Zen Buddhism
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Zen Buddhism |
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 | We are what we think: |
All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.
~Buddha
In studying Zen, we start with practice. Now it is true that Zen is concerned with the problem of the nature of mind, so it necessarily includes an element of philosophical speculation. However, while the philosopher relies mainly on speculation and reasoning, in Zen we are never separated from our personal practice, which we carry out with our body and mind. In Zen training, we also seek to extinguish the self-centered, individual ego, but we do not try to do this merely by thinking about it. It is with our own body and mind that we actually experience what we call "pure existence."
The basic kind of Zen practice is called zazen (sitting Zen), and in zazen we attain samadhi. In this state, the activity of consciousness is stopped and we cease to be aware of time, space, and causation. The mode of existence which thus makes its appearance may at first sight seem to be nothing more than mere being or existence. However, if you really attain this state you will find it to be a remarkable thing. At the extremity of having denied all and having nothing left to deny, we reach a state at which absolute silence and stillness reign, bathed in a pure serene light. Buddhists of former times called this state annihilation, or Nirvana. But it is not a vacuum or mere nothingness. It is utterly different from the unconscious state of the patient under anesthesia upon the operating table. There is a definite wakefulness in it. It is a condition of existence that recalls the impressive silence and stillness that we experience in the heart of the mountains.
The poetry and painting of the countries in the East are said to reflect Zen, and in the same way Zen is the creative discipline behind flower arranging, garden landscaping, those famous rock gardens, archery, and most aspects of daily life. Zen is also integral to the Oriental Martial Arts, because it is not only a philosophy but it suggests a right way of conducting one's life.
Knowing where Zen is supposed to be does not help us find it or understand it, because as soon as we start looking for Zen, it disappears or seems to become something so vague that no one can talk about it. But writing poetry and painting a picture, creating a work of calligraphy, arranging a garden, even performing the rituals of the tea ceremony do have something in common in that they are based on discipline.
But Zen is obviously more than that. Zen stories, most of them very old and handed down over the generations, offer some insight into the true meaning of Zen because they illuminate in a roundabout way.
Once upon a time, there was a young man who wanted to learn the art of sword fighting. He hiked up into the mountains to a famous old sword master who had retired to live out his last years in a hut. The master agreed to take on the student, and the student went to live with him on the mountain. From the very beginning, the master found plenty of things for the student to do: gather kindling, split wood, cook rice, draw water from the spring, sweep out the rooms, clean up the garden, and so on. Days and weeks went by, and still the master said nothing about either swords or swordsmanship. Instead, every morning the student found himself facing his daily series of chores. Finally, the student got tired of being the old man's servant and of not learning anything about the art of the sword. So he approached the master and asked him about the teaching he had come for. The master agreed, and the student went back to his chores.
But the lessons had begun. Just as the student began to cook the rice early the next morning, the master suddenly appeared behind him, whacked him with a wooden sword, and disappeared without saying a word. The student then began sweeping out the rooms. And at a certain moment, when he least expected it, the master was there right beside him again, hit him again with the sword, and disappeared. This went on all day, every day. No matter what the student was doing, he could never be at rest, knowing that at any moment the master would again appear and hit him with the wooden sword.
A few years went by this way and eventually the student learned to successfully dodge the master's blow no matter which angle it came from. The student felt he had accomplished something, but the master was not satisfied with him yet.
Then one morning, the student spotted the master busy cooking some vegetables over an open fire. The student decided to turn the tables, picked up a big stick, and crept up on the master. When the master stooped over the cooking pot, the student raised the stick and swung it down on the master - who in an instant grabbed the cover off the cooking pot, spun around, and used it to catch the tip of the stick.
In that moment the student had the kind of sudden insight Zen is famous for: He saw into one of the secrets of the art of sword fighting, that sensory awareness has to be developed to the point that one can anticipate movement as well as thought. He also learned that one must always have an open mind ready to learn at all times. And, for the first time, the young student understood and deeply appreciated the kindness of his master.
Learning any martial art involves the step-by-step memorization and perfection of movements and techniques, but all the technical skills in the world can not create a great martial artist and, in fact, will mean nothing if they are not applied to a mind receptive to their use. The sword master could have taught the student lessons in how to hold the sword, various techniques of footwork, parries, and thrusts, but those lessons would have been empty and meaningless.
Instead, he taught him the frame of mind necessary to a great swordsman, the frame of mind in which the swordsman is completely attuned to his surroundings, ready at any moment to respond. The other lessons could come later, for the student had learned something of what can be called Zen of swordsmanship.
The above article is for the martial artists, however Zen teachings goes way beyond that of just the martial arts. This article was brought to you by Chuck Norris in his book entitled, "The Secret Power Within - Zen Solutions to Real Problems".
The Buddha who is the founder of the Buddhist religion is called Buddha Shakyamuni. "Shakya" is the name of the royal family into which he was born, and "Muni" means "Able One". Buddha Shakyamuni was born as a royal prince in 624 BC in a place called Lumbini, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal. His mother's name was Queen Mayadevi and his father's name was King Shuddhodana.
One night, Queen Mayadevi dreamed that a white elephant descended from heaven and entered her womb. The white elephant entering her womb indicated that on that very night she had conceived a child who was a pure and powerful being. The elephant's descending from heaven indicated that her child came from Toshiba heaven, the Pure Land of Buddha Mastery. Later, when she gave birth to the child, instead of experiencing pain the queen experienced a special, pure vision in which she stood holding the branch of a tree with her right hand while the gods Brahma and Indra took the child painlessly from her side. They then proceeded to honor the infant by offering him ritual ablutions.
When the king saw the child he felt as if all his wishes had been fulfilled and he named the young prince "Siddhartha". He invited a Brahmin seer to make predictions about the prince's future. The seer examined the child with his clairvoyance and told the king "There are signs that the boy could become either a chakravatin king, a ruler of the entire world, or a fully enlightened Buddha. However, since the time for chakravatin kings is now past it is certain that he will become a Buddha, and that his beneficial influence will pervade the thousand million worlds like the rays of a sun."
As the young prince grew up, he mastered all the traditional arts and sciences without needing any instruction. He knew sixty-four different languages, each with their own alphabet, and he was also very skilled at mathematics. He once told his father that he could count all the atoms in the world in the time it takes to draw a single breath. Although he did not need to study, he did so to please his father and to benefit others. At his father's request, he joined a school where, in addition to studying various academic subjects, he became skilled at sports such as martial arts and archery. The prince would take every opportunity to convey spiritual meanings and to encourage others to follow spiritual paths. At one time, when he was taking part in an archery contest, he declared "With the bow of meditative concentration I will fire the arrow of wisdom and kill the tiger ignorance in living beings." He then released the arrow and it flew straight through five (5) iron tigers and seven (7) trees before disappearing into the earth! By witnessing demonstrations such as this, thousands of people developed faith in the prince.
Sometimes Prince Siddhartha would go into the capital city of his father's kingdom to see how the people lived. During these visits, he came in contact with many old people and sick people, and on one occasion he saw a corpse. These encounters left a impression in his mind and led him to realize that all living beings without exception have to experience the suffering of birth, sickness, aging, and death. Because he understood the laws of reincarnation he also realized that they experience these sufferings not just once, but again and again, in life after life without cessation. Seeing how all living beings are trapped in this vicious circle of suffering he felt deep compassion for them, and he developed a sincere wish to free all of them from their suffering. Realizing that only a fully enlightened Buddha has the wisdom and the power to help all living beings in this way, he resolved to leave the palace and retire to the solitude of the forest where he would engage in profound meditation until he attained enlightenment.
When the people of the Shakya kingdom realized that the prince intended to leave the palace, they requested the king to arrange a marriage for him in the hope that this would cause him to change his mind. The king agreed and soon found him a suitable bride, the daughter of a respected Shakya family, called Yasodhara. Prince Siddhartha, however, had no attachment to worldly pleasures because he realized that objects of attachment are like poisonous flowers, which initially appear to be attractive but eventually give rise to great pain. His resolve to leave the palace and to attain enlightenment remained unchanged, but to fulfill his father's wishes and to bring temporary benefit to the Shakya people, he agreed to marry Yasodhara. However, even though he remained in the palace as a royal prince, he devoted all his time and energy to serving the Shakya people in whatever way he could.
When he was twenty-nine years old the prince had a vision in which all the Buddhas of the ten (10) directions appeared to him and spoke in unison saying "Previously you resolved to become a Conqueror Buddha so that you could help all living beings trapped in the cycle of suffering. Now is the time for you to accomplish this". The prince went immediately to his parents and told them of his intention: "I wish to retire to a peaceful place in the forest where I can engage in deep meditation and quickly attain full enlightenment. Once I have attained enlightenment I shall be able to repay the kindness of all living beings, and especially the great kindness that you have shown me. Therefore I request your permission to leave the palace". When his parents heard this they were shocked, and the king refused to grant his permission. Prince Siddhartha said to his father "Father, if you can give me permanent freedom from the sufferings of birth, sickness, aging, and death I shall stay in the palace; but if you cannot I must leave and make my human life meaningful".
The king tried all means to prevent his son from leaving the palace. In the hope that the prince might change his mind, he surrounded him with beautiful women, dancers, singers, and musicians, who day and night used their charms to please him; and in case the prince might attempt a secret escape he posted guards around the palace walls. However, the prince's determination to leave the palace and enter a life of meditation could not be shaken. One night he used his miracle powers to send the guards and attendants into a deep sleep while he made his escape from the palace with the help of a trusted aide. After they have traveled about six miles, the prince dismounted from his horse and bade farewell to his aide. He then cut off his hair and threw it into the sky, where it was caught by the gods of the Land of the thirty-three HEAVENS> One of the gods then offered the prince the saffron robes of a religious mendicant. The prince accepted these and gave his royal garments to the god in exchange. In this way he ordained himself as a monk.
Siddhartha then made his way to a place near Bodh Gaya in India, where he found a suitable site for meditation called 'space-like concentration on the Dharmakaya' in which he focused single-pointedly on the ultimate nature of all phenomena. After training in this meditation for six (6) years he realized that he was very close to attaining full enlightenment, and so he walked to Bodh Gaya where, on the full moon day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, he seated himself beneath the bodhi tree in the mediation posture and vowed not to rise from mediation until he had attained perfect enlightenment. With this determination he entered the space-like concentration on the Dharmakaya.
As dusk fell, Devaputra Mara, the chief of all the demons, or maras, in this world, tried to disturb Siddhartha's concentration by conjuring up many fearful apparitions. He manifested hosts of terrifying demons, some throwing spears, some firing arrows, some trying to burn him with fire, and some hurling boulders and even mountains at him. Siddhartha however remained completely undisturbed. Through the force of his concentration, the weapons, rocks, and mountains appeared to his as rain of fragrant flowers, and the raging fires became like offerings of rainbow light.
Seeing that Siddhartha could not be frightened into abandoning his meditation, Devaputra Mara tried instead to distract him by manifesting countless beautiful women, but Siddhartha responded by developing even deeper concentration. In this way, he triumphed over all the demons of this world, which is why he subsequently became known as a 'Conqueror Buddha'.
Siddhartha then continued with his meditation until dawn, when he attained the vajra-like concentration. With this concentration, which is the very last mind of a limited being, he removed the final veils of ignorance from his mind and in the next moment became a Buddha, a fully enlightened being.
There is nothing that Buddha does not know. Because he has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and has removed all obstructions from his mind, he knows everything of the past, present, and future, directly and simultaneously. Moreover, Buddha has great compassion which is completely impartial, embracing all living beings without discrimination. He benefits all living beings without exception by emanating various forms throughout the universe, and by bestowing his blessings on their minds. Through receiving Buddha's blessings, all beings, even the lowest animals, sometimes develop peaceful and virtuous states of mind. Eventually, through meeting an emanation of Buddha in the form of a Spiritual Guide, everyone will have the opportunity to enter the path to liberation and enlightenment. As the great Indian Buddhist scholar Nagarjuna said, there is no one who has not received help from Buddha.
Forty-nine days after Buddha attained enlightenment the gods Brahma and Indra requested him to teach, saying:
O Buddha, Treasure of Compassion,
Living beings are like blind people in constant danger of falling into the lower realms.
Other than you there is no Protector in this world.
Therefore we beseech you, please rise from meditative equipoise and turn the Wheel of Dharma.
As a result of this request, Buddha rose from meditation and taught the first Wheel of Dharma. These teachings, which include the 'Sutra of the Four Noble Truths' and other discourses, are the principal source of the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism. Later, Buddha taught the second and third wheel of Dharma, which include the 'Perfection of Wisdom Sutras' and the 'Sutra Discriminating the Intention' respectively. These teachings are the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism. In the Hinayana teachings Buddha explains how to attain liberation from suffering for oneself alone, and in the Mahayana teachings he explains how to attain full enlightenment, or Buddhahood, for the sake of others. Both traditions flourished in Asia, at first in India and then gradually in other surrounding countries, including Tibet. Now they are also beginning to flourish in the West.
The reason why Buddha's teachings are called the 'Wheel of Dharma' is as follows. It is said that in ancient times there were great kings, known as chakravitan kings, who used to rule the entire world. These kings had many possessions, including a precious wheel in which they would travel around the world. Wherever the precious wheel went, the king would control that region. Buddha's teachings are said to be like a precious wheel because wherever they spread, the people in that area have the opportunity to control their minds by putting them into practice.
'Dharma' means 'protection'. By practicing Buddha's teachings we protect ourselves from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practice Dharma.
Practicing Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness. For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by practicing what Buddha had taught.
If we integrate Buddha's teachings into our daily life we shall be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it. Buddhism, of Buddhadharma, is Buddha's teachings and the inner experiences or realizations of these teachings.
There are many writings and publications about the life of Siddhartha. This particular writing comes from the book entitled, "Introduction to Buddhism". This book is an explanation of the Buddhist way of life and is written by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Perhaps the most famous book of Siddhartha is "Siddhartha" which is written by Hermann Hesse.
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