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From: moskowit@paul.rutgers.edu (Len Moskowitz)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Did the Buddha sit zazen?
Keywords: A Ch'an monk replies
Message-ID: <1991Jun7.203626.23521@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 7 Jun 91 20:36:26 GMT
Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 80
Approved: prabhu@amelia.nas.nasa.gov



Long ago (7 May 91 01:55:25 GMT) johnw@ready.eng.ready.com (John 
Wheeler) wrote:

 > As a final point, I think the assumption that when Hui Neng 
 > said, "Your own mind is the Buddha," he meant that everyday 
 > life is enlightment seems questionable to me. Zen philosphers 
 > may interpret it this way, but if you refer to the source 
 > texts (Chinese) it seems pretty clear that he probably meant 
 > it just like he said it: You are the Buddha. As for zazen, and 
 > such techniques I am sure he would have thoroughly disapproved 
 > of them. He is quite emphatic that Buddhism has nothing to do 
 > with sitting, thought control, breathing or any such 
 > practices. Since he never did these things himself it is not 
 > suprising.
 > ...
 > I always feel a twinge when I hear how long some people have 
 > been going at the practice of zazen. Since neither the Buddha 
 > (as far as I can tell), Hui Neng, Huang Po, Bankei, Raman 
 > Maharshi, nor any enlightened sage I am aware of practiced 
 > zazen, I always wonder what it is practitioners are trying to 
 > attain by it?  

I asked a Ch'an Monk, the Ven. Shih Shen Lung (also known as That 
Old Frog and Ryugen Fisher), a Dharma heir from the Ch'an line 
about this in a formal question.  He recently answered me thusly:

From:    Old Frog                               Rec'd Sent 
To:      Len Moskowitz                          

The proposition that none of the Zen (Ch'an) Masters cited in the 
message ever practiced "zazen" is ridiculous. The Eightfold Path 
(the first and primary teaching from Shakyamuni Buddha) has, as 
its last step, 'Right Meditation' and the tradition of 'sitting' 
is a fundamental part of the Theraveda tradition as well.

In the "Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch", the 18th 
Chapter opens with the words: "Good and Learned Friends, 
according to this method (i.e. his method of teaching), as a 
foundation to sitting in meditation do not look at (for) the 
mind, do not look at (for) purity, do not (try to) become 
imperturbable..

Many of the texts do not speak of Enlightened Masters practicing 
Zazen simply because it is a given. A "highlight" of the teaching 
of Mother Theresa as written by one of those close to her (and 
written for a Catholic audience) would probably contain little 
about her method and manner of prayer, but I would be willing to 
wager that if one asked HER what was important in her life to 
guide and sustain her....

If one wants to study the teaching of one of the Enlightened 
Masters (in written form) that is a) recent enough to be 
historically verifiable b) written by the teacher rather than by 
a disciple, and c) available in good English, might I suggest any 
of the Shobogenzo by Dogen as translated by John Stevens. 

It is not an accident that the central Buddha image in 90+% of 
Buddhist iconography shows the Buddha SITTING (as in sitting in 
meditation).

Studying the teachings or life of anyone can not be separated 
from the cultural and historical assumptions of the author, nor 
is it safe to assume that a text written for those who have 
already embraced the philosophical (and practical) assumptions 
(the mindset, if you will) of the author (and/or subject) will be 
understood in the way it was intended by those whose mindset does 
NOT contain those assumptions...

That "...and we haven't touched 'ANNICA' yet..." Old Frog


(end of Old Frog's reply)

Old Frog can be reached online at his BBS 715-362-3895.  If you 
need a voice number, drop me a note and I'll dig it up.


Len Moskowitz