What is the difference and relationship between "Buddhism" and "Zen"?

Changes and Main Features of Zen Thought in China

Buddhism's Zen thought did not immediately form a separate Buddhist sect at first after it was introduced into China. After the formation of the Zen sect, on the other hand, Zen thought in China was mainly characterized by the development of Zen Buddhism.

The formation of the Zen sect was characterized by a number of progenitors according to some of the sect's own dharma lineages. The distribution of Zen was mainly during the period of Hui Neng, but a branch was formed during the period of Dao Xin. Some of the sources are mainly Liu Yuxi's account of Master Rong's New Pagoda (Quan Tang Wen, Vol. 606) and Zong Mi's Ch'an Sifu Succession Chart. According to the account, one of Daoxin's disciples, Falong, founded the Niutou Sect. This sect had very little influence later on, and fell into obscurity at the end of the Tang Dynasty. Hongneng had many disciples, the most famous of whom were Huineng and Shenxiu. These two men became the representatives of the two schools of Zen, the Southern School and the Northern School, respectively. It was mainly the Southern Sect that developed in later years. The Southern Sect later formed three systems: the Heze Shenhui system, the Nanyue Huaijian system, and the Qingyuan Xingsi system. During the Five Dynasties period of the late Tang Dynasty, Zen Buddhism branched out from the Nanyue system and the Qingyuan system into five branches, known as the "Five Families" of Zen Buddhism, namely: Weiyang Sect, Linji Sect, Cao Dong Sect, Yunmen Sect, and Fa'een Sect. Of these five schools, the Weiyang and Linji schools arose from the Nanyue system, and the Cao Dong, Yunmen, and Fayan schools arose from the Qingyuan system. During the Song Dynasty, the Weiyang Sect declined, while the remaining sects developed. Among them, the Linji Sect was divided into two branches: the Huanglong Sect and the Yangqi Sect. These two sects, together with the original Five Schools, are known as the "Five Schools and Seven Sects" of Zen. If we count from Bodhidharma, the first patriarch of the East, Zen Buddhism was formed during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. However, it was not until after the Tang Dynasty (especially after Huineng) that Zen thought really became an influential sect in Chinese history. Before that, Zen thought still did not form a larger sect size.

The introduction of Zen thought into China was initially realized through the translation of a number of Buddhist texts that dealt with this theory. Many of these texts have not survived, but their main contents are known from the introductions (sutra preambles, etc.) of those who saw them at the time or later. The main Buddhist texts in this area are the Anbang Shouyi Sutra and the Twelve Gates Sutra translated by An Shigao, and the Bon Boat Samadhi Sutra and Shurangama Samadhi Sutra translated by Zhiluo Jia prophecy. These classics belong to the Hinayana aspect, and mainly describe the components of Indian Zen thought such as the control of sensation, the regulation of rest, and the control of the role of the mind, specifically, the "Four Ch'ans," the "Four Colorless Settings," the "Four Immeasurable Minds," etc. The "Four Sutras" and the "Twelve Doors Sutra" translated by Chilou Jia-p'an. "The Four Zen Practices The Mahayana aspect is mainly about meditation on the Buddha and the attainment of the realm of Zen through the realization of the fundamental concepts of Mahayana Buddhism, with specific references to the "Buddha's Presence" and the "All Things are Final", etc. Du Jifen and Wei Daoru: A General History of Chinese Zen Buddhism. Jiangsu Ancient Books Publishing House, 1995, pp. 6-16. In general, the ideas introduced are mainly some of the basic elements of Zen in Indian Buddhism.

Before the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Zen "masters" of the Eastern lands had a great influence on the method of Zen Buddhism, which was initiated by Bodhidharma, the so-called "two entrances and four lines". The "two entries" refer to the "rational entry" and the "behavioral entry". "Reasoning" means to enter the Buddha's path by relying on wisdom or truth. According to Zen Buddhism, it is called "enlightenment by means of teaching", that is to say, by means of the Buddhist classics and texts, one gradually realizes the realm of Zen, which is selfless and non-other, where the mortal and the saint are one and where there is nothing to be done. The "lineage entry" refers to the entry into the Buddha's path through correct practice or attitude in the world, and specifically there are four types, the so-called "four lineages", namely: the lineage of complaining (correctly treating the karmic consequences of previous actions without grudges), the lineage of following karmic consequences (taking gains and losses as they come), the lineage of not seeking (not seeking greedily), and the lineage of calling oneself a "non-greedy seeker" (not seeking greedily). (seeking greedily), and Dharma-appreciation (recognizing the truth of such things as the non-self of all dharmas). This method of "two entrances and four acts" is essentially the same as some of the methods that exist in Indian Zen thought, such as "rational entry" which is close to the "view of wisdom" in Indian religions, and "four acts" which is close to the "view of wisdom" in Indian religions. The "four acts" are essentially the suppression or control of one's own behavior, similar to the above mentioned "forbidding", "persuading", and "controlling feelings". The four lines are similar to the above mentioned "prohibition", "persuasion" and "control of feelings".

The development of Chinese Zen thought later gradually embarked on the path of emphasizing the theory of "mindfulness" and "Buddha nature". When one "sees the nature", one becomes "enlightened" and becomes a Buddha. The core idea of Zen Buddhism became the question of how to "see nature". The question of seeing one's nature becomes the first and foremost question for Zen practitioners. It is a characteristic of Chinese Zen thought that Zen thought is closely related to the question of mindfulness or Buddha nature. In Indian Buddhism, "the nature of the mind is pure" or "the pure mind of its own nature" has long been emphasized. This is not exactly the same thing as the concept of Buddha nature, but it is very much related to it. The concept of "mindfulness" or "self-nature" is a basis for the formation of the concept of "Buddha-nature". This is because in Buddhist theory, the question of whether or not a person can become a Buddha is related to the nature of the mind (mindfulness) and the nature of the person himself (self-nature). The question of Buddha nature is directly related to the question of human nature, and the so-called "heart nature" is in essence a kind of human nature. In the Buddhist view, Buddhahood is consistent with purity or innocence, and one cannot become a Buddha unless one's mind or nature is pure. Thus the idea of "mind" or "self-nature" is linked to the idea of Buddha-nature. In India, this issue is discussed in both the Hinayana and Mahayana schools in general, though not in any particular connection with Zen thought. In China, however, Zen focuses its discussion on whether and how one can see one's own pure mind or Buddha nature.

The question of the nature of the mind or Buddha nature had been hotly debated in Chinese Buddhist circles before the emergence of Zen, with the active participation of, for example, Huiyuan, Dawson, and a number of geomantic and regal masters. After its emergence, Zen absorbed, borrowed and developed the ideas of Indo-Chinese Buddhism in this regard. According to Zen, people's minds are originally pure, but ordinary people or mortals are in a state of ignorance because they cling to insubstantial things and are covered by delusion. Only by recognizing one's own pure nature with "Prajna wisdom" can one achieve enlightenment. Zen calls for "direct reference to the human heart" and "seeing the nature of the Buddha," and so on, and its theoretical basis or premise is "the original purity of the heart.

Another important concept in Zen Buddhism related to the question of the nature of the mind is that "enlightenment is not to be sought from outside". Zen believes that all beings have Buddha-nature in themselves, and that all beings can become Buddhas. This idea is mentioned in many Buddhist sutras, such as the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and the Mahayana Treatise on the Establishment of Faith, and Zen Buddhism has adopted it as a basic concept. Since the Buddha nature is in oneself, the object of meditation or "enlightenment" should not be directed outward, but inward. In other words, in order to attain enlightenment, it is not necessary to seek enlightenment outside the body, but rather to work within oneself to discover the Buddha-nature that is inherent in oneself. In Zen, the so-called liberation is to recognize the original mind ("If one recognizes the original mind, one is liberated"). Focusing meditation within oneself is a characteristic or tendency of Zen.

In Zen Buddhism, both the Southern and Northern schools recognize the concept of "self-nature purity" and focus on inward realization or discovery of one's own nature or Buddha-nature. However, there is a difference in their views or practices as to how to realize this aim or complete this process. This difference is often summarized as "Southern Dharma and Northern Gradualism". The so-called "Nanden" refers to the Soto's method of "attaining enlightenment and becoming a Buddha". According to the Southern Sect, once one realizes one's own nature (pure nature or original Buddha nature), one can achieve enlightenment in a single moment of time. The Tantra - Prajna Pin says, "If one arises in true prajna illumination, in a single moment, all delusions are extinguished. If one realizes one's own nature, one moment of enlightenment leads to Buddhahood." The Tanjing-Prajna Pin also says, "The first thought of being lost is mortal, the second thought of being enlightened is Buddha; the first thought of being attached to a situation is trouble, the second thought of being free from a situation is Bodhi." This means that one attains enlightenment only in a single thought, in a single moment of forethought and hindthought. The term "Northern Gradual" refers to the Northern Sect's advocacy of the "gradual enlightenment" approach to Buddhahood. In the view of the Northern Sect, realizing the truth of Buddhism or knowing one's own nature cannot be accomplished in a single moment; one should "concentrate the mind into a fixed state, and dwell in the mind to see the purity," and thus enlightenment is a gradual process.

Zen emphasizes that Buddhist practice cannot be detached from the world, which is also one of its important features. In Zen's own words, it is summarized as "Buddhism is in the world". In the Tantra-Prajna, it is said, "The Dharma is in the world, but it is not separate from worldly consciousness; to seek Bodhi apart from the world is like seeking the horns of a rabbit." In the beginning, Indian Zen thought mainly required people to maintain inner peace, control the activities of one's sense organs without external interference, and achieve a state of observing wisdom and mental concentration. This is consistent with some of the requirements of Hinayana Buddhism, which seeks a state of nirvana attained after escaping from the cycle of birth and death, a state that is completely different from the secular world (the worldly world). While the secular world is characterized by the presence of emotions, desires, etc., the Nirvana realm is free from human emotions, desires, etc. The Nirvana realm is decidedly separate from the secular world. Mahayana Buddhism in India rejects the Hinayana Buddhist concept of Nirvana, which seeks to separate oneself from the world. It holds that "there is no difference between nirvana and the world. There is also no difference between the world and nirvana" (Zhongdan, vol. 4; Taishōzō, vol. 30, 36a). "The reality of all dharmas is nirvana," Zhong Lun, vol. 3, Da Zheng Zang, vol. 30, 25a. These ideas have had a great influence on Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism emphasized it even more in the specific cultural context of China. Traditional Chinese culture, mainly represented by Confucianism, usually requires people to actively participate in social life and to experience truth in social life, and usually does not require people to detach themselves from society Of course, there are different ones, such as some ideas in Taoism or Daoism. Zen Buddhism is grounded in the broader context of Chinese culture and absorbs relevant ideas from Indian Mahayana Buddhism. Zen Buddhism, especially the Southern system, does not pursue the realm of Nirvana or the world of purity, which is completely different from or unrelated to the secular world, but believes that one cannot leave the secular society to pursue the realm of Nirvana. The Zen doctrine of "not departing from worldly consciousness" emphasizes that one must not be detached from social life, but must pursue the knowledge of one's own Buddha nature in the real world. Although this aspect of Zen's doctrine was put forward after absorbing the ideas of some Indian Buddhist scriptures, it should be said to be innovative to link Zen practice so closely with participation in social life.

The Zen sect is famous for its peculiar method of introducing students and teaching Zen doctrine. In introducing students, Zen adopts techniques such as "stick and drink," which are straightforward and harsh. This method is not found in Indian Zen, but if we trace the origin of its thought, it should be said that it is also related to Indian thought. It is a manifestation of pushing the requirements of some Buddhist scriptures to the extreme, or a specific technique proposed by Zen for practicing such ideas. Many Indian Buddhist sutras require people not to cling to some fixed concepts, including the concepts of names and phases that are often used in Buddhist doctrine, because these concepts of names and phases are only things that are used in the process of recognizing the truth of Buddhism, not the truth of Buddhism itself, which needs to be realized by people. In the Diamond Sutra, it is said, "He who says all dharmas is not all dharmas, and that is why he is called all dharmas." "He who says that there is nothing to be said is called a saying." Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, Daishonin, vol. 8, 751b, 751c. Here, what K???a has said or is saying is only a means to an end, and one must not cling to it, but realize the truth of Buddhism in the negation of concrete concepts of names and phases. The "raft metaphor" mentioned in the Vajra Sutra is also meant to show people that, like crossing the water on a raft, the raft must be discarded after reaching the shore, and that words in general, and even the words of the Buddha, are only means to realize the true nature of things, and that these means must be discarded after reaching the goal, and must not always be held on to. The purpose of Zen's "Stick and Drink" and some of its later famous koans is to prompt people to wake up, to interrupt their general way of thinking, and to attain enlightenment. Objectively speaking, these contents are still in accordance with the basic ideas in the Buddhist classics, and to play, but in the method of innovation, the formation of some of its own characteristics.

Later, Zen went even further in this regard. As a Buddhist sect, Zen, and especially later Zen, was remarkable for its treatment of the founders of Buddhism, the Buddhist scriptures, and even the ancestors of the sect. Such expressions or attitudes as "scolding the Buddha" and "destroying the teachings without the scriptures" were not seen in India, nor did Indian Zen thought directly require practitioners to do so, but should be said to have been put forward by Zen in the course of its development. However, it can still be seen here that Zen Buddhism has inherited and developed the aspect of Indian Buddhist thought. We know that Indian Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes "emptiness" and the inability to cling to anything. Logically speaking, if this "empty" view is pushed to the extreme, then the reality of anything should be denied, and the Buddha and the masters should naturally be included; if the requirement of not being able to cling to anything is pushed to the extreme, then the authority of anything should be denied, and the classics and practices of Buddhism should naturally be included. This is precisely what Zen does, and in its view, this is truly in keeping with the fundamental spirit of Buddhism. This polarizing approach has also formed a characteristic of Chinese Zen thought.

Zen thought is an important element in the Buddhist culture of India and China. It arose in India and developed from India to China, forming an independent Buddhist sect on the basis of the integration of elements of the cultures of India and China, and greatly influencing the development of Buddhism and even other religions in India and China. It has developed from the initial spiritual practice of controlling the activities of the senses and calming the mind to a way of realizing the truth and a way of thinking. "Zen was not only valued in the ancient East, but is now widely practiced by people in many parts of the world. In modern times, it is still the basic practice of monks in a large number of Buddhist temples, and it is also used by many ordinary people as a way to cultivate their bodies and minds. Thus, contemporary Zen has both a religious and a transcendent religious aspect. In general, it is developing in a direction that is positively adapted to the advancement of society.

[Yao Weiqun, born in 1954, a native of Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, received his doctorate from the Department of Philosophy of Peking University in 1995. He is now a professor and doctoral supervisor at the Department of Philosophy, Peking University. He has published monographs such as Indian Philosophy and The Flow of Buddhist Prajna Thought.

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