Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
My top 5:
1. Shinran Shonin, whose teachings i follow.
2. Rennyo shonin, who helped spread the teachings of Shinran Shonin throughout Japan, from which it spread throughout to the world.
3. Inagaki Zuiken, a famous Shin master.
4. Inagaki Zuio, son of (3) and instrumental in translating many Shin texts from Sino-Japanese to English (two published by the Numata Translation Committee)
5. The Seven Masters - Nagarjuna, Vasubhandhu, Tan-luan, Dao-cuo, Shan-dao, Genshin, Genku
1. Shinran Shonin, whose teachings i follow.
2. Rennyo shonin, who helped spread the teachings of Shinran Shonin throughout Japan, from which it spread throughout to the world.
3. Inagaki Zuiken, a famous Shin master.
4. Inagaki Zuio, son of (3) and instrumental in translating many Shin texts from Sino-Japanese to English (two published by the Numata Translation Committee)
5. The Seven Masters - Nagarjuna, Vasubhandhu, Tan-luan, Dao-cuo, Shan-dao, Genshin, Genku
Contemplating the power of Tathagata's Primal Vow,
One sees that no foolish being who encounters it passes by in vain.
When a person single-heartedly practices the saying of the Name alone,
It brings quickly to fullness and perfection [in that person] the great treasure ocean of true and real virtues.
- Shinran Shonin
One sees that no foolish being who encounters it passes by in vain.
When a person single-heartedly practices the saying of the Name alone,
It brings quickly to fullness and perfection [in that person] the great treasure ocean of true and real virtues.
- Shinran Shonin
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Bodhidharma
Hui Neng
Huike
Sheng Yen
Hsuan Hua
Hui Neng
Huike
Sheng Yen
Hsuan Hua
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
HH the 14th Dalai Lama
Nagarjuna
Master Hsu Yun
Master Hsuan Hua
Tsongkhapa
Nagarjuna
Master Hsu Yun
Master Hsuan Hua
Tsongkhapa
- Tenzin Sungrab
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Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
1- Je Tsongkhapa
2- the First Panchen Lama, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen
3- Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche
4- Shantideva
5- Dharmakirti
2- the First Panchen Lama, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen
3- Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche
4- Shantideva
5- Dharmakirti
-
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Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
i'm gonna be a rebel and do two lists, one for masters of the 'past' and one for recent history...
1.nagarjuna
2.Bodhidharma
3.Joshu
4.Hakuin
5.Dogen
and more recently
1.Philip Kapleau Roshi
2.Sheng Yen
3.Thich Nhat Hanh
4.Hsu Yun (a borderline for the other list?)
5.Shodo Harada Roshi
These 2 lists are in no particular order..
1.nagarjuna
2.Bodhidharma
3.Joshu
4.Hakuin
5.Dogen
and more recently
1.Philip Kapleau Roshi
2.Sheng Yen
3.Thich Nhat Hanh
4.Hsu Yun (a borderline for the other list?)
5.Shodo Harada Roshi
These 2 lists are in no particular order..
- Namu Butsu
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Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Shinran Shonin for showing that the laity can attain unsurpassed Enlightenment
Honen Shonin for being so brave to separate from Tendai sect and form the nembutsu way for all people
Thich Nhat Hanh for being the Buddha that he is.
Dharmakara Bodhisatva, though he is symbolic of the shared karmic suffering and his desire to liberate all.
Pema Chodron for sharing compassion through her works and introducing me further into buddhism
Honen Shonin for being so brave to separate from Tendai sect and form the nembutsu way for all people
Thich Nhat Hanh for being the Buddha that he is.
Dharmakara Bodhisatva, though he is symbolic of the shared karmic suffering and his desire to liberate all.
Pema Chodron for sharing compassion through her works and introducing me further into buddhism
"Just say the nembutsu and be liberated" Shinran Shonin
"However hard it may be to bid farewell to this world, when the conditions that bind us to this saha [samsara] realm run out, we are powerless to do anything as the final hour arrives and we are swept away to that Land." -A Record in Lament of Divergences
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Gautama Shakyamuni
Nagarjuna
Padmasambhava
Longchempa
Tsongkhapa
Nagarjuna
Padmasambhava
Longchempa
Tsongkhapa
- mettafuture
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- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
- Shakyamuni Gautama
- Bodhidharma
- Eihei Dōgen
- Hakuin Ekaku
- Thich Nhat Hanh
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Tough. In no particular order
Kumarajiva
Nagarjuna
Hsu Yun
Huineng
Longchenpa
Can't believe I'm the first to mention Kumarajiva!
I would have sneaked in Hanshan Deqing also if I could.
Kumarajiva
Nagarjuna
Hsu Yun
Huineng
Longchenpa
Can't believe I'm the first to mention Kumarajiva!
I would have sneaked in Hanshan Deqing also if I could.
"Even if my body should be burnt to death in the fires of hell
I would endure it for myriad lifetimes
As your companion in practice"
--- Gandavyuha Sutra
I would endure it for myriad lifetimes
As your companion in practice"
--- Gandavyuha Sutra
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Lord Buddha
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Nagarjuna
Chandrakirti
Je Tsongkhapa
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Nagarjuna
Chandrakirti
Je Tsongkhapa
-
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Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
1. Harriet Lassale (intiated me into the path of loving compassion).
2. Yave (initiated me into the embodiment of the true buddhahood, which i dont consider myself to have attained.)
3. Tom (who gave me my enlightenment koan (i dont consider myself to be enlightened).
4. Shu An Wu. (mountain monk who initiated me into philosophical freedom.)
5. Bill and Ben. (wandering monks, who have been there for me. they count as one since they share the same mind.)
this is in order of gratitude, Harriet being the most important to me. except for Bill and Ben whom i have a soft spot for.
2. Yave (initiated me into the embodiment of the true buddhahood, which i dont consider myself to have attained.)
3. Tom (who gave me my enlightenment koan (i dont consider myself to be enlightened).
4. Shu An Wu. (mountain monk who initiated me into philosophical freedom.)
5. Bill and Ben. (wandering monks, who have been there for me. they count as one since they share the same mind.)
this is in order of gratitude, Harriet being the most important to me. except for Bill and Ben whom i have a soft spot for.
in any matters of importance. dont rely on me. i may not know what i am talking about. take what i say as mere speculation. i am not ordained. nor do i have a formal training. i do believe though that if i am wrong on any point. there are those on this site who i hope will quickly point out my mistakes.
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
It's a very tough question as there are so many great masters esp. in the later half of the 20th century (these masters saved Buddhism from destruction as the worst wars and the fascist, communist and capitalist menaces and intense delusions and defilements swept the world threatening all physical and spiritual life).retrofuturist wrote:I thought it might be worth starting up a topic focussing on who we personally consider to be the 5 greatest Mahayana masters of all time, and a few sentences on what makes them so significant.
Empty Cloud, Xu Yun, would be up there for sure.
AH - ALL TIME - well it gets easier then beginning with Lord Buddha. I had thought you were asking about more recent times.
Lord Buddha, Nagarjuna, Jamyang Khyentse Wango, then it becomes very difficult ...
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Yeah, Master Kumarajiva is totally under-rated, that's for sure!Anders Honore wrote:
Can't believe I'm the first to mention Kumarajiva!
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Huifeng wrote:Yeah, Master Kumarajiva is totally under-rated, that's for sure!Anders Honore wrote:
Can't believe I'm the first to mention Kumarajiva!
Ha ha! I am the only one who has not fallen to the evil of preferences, for I have no favorites!
How very koanish...
Sergeant Schultz knew everything there was to know.
- retrofuturist
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- Contact:
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Greetings Catmoon,
Hsin Hsin Ming by Seng-T'san
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however,
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against anything.
To set up what you like against what you dislike
is the disease of the mind.
When the deep meaning of things is not understood,
the mind’s essential peace is disturbed to no avail.
Metta,
Retro.
My 2nd favourite Mahayana master of all time would vouch for the potential efficacy of your non-favouritism!catmoon wrote:Ha ha! I am the only one who has not fallen to the evil of preferences, for I have no favorites!
Hsin Hsin Ming by Seng-T'san
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however,
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against anything.
To set up what you like against what you dislike
is the disease of the mind.
When the deep meaning of things is not understood,
the mind’s essential peace is disturbed to no avail.
Metta,
Retro.
Live in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Great! So we see that preference may entail no preference and that having aversion against preference may entail reinforcement of preference.retrofuturist wrote:Greetings Catmoon,
My 2nd favourite Mahayana master of all time would vouch for the potential efficacy of your non-favouritism!catmoon wrote:Ha ha! I am the only one who has not fallen to the evil of preferences, for I have no favorites!
Hsin Hsin Ming by Seng-T'san
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Actually I was referring to a story from the Blue Cliff Record about the three monks who were travelling under a vow of silence. I forget why but one of them, under pressure of anger or something, finally blurts something out. The second monk retorts "You fool, you have broken your vow!" and third one smiles blissfully and says "Only I have not spoken".retrofuturist wrote:Greetings Catmoon,
My 2nd favourite Mahayana master of all time would vouch for the potential efficacy of your non-favouritism!catmoon wrote:Ha ha! I am the only one who has not fallen to the evil of preferences, for I have no favorites!
Hsin Hsin Ming by Seng-T'san
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however,
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against anything.
To set up what you like against what you dislike
is the disease of the mind.
When the deep meaning of things is not understood,
the mind’s essential peace is disturbed to no avail.
Metta,
Retro.
So I thought I would blissfully take on the role of the third idiot, as is my wont.
Sergeant Schultz knew everything there was to know.
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
Great! So we see that preference may entail no preference and that having aversion against preference may entail reinforcement of preference.
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
So you prefer not to prefer?BFS wrote:Great! So we see that preference may entail no preference and that having aversion against preference may entail reinforcement of preference.
Sergeant Schultz knew everything there was to know.
- retrofuturist
- Former staff member
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- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Who are your Top 5 Mahayana masters of all time?
That would be my preference.
Metta,
Retro.
Metta,
Retro.
Live in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.