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    Pure Land of the Patriarchs
    Pure Land of the Patriarchs
    Pure Land of the Patriarchs
    Ebook74 pages1 hour

    Pure Land of the Patriarchs

    By Zen Master Han-Shan

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    About this ebook

    All teachings in the Tripitaka (Buddhist Canon) are tools to induce sentient beings to sever attachment. To those attached to Emptiness, Buddha Sakyamuni taught Existence to break that grasp. To those attached to Existence, He taught Emptiness so as to loosen that grasp. To those grasping at both Emptiness and Existence, He taught "neither Emptiness nor Existence" to break that grasp. Lastly, to those grasping at "neither Emptiness nor Existence," He taught both Emptiness and Existence to break that attachment.

    In short, the purpose is to draw all sentient beings away from attachments. That is the Buddhist teaching of salvation. There is no other way to return to the source [the Mind], though there are many different expedient methods. We Buddhist students and practitioners should not become attached to these methods. When thoughts arise in our mind discriminating between what method is right and what method is wrong, that is against the purpose of the Buddhas and is a deviation from the Buddhist path.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherYMBA
    Release dateApr 13, 2013
    ISBN9780978016371
    Pure Land of the Patriarchs
    Author

    Zen Master Han-Shan

    Elder Zen Master Han-Shan Te-Ch'ing (1546-1623) was one of the three "dragon-elephants," or most illustrious monks, during the final years of the Ming dynasty -- "an age of corruption, internal oppression and external weakness" (Sung-peng Hsu).

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      Han Shan did not teach this shit! Better to throw this entire writing in a garbage can!

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    Pure Land of the Patriarchs - Zen Master Han-Shan

    About the Author

    Elder Zen Master Han-Shan Te-Ch'ing (1546-1623) was one of the three dragon-elephants, or most illustrious monks, during the final years of the Ming dynasty -- an age of corruption, internal oppression and external weakness (Sung-peng Hsu).

    Originally trained in the Scriptural Studies school as well as in Zen, he came to excel in other traditions as well, achieving great renown as a teacher and exponent of the Avatamsaka Sutra. He is particularly credited with reviving the Zen school in China.

    Born to a humble family, he came to mingle with the greatest political figures of China through his acquaintance with the Empress Dowager. This master/disciple relationship led to his imprisonment, banishment and laicization. Only toward the end of his life was he rehabilitated.

    In the following excerpts from his sermons and writings, Master Han-Shan recommended the dual practice of Pure Land and Zen, emphasizing self-cultivation and personal effort. Readers unfamiliar with the Pure Land school are referred to Appendix I for an overview of Pure Land teachings.  

    Minh Thanh & P.D. Leigh, editors Van Hien Study Group

    Rye Brook: Feb. 1994

    Introduction

    All teachings in the Tripitaka (Buddhist Canon) are tools to induce sentient beings to sever attachment. To those attached to Emptiness, Buddha Sakyamuni taught Existence to break that grasp. To those attached to Existence, He taught Emptiness so as to loosen that grasp. To those grasping at both Emptiness and Existence, He taught neither Emptiness nor Existence to break that grasp. Lastly, to those grasping at neither Emptiness nor Existence, He taught both Emptiness and Existence to break that attachment. (¹)

    In short, the purpose is to draw all sentient beings away from attachments. That is the Buddhist teaching of salvation. There is no other way to return to the source [the Mind], though there are many different expedient methods. We Buddhist students and practitioners should not become attached to these methods. When thoughts arise in our mind discriminating between what method is right and what method is wrong, that is against the purpose of the Buddhas and is a deviation from the Buddhist path.

    For example, when Buddha Sakyamuni taught the Dharma of Emptiness, His message was not that it was the opposite of Existence, but rather that it was Truth and Reality. What are Truth and Reality? Let me quote the T'ien T'ai Patriarch Chih I: 

    When one dharma is empty, then all dharmas are empty; there is no separate Non-Emptiness. Without Non-Emptiness to contrast with Emptiness, Emptiness itself is unattainable [i.e., does not exist].

    Similarly, when Buddha Sakyamuni taught Existence, this was not the opposite of Emptiness, but was rather to say: 

    When one dharma exists, then all dharmas exist; there is no separate Non-Existence. Without Non-Existence to contrast with Existence, Existence itself is unattainable.

    We should understand the true meaning of Emptiness and Existence. Nothing we say about Emptiness or Existence is attainable (i.e., truly valid). And since this is so, why are we still attached to them?

    The Great Master Han-Shan thoroughly understood the goal of the Buddhas. In tune with the minds of the Patriarchs, he spread the Dharma (teaching), grasping at neither Emptiness nor Existence, neither Non-Emptiness nor Non-Existence -- thereby manifesting the Middle Way. Thus, he promoted the cultivation of both Zen and Pure Land, pointing to the non-duality of Emptiness and Existence. That teaching is Wonderful Enlightenment (see Glossary).

    When practicing Zen, at the beginning of cultivation the expedient of Emptiness is used. But Zen does not mean Emptiness, nor does it mean Existence. Pure Land uses the expedient of Existence at the start of practice, but Pure Land does not mean Existence nor does it mean Emptiness. When Sakyamuni Buddha spoke of Emptiness and Existence, it was to reach human beings of different capacities. The Dharma itself transcends Emptiness and Existence. All methods taught by Buddha Sakyamuni are like prescriptions; since people suffer from different diseases, they need many kinds of prescriptions. It does not matter whether the medicine is expensive or cheap. As long as it is effective, it is a good medicine .

    Those who practice Zen or Pure Land should all understand this truth: all Dharma methods are equal and none is superior or inferior. No one who really understands the deep meaning of the Dharma can have the kind of obstinate prejudice that sees inferiority and superiority between the various Buddhist methods. No one with that kind of obstinate prejudice can gain any real benefit from the Dharma.

    For example, the Zen school teaches meditation on a "hua-t'ou (wato). Hua-t'ou means before words," before a single thought rises up in one's mind.(2) What is there before a single thought rises up? It is No Thought. No thought is one's own Pure Mind, one's own Buddha Nature, one's own Original Face. Meditating on a hua-t'ou does not mean repeating it, because the repetition of a hua-t'ou is also a great false thought. Rather, to recognize one's own Original Face is the purpose of a hua-t'ou.

    The Pure Land school teaches Buddha Recitation -- the repetition of Amitabha Buddha's name. However, it does not teach merely to recite by mouth, like a parrot mindlessly squawking out words. Buddha Recitation centered on the mind is real Buddha Recitation. This is because Mind is Buddha, Buddha is

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