How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Forum for discussion of East Asian Buddhism. Questions specific to one school are best posted in the appropriate sub-forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
ShineeSeoul
Posts: 257
Joined: Fri May 29, 2015 9:49 pm

How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by ShineeSeoul »

Hi every one

Shamatha meditation did include chanting mantras while meditating, such as meditating with Chanting Buddho

While Shamatha meditation is counting breath in Tendai Buddhism based on what I know, is there any mantra chanting in Tendai Buddhism?

Thanks
User avatar
Queequeg
Former staff member
Posts: 14462
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:24 pm

Re: How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by Queequeg »

Off the top of my head I recall Zhiyi recommended chanting the six syllable mantra of Avalokitesvara if ones mind was agitated, or something along those lines, in Mohezhikuan.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
User avatar
ShineeSeoul
Posts: 257
Joined: Fri May 29, 2015 9:49 pm

Re: How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by ShineeSeoul »

Queequeg wrote:Off the top of my head I recall Zhiyi recommended chanting the six syllable mantra of Avalokitesvara if ones mind was agitated, or something along those lines, in Mohezhikuan.
is there recommended number to chant it a long with meditation?

Thanks
User avatar
Seishin
Former staff member
Posts: 1915
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 11:53 am
Contact:

Re: How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by Seishin »

Queequeg wrote:Off the top of my head I recall Zhiyi recommended chanting the six syllable mantra of Avalokitesvara if ones mind was agitated, or something along those lines, in Mohezhikuan.
The dharani of six-syllable phrases "六字章可陀羅尼" ?
User avatar
Seishin
Former staff member
Posts: 1915
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 11:53 am
Contact:

Re: How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by Seishin »

ShineeSeoul wrote:Hi every one

Shamatha meditation did include chanting mantras while meditating, such as meditating with Chanting Buddho

While Shamatha meditation is counting breath in Tendai Buddhism based on what I know, is there any mantra chanting in Tendai Buddhism?

Thanks
The typical foundations of mindfulness as outlined in the 念處經 Smṛtyupasthāna Sūtra can be found in Tientai, however, counting the breaths is considered the best for beginners, is the most common and most recommended. Please read Chih-i's "6 Dharma gates to the sublime" https://www.amazon.co.uk/Six-Dharma-Gat ... 1935413015

Chanting mantra is a big part of Japanese Tendai, but is not shared over the internet.

In gassho,
Seishin
User avatar
Queequeg
Former staff member
Posts: 14462
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:24 pm

Re: How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by Queequeg »

Seishin wrote:
Queequeg wrote:Off the top of my head I recall Zhiyi recommended chanting the six syllable mantra of Avalokitesvara if ones mind was agitated, or something along those lines, in Mohezhikuan.
The dharani of six-syllable phrases "六字章可陀羅尼" ?
That's it. Looking at the text now, its a practice within the rubric of the Neither Walking nor Sitting Samadhi practices at the preliminary stages.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
User avatar
Queequeg
Former staff member
Posts: 14462
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:24 pm

Re: How many types of Shamatha meditation in Tendai Buddhism?

Post by Queequeg »

ShineeSeoul wrote:
Queequeg wrote:Off the top of my head I recall Zhiyi recommended chanting the six syllable mantra of Avalokitesvara if ones mind was agitated, or something along those lines, in Mohezhikuan.
is there recommended number to chant it a long with meditation?

Thanks
See Seishin's comment and my reply above.

I don't think Zhiyi approached practice that way in the sense of telling people, "Do this [in a mechanical, rote manner and expect these results]". Rather, he was very much a practitioner of expedients. In the preliminary stages, each person, each affliction, must be addressed in turn.

The above falls under the rubric of Gradual methods. In the Perfect and Complete Teaching there's something else going on again entirely.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
Post Reply

Return to “East Asian Buddhism”