book entitled ‘徐霞客游记’ (Xu Xia Ke You Ji) - or ‘Xu Xiake’s Travel Journal’ - he records that he only toured the Jizu Mountains to specifically visit the ‘Yingxiamg’ (迎祥) or ‘Welcome Auspicious’ Temple! During the Ming Dynasty the Yingxiang Temple was famous and a favourite place for the ordinary people to congregate and the great Buddhist monastics to abide within! During the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor ‘Guangxu’ (光绪) the ‘Yongxiang’ Temple was already in a dilapidated state! Master Xu Yun (虚云) took-on the task of repairing and extending this Buddhist monastic construction – a task which was completed during 1909 – when the complex was granted the name ‘Zhusheng’ (祝圣) Temple! Attraction Name: Zhusheng Temple Alias: Yingxiang Temple, Boyu'an Location: Binchuan County, east of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province Climate type: low-latitude plateau monsoon climate Opening hours: 07:30-19:00; Chinese statutory holidays are open all day; ropeway, sightseeing car business hours: 08:30-17:00 Affiliated Scenic Area: Jizu Mountain Scenic level: AAAA level Bus: Jizu Mountain is located in Jizushan Town, Binchuan County, 33 kilometers away from the county seat and 103 kilometers away from Dali. To Jizu Mountain, you can take a direct coach from Kunming to Binchuan County, or take a minibus from Dali Bus Station (500 meters next to Dali Railway Station) to Binchuan County. Jinniu Town, where the county seat is located, has several minibuses to and from Jizu Mountain every day. The ticket is 15 yuan and the journey takes about 1 hour. Self-Driving: Self-driving from Xiaguan, you can continue along the Jizu Mountain tourist highway from Haidong via Dali Airport, passing the Yinerlubin Tunnel, the historical and cultural village of Bai nationality in Liaocun, the wild duck pond natural scenic spot, Shangcang wetland, Xiacang pastoral Scenery, high-quality grape base, ten thousand acres of orange orchard, Huaqiao Reservoir scenic spot, etc., finally arrive at the Jizu Mountain tourist scenic spot. Original Chinese Language Text: http://www.tanluxia.com/24495/ 关于祝圣寺 来自:读者投稿 发表于 2018-5-8 祝圣寺原名迎祥寺,又名钵盂庵, 是鸡足山一座庞大的建筑群,系虚云和尚亲自在国内外募化功德创建,清光绪赐名“护国祝圣寺”,为十方丛林大刹,总面积1.335万平方米,1984年,国务院确定祝圣寺为汉族地区佛教全国重点寺院、佛教开放活动场所。明朝嘉靖年间废庵建成迎祥寺。明末崇祯十一年底至十二年的正月(公元1638年12月底至 1639年正月),大旅行家徐霞客云游鸡足山后,在《徐霞客游记》的有关鸡足山部分中,只简单地点到迎祥寺。可见在明代时,迎祥寺在鸡足山众多寺庙中的地 位还远未体现出来。迎祥寺到清朝光绪年间时,已破败不堪,到宣统六年(公元1909年)后才得以重修,并改名为祝圣寺。 景点名称:祝圣寺 别称:迎祥寺、钵盂庵 地理位置:云南省大理白族自治州东部宾川县境内 气候类型:低纬度高原季风气候 开放时间:07:30-19:00;中国法定节假日 全天开放;索道、观光车营业时间:08:30 - 17:00 所属景区:鸡足山 景区级别:AAAA级 交通指南: 公交车: 鸡足山在宾川县鸡足山镇,距县城33公里,距大理103公里。到鸡足山可从昆明乘直达宾川县的长途汽车,或在大理汽车站(大理火车站旁五百米)乘中巴车到宾川县城。县城所在地金牛镇每天都有数班中巴车往返于鸡足山。车票15元,行程大约1小时。 自驾车: 自驾车从下关出发,可自海东经大理机场后继续沿鸡足山旅游公路行驶,途经引洱入宾隧道、萂村白族历史文化名村、野鸭塘自然景区、上沧湿地、下沧田园风光、优质葡萄基地、万亩桔园、花桥水库景区等,最后到达鸡足山旅游景区。 Compared to its popularity experienced during the prosperous times of the Tang and Song Dynasties, Chinese Ch’an Buddhism gradually declined during the middle-Qing Dynasty, and disappeared from public (or ‘obvious’) view by the end of the Qing Dynasty. However, after a long period of integration between Ch’an Buddhism and local Chinese culture, the Ch’an lineages went underground and were passed on within the deep roots of everyday Chinese culture. This is why Ch’an Buddhism survived into the Republic of China time period, and experienced a revival. There were eminent monastics such as Darma Master ‘Jing An’ (敬安), Dharma Master ‘Yuan Ying’ (圆瑛) and Great Master ‘Tai Xu’ (太虚), this is as well as excellent work of the Venerable Old Monk ‘Xu Yun’ (虚云), Ch’an Master Lai Guo (来果), Dharma Master ‘Ming Zhen’ (明真), Dharma Master ‘Yin Shun’ (印顺) and Ch’an Master Yue Xi (月溪). All these Buddhist monastics breathed new life into the Ch’an Dharma due to their collective presence and extraordinary endeavours. However, this revitalisation was not only a monastic affair, as these ordained Masters received very important assistance from esteemed lay-practitioners such as ‘Yuan Huanxian’ (袁焕仙), Jia Jitao (贾题韬) and ‘Nan Huaijin’ (南怀瑾). Indeed, Chinese Ch’an Buddhism survived due to the efforts of enlightened lay-practitioners who inherited and transmitted lineages ‘behind the scenes’ until the monastic institutions had recovered and could produce monks and nuns capable of receiving, teaching and continuing transmission into the modern times.
The Old Venerable Monk Xu Yun is an outstanding representative of this process who tried his best to revitalize Ch’an Buddhism from within the late Qing Dynasty. He preached the Dharma throughout his life, and continued the Five Schools of Ch’an with a straight and capable heir. He studied the Sutras deeply, practiced meditation profoundly and mastered many different meditation methods, He understood Ch’an Practice, how to apply Ch’an practic and how to deal with the many false-paths and dead insights that many encounter whilst practicing Ch’an meditation or experiencing the Ch’an method. In-short, Master Xu Yun recovered the entire pathway of authentic Chinese Ch’an Buddhist practice. With a broad and all-encompassing mind, he united and consolidated the Five Schools of Ch’an, and encouraged an integration between Ch’an and the Pure Land School. This is why in China today he is known as the ‘禅宗泰斗’ (Chan Zong Tai Dou) - or ‘Ch’an Lineage Leading Authority’. https://tieba.baidu.com/p/1393291013 相对于唐宋时期的兴盛,禅宗在清中叶以后逐渐凋零,到清末已衰颓至极。但是,禅宗与中华本土文化经过长期的融合,根深蒂固,终未至于失传绝嗣的地步,至民国时期,禅宗仍然法脉绵延,宗风犹存,不仅有敬安法师、圆瑛法师、太虚大师、虚云老和尚、来果禅师、明真法师、印顺法师、月溪禅师等一批高僧大德主持佛法,重振禅宗,更有袁焕仙、贾题韬、南怀瑾等一批长者、居士大力扶持,继承变革,成为禅宗由近代走向现代的滥觞。 虚云老和尚是晚清以来竭力振兴禅宗的杰出代表。他毕生弘法,以一身直嗣或远续了禅门五宗的法脉。他深究经藏,修习禅定,在禅修方法、禅境分析、禅病对治等方面都有见地,形成一套完整系统的禅学理论。又以广博的胸怀,融会诸宗,禅净双修,广弘禅教,被誉为“禅宗泰斗”。下面就虚云老和尚的弘教事业和禅学思想分别介绍。 Third Lay-Meditation Retreat Successfully Held at Donghua (东华) Ch’an Temple - End of August – 201411/23/2021 A full and complete ‘Ch’an Week Retreat’ was held within the Donghua Ch’an Temple between the 25th - 31st of August, 2014. The content and format of this meditation session remained basically the same as the two previous two Ch’an Week Retreats, except that the requirements for the students on this occasion was much stricter, with more than 90% of the students voluntarily requesting a far greater silence! In order to facilitate the reduction of ‘delusive’ movement in the mind and to facilitate the ‘stilling’ of the mind ‘realisation’ – the three-meals served each day in the ‘Fast Hall’ (斋堂 - Zhai Tang) were administered each day according to the Strict Vinaya Discipline as required by the ‘Arahant’ (罗汉 - Luo Han) tradition of rules followed by ordained Buddhist monks and nuns. The lay practitioners were amazed to experience this vehicle for ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ stillness and benefitted greatly from its practice! For many of the lay-practitioners – tis was the first-time they had encountered a deliberately ‘conscious’ approach to ‘eating’ and ‘drinking’ - realising just how integrated with ‘greed’, ‘hatred’ and ‘delusion’ such apparently ‘mundane’ activities can involve! The 'Great Venerable' - and 'Head Monk' - Qi Xiang (起香): 'All Things Are Gathered Together from Across the Ten Directions into a Single 'Still' Moment. This is where You Learn 'Wuwei' (无为) - Or How 'Action' and 'Inaction' Embrace One-Another Without Conflict. The Realised 'Empty' and 'Still' Mind Permeates and 'Purifies a Complete Buddha-Field! All This is Achieved Through Cultivating an All-Embracing 'Empty Mind' Within Which All-Thing Arise and Pass Away!' Dear Gillian
What is interesting is that after decades of effective inner and outer martial arts practice, I have arrived at a profound 'stable' state of mind, body and spirit (whatever that is). This journey has traversed many inner and outer levels or states of being. Mostly, this has included a logical approach to physical training motivated by 'doubt' a) in the process itself, and b) in my ability to keep-up the practice or c) to carry-out the prescribed practice correctly. This 'doubt' was inward whilst the physical 'outer' Chinese martial arts techniques were superb and highly effective. This 'doubt' (which ceased to function about 14-years-ago in c. 2007) acted like a force of magnetism drawing my 'uncertain' inner-being toward to the solid and stable outer-structure of the martial arts techniques and how they might be used in self-defence (function) and mind and body health and fitness (longevity). There is now a great awareness. A great all-embracing sense of psychological being that appears to be united with mind, body and environment. This unity I term 'spiritual' because all this seems 'transcendent'. Of course, whilst being driven on by the inner doubt to practice physical martial arts (as a form of 'armouring' against external attack), I also committed myself to intense Ch'an meditative practice as a means to 'uproot' this doubt which all motivating throughout my entire life to 'take action' in many different arenas - it also contained an element of 'weakness'. As I interpreted this 'weaknesses' as a major problem that a) held me back in a state of fearful 'non-action', or b) sabotaged physical actions so as to render all exertion completely pointless! The mind 'cleared' and 'expanded' - it became all-embracing so that the body stopped appearing to be 'outside' of it and took its place entirely within psychological awareness. Although I had my initial experiences of the realisation of a 'still' and 'empty' mind with its awareness expanding and embracing all things around 1990 - it took another 15-years for this experience to settle-down (2005), and about another two or three years for all vestiges of 'doubt' to completely dissolve (2007/8). What did happen around 1990, however, is that my physical use of outer Chinese martial arts technique deepened, expanded and matured, and since the time of 'teaching' in my own right (as opposed to 'training' under a teacher) - I have never lost a fight in the training hall. (Around a year before this experience, I was following a strict Chinese (Mahayana) Buddhist 'monastic' regime and sitting in meditation for hours a day practicing the hua tou 'Who is hearing?' Suddenly, whilst sitting in my 'cell' and without warning, my mind 'ceased to move' becomingly utterly and completely 'still'. This was accompanied by deep sense of permanent ecstasy! My Chinese teachers correctly taught me with 'silence' - whilst my Western teacher Richard Hunn (1949-2006) - my Western Ch'an teacher - correctly taught me with words! Ironically, he drew my attention to the authentic Chinese Ch'an texts. 'Neither be attached to the (realised) inner void - nor hindered by (the 'external') hindering phenomena'. It was deep within the 'silence' of my Chinese Ch'an Masters (including Chan Tin Sang [1924-1993] that I discovered the poignant meaning of Richard Hunn's spiritually 'vibrant' words. This is how I knew that Richard Hunn was correct in his understanding. Later, this dual instruction [into non-duality] led to the next shift in perspective This occurred a year later after a further period of intense practice, and was a product of a complete change or 'turning about' [see the 'Lankavatara Sutra'] at the deepest essence of the mind. It was such a profound and important 'first principle' that I nearly omitted it from the list of all the important events! I was once meditating sat on the ground outside 'returning' all sensory data 'back to its 'empty ground' essence - when a cool and refreshing Summer's freeze blew gently across my face. Suddenly, my mind instantaneously 'turned the right way around' immediately abandoning its previous 'inverted' functionality and appeared to 'expand', assume an 'all-embracing' position of being, whilst this 'new awareness' thoroughly permeated the physical-body and penetrated the physical universe throughout the past, present, and future! This permanent shift in psychological and physical manifestation changed 'me' from the DNA-chemical foundation upward and influenced all the views and opinions I now hold!) This includes not only transforming the experience of sparring with students (which is now unified experience premised upon wisdom, loving kindness and compassion) - but also manifested within the otherwise 'brutal' realm of 'honour fights' whereby unknown and unfamiliar individuals suddenly turn-up at my training hall and (disrespectfully) ask to spar! They wish to gain fame and fortune through 'out of control' violence which involves (for them) the 'beating' and 'exposing' a local (Chinese) gongfu teacher! How did this happen? I think whereas my opponents were still motivated by a deep and profound sense of 'doubt' (often involving a profound 'self-hatred') - I no longer experienced this 'doubt' which 'divides' human-beings during combat. Doubt by this time in my life had become nothing more than a profound sense of enhanced 'awareness' full of compassion and understanding. This is all held in place by a physical (martial) ability that can use 'gentleness' just as easily as 'harshness' to 'control' or 'regulate' physical interactions. Signed: Adrian Chan-Wyles [陳恒豫 - Chan Heng Yu] (22.11.2021) - '釋大道' (Shi Da Dao) Witnessed and Authenticated by Yau, Gee-Cheuk [邱芷芍] (22.11.2021) - 'Gee Wyles' - Wife of Adrian Chan-Wyles December 06, 2007 09:30 China’s Five Thousand Years of Culture Network - Editor: Xue Fei (薛斐)
The main contribution of (Western) Analytical Philosophy in the history of human thinking is: it believes that many problems that bother people are actually not problems at all, they are just "false problems." Some questions have not been answered satisfactorily for a long time, not because people have limited abilities, but because the way of asking questions is inherently problematic. Once you follow the train of thought of asking questions in this way, you will sooner or later lead people into a dilemma of infinite ‘no answer’. Therefore, analytical philosophy strives to drive all false questions out of the scope of human thinking, so that people can obtain peace of mind by simply ‘not thinking’ about certain topics. Similarly, Chinese Ch’an also states that there are many false problems, but its technique of dealing with these problems is different to that of analytical philosophy. Chinese Ch’an teaches that only by restoring the ‘genuine’ or ‘underlying’ questioner (or ‘perceiving the empty mind ground from which ALL questions arise’) can the problems these questions represent be avoided in the genuine sense. Therefore, just as the Western academic scholars might ‘give voice’ to these false questions - the Chinese Ch’an Master refuses to give a positive answer, but crucially, (and often a point not acknowledged in the West) the Ch’an Master does not give a negative answer. However, it should be pointed out that the distinction between true and false questions within analytical philosophy is also inherently problematic: if the boundary is meaningless (and lacks ‘substance’), then the true question, regardless of its scope, cannot be properly ‘fixed’, ‘located’ or even ‘asked’; on the other-hand, if the question is too meaningful - and possesses definite ‘boundaries’ of import, then it cannot represent the problem of inherent ‘falsity’ as it has ‘concretised’ into something ‘real’ and ‘limited’ in time and space. The recent developments in Western thinking are repeatedly attempting to explain this dialectical problem and double-bind, but in so doing, tend to favour the ‘negation’ of the question. This has led some Western scholars to mistakenly assume that they are implementing a ‘Chinese Ch’an solution’, but this is not the case. As far as Ch’an is concerned, all questions are unnecessary movements of the surface mind, nothing but habitual contrivances that manifest as ‘false questions’ mistakenly interpreted as being both ‘valid’ and structurally ‘three-dimensional’ in the material world! The tetrelemma of Nagarjuna explains the Ch’an position – 1) everything ‘is’, 2) Everything ‘is not’, 3) Everything both ‘is’ and ‘is not’ and 4) everything is neither ‘is’ and ‘is not’ - so what's the problem? Only the intrinsic realisation of the ‘self-nature’ (as the ‘empty mind ground’) denotes a "person who is not deceived by others", and ‘who understands the law perpetually at peace’. Once enlightened, the problems of defilement, true delusion, life and death - and many other conflicts - although not resolved in the conventional sense, have been completely eliminated in the delusional sense. In other words, all (deluded) questions disappear before they ‘arise’ - as the habitual (inner) conditions that formulate a ‘dualistic’ and ‘suffering-inducing’ question in the mind - have been perpetually ‘removed’. In contrast, the development of analytic philosophy is very incomplete. It merely attempts to persuades people not to pay attention to the various problems relating to ‘value’ and ‘freedom’ that are incapable of being subjected to ‘reason’, leading to these metaphysical issues still plaguing everyone who lives a serious life. Ch’an Buddhism is different. Its resolution of problems brings people a real "usefulness", which is the tranquillity and clarity of the whole (united) inner and outer being. The Ch’an method permeates the depths of people's hearts and breaks the source of delusion in one fell swoop. How can the complexity and difficulty the Ch’an method employs be conceived and inferred through the narrow experiences and thinking associated with everyday existence? In summary, what this article is trying to illustrate is just this: Ch’an Buddhism is a part of the entire Buddhist system, no matter how much Ch’an surpasses the Buddha and the ancestors. If you want to keep your understanding of Ch’an from deviating, you should also find a basis within the sutras and understand it from the entire Buddhist philosophical background. At present, there are no other thought systems that can properly interpret Ch’an. If you abandon the scriptures, rely on your own brains, and adhere to Ch’an with some kind of thinking that suits your taste, even if you don’t enter the cave of deluded ghosts, you will eventually fall into a ‘dead void’. These are the products of a lack of genuine knowledge with regard to Ch’an self-cultivation. The ‘Perfect Enlightenment’ Sutra (圆觉经 - Yuan Jue Jing) says ‘The Tathagata-Realm is infinite and an individual mind (and heart) cannot fathom its vastness through an egotistical self-effort – which is like a firefly trying to impossibly burn the infinite dimensions of Mount Sumeru!’ The Western mind needs to breakout of its own self-contained isolation and comprehend the limitations that this cultural programming entails. https://fo.ifeng.com/guandian/200712/1206_17_47728_1.shtml 禅宗西行——禅VS现代西方思潮 2007年12月06日 09:30中华五千年网 分析哲学在人类思想史上的主要贡献为:它认为许多困扰人的问题实际上根本不成其问题,它们只不过是些“假问题”。有些问题许久以来得不到满意的回答,不是因为人能力有限,而是提问的方式本身就有问题,一旦顺提问的思路走下去,迟早会将人引入两难的困境。因此,分析哲学力图将所有假问题赶出人类思考的范围,使人获得心灵的宁静。 与之相似,禅宗也认为存在许多虚假的问题,它处理这些问题的方法也是治疗的方法,认为只有使发问者恢复健全,才能避免这些问题的困扰。所以一旦参学者提出这些假问题,禅师不是给予正面回答,但也不给予否定,而直接一棒一喝,截断学人的攀缘妄想了事。 但应该指出的是,分析哲学对真问题、假问题的划分本身就很成问题:如果这个界限是无意义的,那么就不能对真问题的范围加以限定;如果这个问题是有意义的,它便不能陈述假问题。西方思想近来的发展也一再说明了这一划界的错误,但指出任何真问题都不可能存在的,却只有禅宗。 就禅宗的究极来说,但凡问题都是假问题。诸法实相离四句、绝百非、一尘不染,哪有什么问题呢?只有内证自性,便是“不受人惑的人”,明了法本如如、迷人自扰。一旦开悟,染净问题、真妄问题、生死问题……等诸多对立,虽然没解决,但却已被彻底消解掉了。也就是说,一切问题在被回答之前就消失了。 与此相比,分析哲学的消解便是很不彻底的。它只是在理智中劝说人们不要关注理智无能为力的价值问题、自由问题,但这些形而上问题仍困扰着每一个认真生活的人。禅宗却不同,它对问题的消解带给人以真实的“受用”,是整个心灵的宁静与澄明。它潜入到人内心的深处,一举打破妄念的源头,其中的复杂与艰难岂是靠狭隘经验与思量所能设想和推断的。 综上絮絮所言,本文试图说明的,不过是这样一点:禅宗再超佛越祖,它也是整个佛法大系的一部分。如要使对禅的理解不至于发生偏差,还应从经藏中找依据,从整个佛学背景来理解。在当前,还没有什么其余的思想可以恰当地诠释禅宗,如果舍弃经论,靠自家脑筋计度,以某种合自己口味的思想来附会禅宗,即便不入鬼窟,也终会两眼茫茫、不知所以。正如《圆觉经》所说:“以思维心测度如来境界,如萤火烧须弥山,终不能着。”以上对西方思潮的评判,只是两个浅近的例子而已。 Misconceptions about Ch'an in the West are premised upon a lack of genuine insight into Chinese culture and Chinese language sources. This approach 'assumes' things to be true because of a general lack of authentic knowledge. Once a misconception is developed in the West it is then 'shared' and 'spread' throughout the population. Like Halley's Comet - such an error of interpretation circumnavigates the Western thought community with monotonous regulatory This error of thought is nothing other than a habit of thought tat should be realised as such and thoroughly abandoned! The 'Hua Tou', for instance, is NOT a 'crucial' or 'critical' phrase as the deluded Zennists would have you believe. On the contrary, any and all 'hua tou' performs the function of 'returning' the six-senses (and their sensory-data) back to the 'empty mind ground' which is neither 'perception' nor 'non-perception'. It is that simple. This suggests that whatever the deluded Zennists can generate in their habitual surface mind - the 'hua tou' can return to its 'empty essence' - as no arbitrary thought formation is exempt from this process. Confusing the 'hua tou' (話頭) with a 'gongan' (公案) and vice versa is laughable and just the tip of the iceberg for the average Western Ch'an practitioner. All these pitfalls can be negated by applying the Hua Tou method properly and in all circumstances - this is part of how the Dhamma will protect you in ALL circumstances! Master Xu Yun (1840-1959) taught that the proper use of the 'Hua Tou' is a continuous and unending process of returning sense-data to its empty mind ground essence! In this sense, and to this extent, there can be no legitimate answer to the use of the Hua Tou (as each answer must also be 'returned'), and no satisfactory 'completion' for the contemplation of a 'gong-an'. The Western intellect, as sharp and concise as it is, is not designed to answer the Hua Tou and gong-an problem - as any answer emerging from and lying within the domain of duality itself merely serves as another contrived part of the problem that require deconstruction! In other words, it is clear that Westerners CANNOT 'out-think' or 'out-contrive' the Hua Tou and gpng-an methods as both are simultaneously comprised of pre-thought, current thought and post-thought components that exist superimposed one strata upon the other, so that each facet of inherent awareness immediately adjusts for the other, should it come under any undue (external) pressure from the adherent! The 'this worldly' approach exhibited by Zennists tends to turn the Hua Tou (and 'gong-an') into nothing more than an exotic fetish competing for 'clicks' and 'prevalence' on internet searches! It is the 'other world' that a practitioner of Chinese Ch'an should be aiming - if only to 'release' the ultimate non-substantiality of the 'inner' and the 'outer'!
From an 'old' transmission document translated in the English language. An extract of the 'Xin Xin Ming' (信心銘) as compiled by the Third Chinese Ch'an Patriarch - 'Sangcan' (僧璨) - given to humanity and all living-beings!
A beautiful red-bronze and gilt silver seated Shakyamuni Buddha constructed in Tibet between the 13th - 14th centuries. 十三至十四世纪 西藏鎏金铜错银及红铜释迦牟尼佛坐像.
Given that the prevailing subjective and objective conditions have not proven favourable for this otherwise interesting, groundbreaking and self-empowering opportunity, the International Ch'an Buddhist Institute (ICBI) is a) rescinding and abolishing the project of the 'Open Transmission' of the associated Master Xu Yun (1840-1959) lineage - effective immediately, b) Cancelling any subsequent lineage transmissions - either 'implied' or 'conformed' - through the use of this initiative, and c) clarify that the ICBI does not recognise, endorse or support any subsequent, assumed or further transmissions made by current ICBI Members using this agency to other (unknown) individuals outside the ICBI. Lineage transmission is a grave and serious undertaking and although much emphasis is placed in the West upon 'effort', 'determination' and 'respect' - this appears not to yet apply to matters of a non-material or non-acquisitioned nature. In this matter of realising the empty mind ground there will be no supporting of any type of greed, hatred or delusion. The 'Great Doubting mind' will be re-emphasised time and time again to keep the genuine Chinese Ch'an Lineage of Master Xu Yun (1840-1959) both 'pure' and free from 'corruption'. if you experience 'agitation' in your mind at this announcement - 'good' as you will not pass through this 'Gate' a second time in this lifetime whilst I guard it. Set your mind on realising genuine Enlightenment and all barriers will instantly melt away!
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AuthorAdrian Chan-Wyles (釋大道 - Shi Da Dao) is permitted to retain his Buddhist Monastic Dharma-Name within Lay-society by decree of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese Buddhist Association (1992). A Buddhist monastic (and devout lay-practitioner) upholds the highest levels of Vinaya Discipline and Bodhisattva Vows. A Genuine Buddhist ‘Venerates’ the ‘Dao’ (道) as he or she penetrates the ‘Empty Mind-Ground' through meditative insight. A genuine Buddhist is humble, wise and peace-loving – and he or she selflessly serves all in existence in the past, present and the future, and residing within the Ten Directions – whilst retaining a vegetarian- vegan diet. Please be kind to animals! Archives
November 2023
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