I'm reading "Moon in a Dewdrop", which has many of Dogen's writings and expounds a bit on his history and philosophy. There are also many explanations and footnotes to make the texts easier to understand.
It seems like a good place to start at least
What is the end all be all manual on chan/zen or buddhism?
Re: What is the end all be all manual on chan/zen or buddhism?
Namu Amida Butsu
- Rinchen Dorje
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Re: What is the end all be all manual on chan/zen or buddhism?
Bodhidharma gave the Lankavatara Sutra to Hui Ke and told him that was all he needed...
"But if you know how to observe yourself, you will discover your real nature, the primordial state, the state of Guruyoga, and then all will become clear because you will have discovered everything"-Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Re: What is the end all be all manual on chan/zen or buddhism?
And the 'demonstrable evidence' for this is....Bodhidharma gave the Lankavatara Sutra to Hui Ke and told him that was all he needed...
- jundo cohen
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Re: What is the end all be all manual on chan/zen or buddhism?
Oh, there are many good Buddhist books by many authors ... and one should read them, learn from them ...
But the "end all and be all" book of Zen is written by you in this moment on the open page of emptiness ...
Oh, sure, one is handed the Karma and other conditions of the story heretofore ... and we may not always find ourselves in the place we would wish ... but what happens from this instant is greatly up to our choices right here, our words, thoughts and acts. One can thus choose to write a tale of greed, anger and ignorance ... or Wisdom and Compassion ... as you will.
That is the "be all and end all manual", ever beginning and ending in every step and breath, without beginning or end ...
Gassho, J
But the "end all and be all" book of Zen is written by you in this moment on the open page of emptiness ...
Oh, sure, one is handed the Karma and other conditions of the story heretofore ... and we may not always find ourselves in the place we would wish ... but what happens from this instant is greatly up to our choices right here, our words, thoughts and acts. One can thus choose to write a tale of greed, anger and ignorance ... or Wisdom and Compassion ... as you will.
That is the "be all and end all manual", ever beginning and ending in every step and breath, without beginning or end ...
Gassho, J
Priest/Teacher at Treeleaf Zendo, a Soto Zen Sangha. Treeleaf Zendo was designed as an online practice place for Zen practitioners who cannot easily commute to a Zen Center due to health concerns, living in remote areas, or work, childcare and family needs, and seeks to provide Zazen sittings, retreats, discussion, interaction with a teacher, and all other activities of a Zen Buddhist Sangha, all fully online. The focus is Shikantaza "Just Sitting" Zazen as instructed by the 13th Century Japanese Master, Eihei Dogen. http://www.treeleaf.org
- Rinchen Dorje
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Re: What is the end all be all manual on chan/zen or buddhism?
Plwk,
read the Bodhidharma Anthology by Prof. Jeffrey Broughton
read the Bodhidharma Anthology by Prof. Jeffrey Broughton
"But if you know how to observe yourself, you will discover your real nature, the primordial state, the state of Guruyoga, and then all will become clear because you will have discovered everything"-Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche