What seems to be somewhat hidden from people is the simple fact that all the Zen stories, and practically everything we know of Huineng and the majority of famous teachers, are found in written form, actually most of them right there in the Buddhist canon. And those Zen texts are not really actual records but rather refined literary and religious works created for an educated audience. So, Zen iconoclasm and anti-textualism is as authentic as a multimillionaire preaching about the beauties of poverty.Jikan wrote:Yes, I'm sure he did; he was trying to help those who were addicted to their studies and the rather constipated one-up-manship that can ensue from debate culture to realize their nature directly.seeker242 wrote:Huineng must have had a good reason to lock the library.
Applied Wisdom
Re: Applied Wisdom
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?
2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.
3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.
4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.
1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?
2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.
3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.
4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.
1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
Re: Applied Wisdom
Yes, for the benefit of all. While Buddhism is not an endless accumulation of apprehended things, apprehensions are neccesary to realize what is not apprehended.So many great masters in the past didn't miss opportunities to hear, study, and reflect on the Dharma.
Wisdom-Compassion, is said, is humble and open to recieve from all.