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Zen Buddhism > Final > Flashcards

Final Flashcards

1
Q

What is a Koan?

A
  1. A story or dialogue, question or statement which is used in zen to provoke the “great doubt” and to practice or test a student’s progress in Zen
  2. Translates to “public case”
  3. Used for religious training in Chan/Zen tradition
  4. said to embody enlightenment experience
  5. An example is does a dog have buddha nature and the answer is not
    Another is what is the sound of one hand clapping
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2
Q

what is Zazen

A
  1. the practice of “just sitting”
  2. Dogen founded it
  3. Dogen wanted to familiarize Japanese people with it, he learned it from China
  4. “quintessence of the Buddhist path”
  5. Exhorts people to “illuminate the self and take a backwards step in meditation
  6. According to dogen, zazen and buddha nature are identical
  7. the equation of meditation practice and enlightenment is a crucial point in Dogens teaching
  8. If one does so “body and mind” will drop away and ones “original face” will manifest
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3
Q

Shikantaza

A

(the soto school)

  1. Shikantaza “just sitting”
  2. refers to a practice called “silent illumination” or “serene reflection” by previous Caodong masters
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4
Q

Buddha Nature

A

Tathagata-garbha

  1. all of us have the potential (all sentient beings) to become the buddha
  2. In mahayana they will become the Buddha
  3. Reality or Buddha nature only apprehended by intuition directly, completely, and instantly
  4. we all have a little buddha inside of us and could all become the buddha
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5
Q

shobogenzo

A
  1. A guide to meditatioin written by Dogen
  2. The first couple of pages are literal instructions on how to physically meditate
  3. After that it talks about the nature of reality and time
  4. very specific instructions on how to successfully meditate
  5. Want to have nothing going on in your mind
  6. you should sit down with no goal and through that attain enlightenment
  7. foundational document of zen in japan
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6
Q

Bodhisattva

A

Everyone will be enlightened, I will enlighten everyone

  1. In Mahayana Buddhism, a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so out of compassion in order to save suffering beings
  2. In the jataka tales, the Bodhisattva is portrayed as being on an endless quest to certain spiritual qualities
  3. Stays on earth cyclically to teach people to reach enlightenment
  4. Nothing has inherent existence because everything that exists can be described in words
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7
Q

LinJi/Rizai (sect)

A
  1. Other school within the zen tradition
  2. Sudden enlightenment: Zen is not “gradual practice” it is sudden enlightenment
  3. Koan meditation was the main practice
  4. Eisai went to china a bunch of times and brought this back
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8
Q

Caodong/Soto (sect)

A
  1. Dogen went to China and brought back caodong Buddhism to japan
  2. One of the major practices is Zazen and shikatanza
  3. One school within the Zen tradition
  4. sudden enlightenment
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9
Q

Satori

A
  1. Associated with the southern schools thoughts on enlightenment
  2. momentary enlightenment
  3. One can be enlightened temporarily but they are not there permanently
  4. a sudden awakening and understanding
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10
Q

Kensho

A
  1. little burst of enlightenment that lead to a gradual awakening
  2. Sort of a form of momentary enlightenment but it is seeing ones true nature
  3. When you recognize your true self you recognize your Buddha nature as a manifestation of the Buddha
  4. When you realize the intrinsic nature of the “self”, there is no self in Buddhism, that is Buddha nature
  5. Relationship with emptiness and the perfection of wisdom
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11
Q

Southern School

A
  1. Sudden enlightenment
  2. Soto and rinzai come out of the southern school
  3. Until this time period there was one lineage. Now there are debates about who was the enlightened master
    Southern school wins
  4. There is a differentiation for the first time
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12
Q

Northern School

A

Gradual enlightenment

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13
Q

Sudden Enlightenment

A
  1. Those who can not complete sudden enlightenment then you are just dumb and are doing it incorrectly
  2. specifically Zen
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14
Q

Gradual enlightenment

A
  1. Wiping off the dusty mirror until it’s clear
  2. Gradual enlightenment was rejected within the zen tradition by patriarchs, monastic elite, and other leaders in the tradition
  3. Authors of the platform sutra were subject to the “rule of rhetorical purity” which disallows anything that even resembles actual “practice” for fear of being labeled “gradual” (no one wants to be labeled gradual at this point)
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15
Q

Mind-to-mind transmission

A
  1. Bodhidharma giving enlightenment to a single student, then they give to another single student, this happens between one teacher and one student where you would get a transmission of the Dharma
  2. whoever holds the Buddha’s mind, essentially becomes the Buddha
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16
Q

Tendai School

A
  1. One of the most powerful institutions in Japan
  2. major ideas - Buddha nature (hongaku theory)- rituals have a lot of fire drums, music
  3. Tendai school - Original enlightenment (similar to theory of Buddha nature): not only do we possess the nature to become enlightened but we are enlightenment already, we possess the possibility of becoming enlightened and are already so
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17
Q

Hongaku theory

A
  1. You already are enlightened, you just don’t know it
  2. Part of the Tendai school of thought
  3. Original enlightenment, everything was created already having been fully enlightened
  4. In hongaky theory, all actions are viewed as actions of the buddha
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18
Q

Patriarch/ancestor

Indian lineage from Sakyamuni

A
  1. Mahakasyapa (5th cent. BCE)
    - an ancestor
    - the first patriarch (top of the heirarchy)
  2. Ananda
    - Buddha’s closest disciple
    - Becomes the second patriarch
  3. Nagarjuna
    - Founder of the emptiness philosophy
  4. Aryadeva
  5. Vasubandhu
    - founder of the mind only schools
  6. Bodhidharma (5th - 6th century)
    - We have no information about Bodhidharma (fictitious character, most common in China- so called final indian member of the lineage)
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19
Q

Chan School patriarchs

chinese lineage

A
  1. Bodhidharma
    - passes the lineage down to a Chinese person
    - Dazu Huike
    - sengcan
    - Dayi Daoxin
    - Daman Hongren
    - Huineng
    - Nanyue Huairang
    - mazu Daoyi
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20
Q

Mahayana (greater vehicle)

A
  1. Only people who can attain enlightenment are male monks who live in monastery so this is the more attainable one
  2. Originated in Inda between 150 BCE and 100 CE
  3. Called greater because it’s teachings were more effective at getting people enlightened
  4. Teachings led to
    - greater goal of Buddhahood (not arhatship)
  5. includes cultivation of Karuna or compassion towards others which helps them attain Buddhahood
  6. Requires more profound insight (wisdom, prajna) into the nature of reality. IE emptiness in addition to no self
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21
Q

Ordinary mind

A
  1. Normal life is the path to nirvana
  2. Everything you are thinking now and doing now is the path
  3. Just living your life knowing about enlightenment is enough
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22
Q

samsara

A
  1. Multiple rebirths and cyclic existence, reincarnation

2. stuck in life without Buddhism and enlightenment

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23
Q

Mu (c. Wu)

A
  1. Refers to “not”
  2. When Chain followers apprehend Buddha Nature, they experience momentary awakening called wu
    the inner, intuitive experience of Enlightenment;
  3. Satori is said to be unexplainable, indescribable, and unintelligible by reason and logic. It is comparable to the experience undergone by Gautama Buddha when he sat under the Bo tree and, as such, is the central Zen goal.
  4. The circle thing
  5. Means not or empty
  6. It’s the empty circle
  7. Answer to the question do dogs have buddha nature
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24
Q

Eihei-ji Temple

A
  1. Soto temple, first zen temple in Japan
  2. Head temple of the soto sect in Japan
  3. Dogen built it
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25
Q

Empitness (sunyata)

A
  1. Absence of the self in phenomena, let go of attachments of one self
  2. All phenomena are empty of inherent quality or essence, empty of inherent concrete substantial quality. They are always made of parts and are all dependent on other parts- they never exist individually
  3. Empty of intrinsic self existence
    We all exist in relation to everything else Can’t exist without other things Emptiness of inherent existence
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26
Q

Perfection of Wisdom

A
  1. addition of many sturas to the canon of Buddhism through Mahayan text to clear their mind of material things and focus on wisdom/ the perfection of wisdom to gain enlightenment and escape samsara
  2. Helping one attain Wisdom and insight within their own meditation
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27
Q

Mind only

A
  1. Yogacara Buddhism
  2. Acknowledges that although our mind is broken, our mind is the only way in which we can experience any reality
  3. The only way to study your mind is with your mind so how do you know if you’re doing it right
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28
Q

Huatou

A
  1. the “critical Phrase”
  2. Practice of kanhua is combined wit seated meditation (zuochan, zazen) during which one focuses on critical phrase (huatou)
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29
Q

Kanhua

A
  1. In kanhua practice, one investigates the koan or its “critical Phrase” huatou
  2. Kanhua (“contemplating words”)
30
Q

Wuwei

A
  1. Doing nothing, or not doing
  2. Doing things effortlessly
  3. Dao term
  4. concept in Japanese Zen
  5. Perfection through imperfection
  6. Zen garden filled with rocks that are inherently beautiful, every rock is nuance but it creates this beautiful semblance
  7. Cracks in a vase make it known that it was well loved/ used making it more perfect
31
Q

Dao

A

The way
1. Really similar to zen
2. if your describing the dao in words you’re failing
3 the main text is called the dao de jing and it’s written by Laozi
4. Zen borrowed a lot, like the idea of the dao and the way and the love of nature
5. Daoism- the way of everything, the way of existence, the way things are

32
Q

The platform sutra

A

“No mind” “no thought”

  • the zen tradition does not rely on words and letters, any words you use to describe the zen tradition is wrong
  • considered to be the teaching of huineng (not the buddha) who delievered the sermon from a “precept platform”
  • dates to about 780
  • Only Chinese text considered a “sutra” not to be spoken by Buddha, it is considered a sutra by Chan Buddhists
33
Q

Tea ceremony

A
  1. Usually are invited by the head tea mistress
  2. Small door in a very small room
  3. Usually artwork and calligraphy hanging
  4. Focus on the simplicity of tea- leave the state of thinking of everything else and instead only focus on one topic
  5. tea has been drunk in temples, because zazen is so important in soto zen, long periods of wakefullness were important
  6. Slowly became an artform
  7. Practice of living in the moment
  8. Enjoy that specific moment because you can’t recreate it
34
Q

Bodhi

A

Means knowledge or awakening

35
Q

Nirvana

A

Literally means “blowing out”

to blow out the fires of suffering

36
Q

Ox-herding pictures

A
  1. Collection of calligraphy/illustrations of an ox being tamed
  2. when an ox is first found they are untamed, living a wild life
  3. Meant to portray the journey that one must undergo in order to attain enlightenment
  4. The only thing remaining constant in this story is the big empty circle
  5. the empty circle- all possibilities, no limits,
  6. Really talking about emptiness, enlightenment is is really a big empty space, everything is empty everything the same
  7. having come back to the origin and return to the source, you see that you have expended your efforts and this whole thing’s been a waste of time.
37
Q

Sanzen/dokusan

A

Going to a master specifically the Buddha sense for dharma teaching or dharma combat

  • part of the rinzai school
  • interviews to test students knowledge on koans and zen between master and student
38
Q

Silent illumination (mozhao)

A
  1. Both a form of meditation and spiritual perspective
  2. Focused on non-dual objectless meditation rather than yogic postures or ritual
  3. It has no goal or aim, you sit in meditation without trying to achieve anything
    4, ultimate “goal” is to seperate from one’s own being
  4. Culmination of caodong teachings
  5. hongzhi created it
39
Q

Uncarved block (pu)

A

Return to the state of the uncarved block (pu).
Uncarved block, “nature; essence; intrinsic quality”
“Simple; plain; unadorned; unaffected”
- dao term
- controversial - competing educational system (confucius) was all about control and civilizations by forming a perfect word and removing what is necessary
Can help explain sudden enlightenment - no need to go through a gradual process when you are already perfect, like how there is no need to fix the uncarved block

40
Q

dharma combat

A

get into the argument and throughout it one will find enlightenment (or dharma)
You do something with your teacher called dharma combat- in japan its a ritualized conversation in which you demonstrate your understanding, in other traditions its a fight- you memorize all these things from the sutras and the goal is to be able to instantaneously argue these things- through these exchanges you go through mind to mind transmission

41
Q

Bodhi tree

A

The tree buddha sat under to be enlightened

“tree of awakening”

42
Q

No mind (wuxin)

A

platform sutra: no thought/no mind
1. Wuxin: Zen and Daoist meditators attempt to reach this state, as well as artists and trained martial artists. They also practice this mental state during everyday activities

43
Q

Wall gazing (biguan)

A

Inspired soto zen meditation practice
2. Bodhidharma ended up in Lao Yang, and stayed at a shaolin monastery. He went to a cave to mediate and spend 9 years there. He stared at a cave wall for 9 years. That technique is called wall gazing

44
Q

Dhyana

A
  1. Sanskrit term for meditation
  2. Cultivated meditation
  3. dhyāna or jhāna is the training of the mind, commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions, and leading to a “state of perfect equanimity and awareness.
45
Q

Dogen

A

Founded the Eihi- Ji temple: soto temple – first zen temple in Japan
Master of zazen
Wanted to familiarize japanese people with zazen as he had learned it in China
Believed “just sitting” zazen was the quintessence of the Buddhist path
Zazen and buddha nature are identical according to dogen
Dogens’ enlightenment occurred when Rujing struck the student next to him and and shouted “cast off mind and body”
His enlightenment was guided by master rujing

46
Q

Eisai

A

Chinese monk who brought linji buddhism to Japan. Traveled between japan and china twice to create Linji centered temples.
credited with founding the Japanese line of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism
Dogen studied with him

47
Q

Bodhidharma

A

Legendary or fictitious character
Associated with wall gazing meditation (Bodhidharma sat in a cave for 9 years and stared at a wall until he attained enlightenment)
Wall gazing = Zazen (sitting meditation)
Two entrances and four practices

48
Q

Hakuin

A

Main teacher was Shoju rojin
This monk revitalized Rinzai Zen in the Tokugawa period

he was a prolific author, accomplished painter, calligrapher, and a sculptor

born in 1686 to a commoner family near Mt. Fuji

caustic, but also known for his compassion

practiced intensive meditation

critical of “silent illumination”, achieved “enlightenment”

obsessed with issues of birth and death, esp hell
Shoju was a harsh teacher and would abuse Hakuin
Hakuin reformed and systematised koan practice in Rinzai Zen
Believed koan practice was the most effective way to attain insight
Designed Sanzen
Hakuin would focus on teaching common people
Used art and poetry and humor as teaching tools

49
Q

Huineng

A

6th patriarch
6th patriarch of china

Was a layman

supported the sudden enlightenment concept

and won a battle of verses against shenxui

was given dharma transmission by Hongren

Was said to have founded southern school

Said to be author of the Platform sutra even though an illiterate barbarian

50
Q

Shenhui

A

Tang Dynasty

student of Huineng

Made up false dichotomy of southern and northern school

Was a prolific priest/speaker

Huge critic of Shenxui and attributed him to the northern school

51
Q

Sakyamuni

A
  1. The historical Buddha

2. Siddartha guatama

52
Q

Mahakasyapa

A

First person to get direct knowledge from the Buddha. Mind to mind transmission (the flower sutra: laughed when the Buddha held up a flower during a sermon while everyone else was looking for meaning)
Dharma is revealed - Dharma Transmission
Retroactively introduced as this even took place way before the flower sutra came out

53
Q

Hongren

A

5th patriarch
Tang Dynasty

5th patriarch in china who received the Dharma transmission Daoxin

Gave Dharma transmission to Huineng while Huineng was still a layman

Co-founder of “East Mountain China” chan

Shunryu Suzuki roshi

One of the founders of the mountain school
Last fully accepted patriarch of the Chan tradition
Next patriarch chose by Hongren’s poetry contest
Enlightenment with regards to the mirror was the topic of the poetry

54
Q

Linji

A

known for aggressive teaching
Student of Hungbo
Known as the founder of the Linji school
Taught by abrupt, harsh encounters with students to induce enlightenment
Methods included striking, in some cases using a staff
Linji’s tradition became one of the most important/ successful schools in chan
“If you meet the buddha on the road, kill him! If you meet the patriarchs or arhats in your way, kill them too! There are neither buddhas nor patriarchs … The twelve divisions of the sacred teachings are only lists of ghosts, sheets of paper fit only for wiping the pus from your boils”

55
Q

Mazu

A

Tang Dynasty

Disciple of Huineng

known for unusual teaching methods such as shouting, striking with sticks and even twisting the nose to “shock” the student into realization

Trend of teachers using encounter dialogue

His techniques used in Linji School

Did not emphasize meditation

“Ordinary mind is the Way!”
Mazu established the Hongzhou School in Jiangxi province during the late 8th century
School became the first empire wide chan tradition by the 9th century
Maze was (in)famous for his innovative teaching techniques to help students realize their Buddha nature
For Mazu, meditation should be completely abandoned
Instead of meditation practice, Mazu developed an innovative take on everyday life and its relation to awakening - do not withdraw from normal life!
“ the path does not involve cultivation. If it is claimed that it is achieved through cultivation, that cultivation results, in turn, in disaster”

56
Q

Dahui

A

Dahui was a successor to Linji tradition and a passionate critic of Silent Illumination
nevertheless , Hongzhi entrusted his temple to Dahui rather than his own students
Dahui advocated practice of “contemplating sayings” - leads to direct, immediate experience of awakening

57
Q

Hongzhi

A

In the song dynasty (960-1279), Caodong school associated w/ Jongzhi Zhengjue (1091-1157)
Hongzhi known for silent illumination meditation teaching
Silent Illumination is both a form of meditation and a spiritual perspective
Focused on non dual “objectless” meditation rather than yogic postures or ritual
Known for subtle teachings, sincerity, and generosity
Appointed abbot of Jingde Temple - home to 1200 monks
Near death, he asked his critic, Dahui to be his successor
Final Verse:
“Illusory dreams, phantom flowers - 67 years. A white bird vanishes in the mist, Autumn waters merge with the sky”

58
Q

Shitou

A

Shitou (means flat rock, suggesting he is named for living in a mountain environment) is famed for living in a small hut on the Sacred “southern peak”, also called “Mt Heng”
He lived there approximately 50 years before his death in 790
Best remembered for 2 poems: “song of the grass roof hermitage” & “coincidence of opposites”
Mt. Heng/ Southern Peak was a revered pilgrimage spot, Shitou (“Stone Head”) possibly got his name from living here
What about liberation?” asks a monk
Who binds you? Countered Shitou
What about the pure land?
Who corrupts you?
What about nirvana?
Who keeps you in the cycle of birth and death?
Allegedly huineng’s student

59
Q

Shen xiu

A

historial 6th patriarch but legend goes with Huineng

60
Q

Huang bo

A

Had linji as a student

61
Q

Zhaozhou

A

Student of nanquan
Alleged to have live for 120 years
Favored verbal debate over striking his students
He was a student who would have saved nanquan’s cat

62
Q

Rujing

A

One of Dogen’s masters, the one that led him to great enlightenment
Has a karmic connection with Dogen
Had dogen as a student in tiantong

63
Q

Dongshan

A

One of the 2 founders of the caodong school
Yunyan was his teacher
Concerned with buddha nature of the inanimate objects
His main disciple was Caoshan
Also studied with nanquan

64
Q

Ikkyu

A

Had lots of sex and drank lots of alcohol
Practiced non mainstream zen
Attained enlightenment at the sound of a crow when on a boat
Refused his enlightenment certificate because he didn’t want the responsibilities of being enlightened so he left the monastery and went to the countryside to hang out with ordinary people
Talented poet who argued that enlightenment is deepened by love and sex

65
Q

Huike

A

2nd patriarch
Cut off his own arm to receive mind to mind transmission from Bodhidharma
Cut off arm to get Bodhidharma’s attention and be his disciple
“When the snow falls red, then you can be my disciple”

66
Q

Sengcan

A

3rd patriarch

attained enlightenment by swinging from a tree

67
Q

Daoxin

A

4th patriarch

founder of the mountain school

68
Q

Nanquan

A

Disciple of Mazu
(748-834)
Famous for killing a cat to settle a dispute between monks in his monastery

69
Q

Zhuangzi

A

Once dreamed that he was a butterfly
Explores mysterious Dao in everyday ordinary human life
Encourages people to “sit quietly and do nothing”
2nd great Daoist text is Zhuangzi,
Explores mysterious Dao in everyday ordinary human life
Lively parables and paradoxes

70
Q

Emperor Wu

A

Conversation between Bodhidharma and him took place when Bodhidharma arrived in China. Wu invited Bodhidharma over to tea. Wu was a devout buddhist and was sure that everything he was doing would lead him to enlightenment.
Emperor wu: “What teachings have you brought from India?”
Bodhidharma: “I have not brought a single word.”
Emperor wu: “what merit have we gained in having monasteries built, scriptures copied and statues cast?” (trying to impress Bodhi, he wants validation that he really is the best buddhist emporer every)
Bodhidharma: “No merit whatsoever. It is contrived goodness, not true merit.”
Emperor wu: “What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?” (Ok lets see how well you know buddhism)
Bodhidharma: empty, without holiness
Emperor wu: “who is facing me?” (who do you think you are? Treating the emperor this way?”
Bodhidharma: I don’t know
Bodhidharma was thrown out of the palace.

Zen Buddhism (1 decks)

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