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Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- Where we left off (roughly):
- Let’s take a breath here to make sure we’re on the same page.
- It is Koller’s contention that what Zen Buddhists (at least typically) mean by Buddha Nature is Reality as it is … interdependently arising ( Asian Philosophies , p.243).
- Under this account, to realize one’s Buddha Nature is to realize one’s interdependent nature … with a mind free of ignorance, attachment and aversion.
- There’s (at least) a couple of questions that arise out of this account: (1) Why use the term ‘Buddha Nature’ to refer to That which interexists? (2) Why use ‘No-mind’, ‘Mind’ or ‘Buddha Mind’ as synonyms for ‘Buddha Nature’?
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- An answer to (1): This is arguably because of two
reasons. (i) That which characterizes an Awakened One (or Buddha) is not substantially, or essentially, different from what ultimately characterizes any- thing else. (ii) The individual who awakens is not substantially , or essentially , different from their pre- enlightened self. Since this can be said of everyone, AND given (i), we can all be said to already possess Buddha Nature.
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- As for (a), we need to think back to our brief discussion of Yogacara and their talk of Store Consciousness.
- Store Consciousness is, for the Yogacara, BOTH (i) the ultimate underlying consciousness of all beings ( Asian Philosophies , pp.221-23), AND (ii) That to which we refer when talking of That which inter-exists ( Asian Philosophies , pp.220, 221, 222).
- Think back to some of the reasons for suggesting the existence of store consciousness.
- (1) There is no end to conscious experience when engaging in meditation. That is, no matter how ‘deep you go’, there is consciousness ( Asian Philosophies , p.220).
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- (2) There are a number of distinguishable kinds of consciousness (or conscious awareness).
- Six of these regard the senses (be it sight, taste, touch, smell, sound or discursive thought).
- There is also a consciousness beyond this that nevertheless involves an ignorance of our nature as individuals … this is the level where Hindus and Jains claim to encounter the Self.
- But there is a final kind of consciousness, beyond this, where ignorance (and the other poisons) is absent. This must be the case if the Buddhist view of enlightenment is correct. This eighth kind of consciousness is store consciousness ( Asian Philosophies , pp.221-22).
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- (1) Is also relevant to the claim that “Store Consciousness is … That to which we refer when talking of That which interexists” (or (ii) in the relevant previous slide).
- If, no matter ‘how deep we go’, there is consciousness, then even at the level of direct experience of, or insight into the nature of, reality, we encounter consciousness.
- In other words, consciousness is an integral element in our (direct) experience of reality as It Is … otherwise it wouldn’t be an experience at all.
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- But it gets weirder. There is no duality at that level
of awareness. (There is no me versus you, no me versus the world, no subject versus object. There is just All That There Is … or interdependent arising) ( Asian Philosophies , pp.220, 221-22).
- IF there is no duality at that level of awareness, BUT
there is consciousness, THEN, it seems, we must say that consciousness is an integral element of reality as It Is or (ii).
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- But consider this quote:
- “The Tathagata-garbha ... represents the ‘Buddha- potential’ within all beings. In the Tathagata-garbha Sutra it is said to be equivalent to the ‘Buddha-nature’ ... and is affirmed by the Buddha to be ‘complete with virtues and not different from myself’ .… It is an emptiness which is itself full of possibilities; it is resplendent with the qualities of Buddhahood, beginningless, unchanging and permanent .... It is beyond duality, having the nature of thought and the intrinsic purity of a jewel, space or water .... Moreover, it is the Tathagata-garbha which responds to spiritual teachings and aspires for Nirvana ” (Harvey, Peter. 1991. An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, history and practices. New York: Cambridge University Press, p.114-15). Docsity.com
Zen Buddhism: On Buddha Nature
- Or consider a quote from p. 114 of your Course
Pack :
- “All beings have self-nature. This nature is
intrinsically without arising or cessation; it constantly abides without change. Therefore, it is called the inherent self-nature. Both the buddhas of the three worlds … and all beings have this nature as the dharma body of the original ground.”
Zen Buddhism: Aims of Zen
- “What the tenzo monk is saying is that Zen is life; it
is cooking, cleaning, studying, or whatever one is doing at the time. Zazen and koan practice are important training, but the real practice of Zen is the daily living of life. Buying mushrooms is zazen and talking to Dogen is koan practice for the tenzo monk” ( Asian Philosophies , p.238).
- Think back to D.T. Suzuki’s description of Zen.
Zen Buddhism: Aims of Zen
- Discursive consciousness is at odds with the nature
of reality (i.e. as interdependent arising).
- The dualities and distinctions contained within our
conceptual schemes, and our use of these schemes to divide up our experience fall short of, or distort, reality ‘itself’ … including our-selves.
- To know reality as ‘it is’ we need to move beyond
our intellect, so described ( Asian Philosophies , pp.236-37).
Zen Buddhism: Practice
- 3 aims of zazen :
- (i) Concentration : In practicing zazen one first needs to still or quiet the mind and learn to focus on the moment ( Asian Philosophies , p.239).
- (ii) Satori : Satori is “the awakening of enlightenment that sees directly into one’s own existence and the existence of others. This direct insight reveals the true nature of things in their dynamic interdependence” ( Asian Philosophies , p.239).
- (iii) Living enlightenment : The third aim of zazen is to live the enlightenment experience in every moment. “It [i.e. enlightenment] is to be lived; every action and every moment should be an action and a moment lived in enlightenment” ( Asian Philosophies , p.240). Docsity.com
Zen Buddhism: Practice
- (2) Koan practice - Koans play a special role as a means to sudden enlightenment in Rinzai Zen. Koans are usually dialogues between a Zen master and a student, and involve what appear to be non-sensical responses to a question posed by a student. Koans are designed to push the student beyond dependence on dualistic thinking, or discursive consciousness (see Asian Philosophies , p.239, 241-42).
- In Soto Zen koans are also used to cultivate mindfulness and ‘achieve’ enlightenment, but Soto Zen practitioners place less of an emphasis on the truths contained in the koans themselves and relate them more to their own lived experience, which is itself treated as the koan ( Asian Philosophies , p.241). Docsity.com
