Search found 279 matches

by ItsRaining
Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:26 pm
Forum: Introductions
Topic: Introducing myself: Charles Jones
Replies: 6
Views: 685

Re: Introducing myself: Charles Jones

Hello, I'm Charles b. Jones. I have been a scholar of Buddhism for thirty years, and have newly retired. I specialized in Buddhism in Taiwan, Late Ming dynasty gentry Buddhism, and Pure Land. I myself practice Pure Land after the teachings of Yunqi Zhuhong and Yinguang. I really enjoyed your books!
by ItsRaining
Thu Sep 21, 2023 8:26 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Dharmaguptaka abhidharma manual
Replies: 3
Views: 473

Re: Dharmaguptaka abhidharma manual

In terms of Abhidharma we normally study Yogacara materials in the East Asian tradition. The most popular is a very short treatise by Vasubandhu, “Clarifying the Hundred Dharmas”, it was written for lay people so it’s quite succinct and acts as a good introduction. Kosa is not as popular to study th...
by ItsRaining
Fri Jul 28, 2023 12:50 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 19201

Re: American Soto Zen

But my point remains that a spectrum also exists (whether mainstream in Japan and/or the west or not) that your, and Meido's analysis fails to capture. Please forgive me my lack of response, but could you please point out what I did not respond to? Of course I cannot take responsibility for Rev. Me...
by ItsRaining
Thu Jul 27, 2023 2:48 pm
Forum: Tendai
Topic: Are there the concepts of Ri [理] and Ji [事] in the classical sources of Tiantai/Tendai thought?
Replies: 5
Views: 1432

Re: Are there the concepts of Ri [理] and Ji [事] in the classical sources of Tiantai/Tendai thought?

When establishing the Gohonzon mandala, Nichiren expounded it in terms of Ji no Ichinen Sanzen (Ichinen Sanzen of the phenomenal world), opposing it to the Tiantai/Tendai concepts classifying it as Ri no Ichinen Sanzen (Ichinen Sanzen of the essential world). However, as far as I know, the concepts...
by ItsRaining
Wed Jul 26, 2023 9:18 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 19201

Re: American Soto Zen

Keizan did teach koans the same as Rinzai schools. In his Ten Questions on Zen he recommends practicing the “does a dog have Buddha nature” koan using dahui’s instructions. Ah, yeah, the Ten Questions. Of which Bodiford writes: Sōjiji possesses a list of ten questions that Godaigo supposedly submit...
by ItsRaining
Tue Jul 25, 2023 10:55 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 19201

Re: American Soto Zen

Already Keizan might be too dengerous for present day soto, since he did not advocate shikan taza, but koan or susokukan. Shikan taza was like for most gifted. Do you have a source for this? If you're talking about Zazen Yojinki, I think this is an overstatement. To practice sitting, find a quiet p...
by ItsRaining
Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:14 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 19201

Re: American Soto Zen

What you are suggesting is that in one generation “American Soto” has evolved into a “distinct” tradition. This is a ludicrous assertion. Have some humility. I noticed this too. A lot of people in the west seem to imagine that a process of indiginisation as something they can accomplish in a single...
by ItsRaining
Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:05 am
Forum: Dzogchen
Topic: Advaita Vedanta and Dzogchen
Replies: 313
Views: 24032

Re: Advaita Vedanta and Dzogchen

Lay meditation is a very new thing. So it's helpful to understand for whom meditation will be contra-indicated, what types of meditation produce what types of risks, etc. That's why the science matters. Our traditions and teachers aren't well prepared for the range of outcomes that can occur in thi...
by ItsRaining
Mon Jan 09, 2023 1:40 am
Forum: Nyingma
Topic: what is the latest news of khenpo Sodargye?
Replies: 13
Views: 1938

Re: what is the latest news of khenpo Sodargye?

I still receive regular updates from his mailing list. I was lucky to catch some of his live zoom teachings during the pandemic. I think he may have stopped live broadcasts to keep a low profile although he is still posting recorded teachings on FB. Online religious events like Zoom now have to be ...
by ItsRaining
Thu Jan 05, 2023 4:13 am
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: A valid voice crying in the wilderness
Replies: 39
Views: 2989

Re: A valid voice crying in the wilderness

Does anyone have a copy or know how to get a copy of Huifeng's "Old School Emptiness: Hermeneutics, Criticism, and Tradition in the Narrative of Śūnyatā" which is cited positively many times in this letter? I can't seem to find any real traces of it online. https://www.cambridge.org/core/...
by ItsRaining
Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:12 am
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: A valid voice crying in the wilderness
Replies: 39
Views: 2989

Re: A valid voice crying in the wilderness

You know I googled the guy he was criticising for not being an academic, Ji Yun, and a quick google search reveals he did a PhD on Buddhist Textual Studies at Fudan and is a professor at the Singaporean Buddhist Academy. Hardly "not an academic".
by ItsRaining
Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:56 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: Dogen's literary style
Replies: 17
Views: 1721

Re: Dogen's literary style

I wonder if the confusing writings of Dogen has to do with translation choices. I read some Chinese translations of Dogen after the English and it was 10 times clearer without the same confusing style Do you have any recommendations for Chinese translations? :smile: Someone posted the whole transla...
by ItsRaining
Wed Oct 19, 2022 3:36 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: Dogen's literary style
Replies: 17
Views: 1721

Re: Dogen's literary style

I wonder if the confusing writings of Dogen has to do with translation choices. I read some Chinese translations of Dogen after the English and it was 10 times clearer without the same confusing style
by ItsRaining
Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:13 pm
Forum: Seon
Topic: Highest Texts/Sutras/Tantras for Seon Buddhism?
Replies: 9
Views: 1343

Re: Highest Texts/Sutras/Tantras for Seon Buddhism?

Traditional Curriculum of Korean Seon Very interesting curriculum of study for Seon monks. This was a traditional curriculum in Korea that was formed out of the 16-18th centuries. I think this list is quite good, it basically presents the foundational sutric and sastric texts that form the basis of ...
by ItsRaining
Thu Sep 15, 2022 10:15 pm
Forum: Seon
Topic: Compass of Zen Teaching
Replies: 23
Views: 2199

Re: Compass of Zen Teaching

I’m still working on the first several pages before he summarizes several sutras key to Zen teachings, including the Heart Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and more. WOW! But first, this is the top of page 5: page 5.jpg In studying this I noted the symbols in the center are not translated. Can anyone tran...
by ItsRaining
Wed Aug 31, 2022 4:12 am
Forum: Gelug
Topic: Tsongkhapa on Yogacara and the existence of external objects?
Replies: 34
Views: 6517

Re: Tsongkhapa on Yogacara and the existence of external objects?

The text seems to rebate your words: >But not all idealists are Hegelian, absolute idealists. Among idealisms, Vasubandhu’s is more closely aligned with Kant’s, in that both assert that the objects of our experience are only representations, while both also affirm the reality of unknowable things i...
by ItsRaining
Sun Aug 14, 2022 3:36 am
Forum: Chan
Topic: Differences between Taiwan Chan Schools??
Replies: 2
Views: 1040

Re: Differences between Taiwan Chan Schools??

FGS is the largest and is well known for the more social side of things providing a lot of activities for followers and being more community based. Shengyen is most well known for being a scholar monk among Chinese Buddhists and his organisation does provide a lot more doctrinal education than FGS g...
by ItsRaining
Sun Aug 07, 2022 2:54 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Enlightened people in Mahayana (past or present)
Replies: 41
Views: 2296

Re: Enlightened people in Mahayana (past or present)

To give you an idea on how complicated this issue can be. In many Vajrayana traditions, if you attained the first bhumi within this life, all your afflictive obstructions will be removed instead of doing that in the eight bhumi as described in the sutras. And this life will essentially be your fina...
by ItsRaining
Mon Jul 25, 2022 4:20 am
Forum: East Asian Buddhism
Topic: The surprising revival of Hossō in modern Japan
Replies: 7
Views: 1803

Re: The surprising revival of Hossō in modern Japan

Why does Kegon have so many teachers in comparison to the it’s size?
by ItsRaining
Mon Jun 20, 2022 10:38 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Did Mahayana Buddhists in history (pre-20th century) know of the Pali Canon?
Replies: 21
Views: 1362

Re: Did Mahayana Buddhists in history (pre-20th century) know of the Pali Canon?

Mahayana/Vajrayana History from the Early Mahayana period to modern times Did Mahayanist know of the Pali Canon? If they were aware of it, did they have access to it, studied it, commented on it? I remember reading that a few Pali texts were translated into Tibetan under the name Mahasutras? There’...

Go to advanced search