100 must-read books for college students

Chapter 96
Chapter 95 Zen Book: "Zen Buddhism"

Zen is one of the sects of Chinese Buddhism, which mainly focuses on meditation, hence the name.Bodhidharma came to China from Tianzhu in the late Song Dynasty

Teaching Zen

而创立。由达摩而慧可(487～593)、僧璨(？～606)、道信(580～651)，至第五世弘忍门下，
Cheng Bei Shenxiu's Theory of Gradual Enlightenment and Southern Huineng's Theory of Sudden Enlightenment are called "South Energy and North Beauty".However, the Northern School of Numerology declined, and the independent
The Southern School prevailed and became the orthodox line of Zen.In the late Tang Dynasty, Zen almost replaced other sects, and Zen became synonymous with Buddhism.

Resonated in Song and Ming Dynasties.

Since the Southern Song Dynasty, only Linji and Caodong sects

Popular, and spread to Japan, the rest are not passed on.A generation of Zen masters, Qianmu Dazhuo, studied it and wrote
A series of Zen works.

The author of "Zen Buddhism" is Suzuki Daizhuo, a Japanese Buddhist scholar and thinker.

Kanaki Daizhuo’s works on Zen have been published by Yanbo Shoten in Japan in 32 volumes, of which
"Zen Essays", "Mindless Zen" and "Zen Studies", a wonderful book on Zen selected and edited by American William Barrett "Zen
Zong.

"Zen Buddhism" on Zen Religious Scriptures

"Zen Buddhism" discusses the meaning, historical background, method, philosophy of Zen Buddhism, and its relationship with Japanese culture.

relationship.

Here, let me first explain Zen Buddhism, which is actually very simple. Like some philosophies and beliefs that emphasize intuition, Zen Buddhism embodies

to the embarrassment of trying to communicate the uncommunicable.Like the theology of the Middle Ages, it advocates directly engaging with people's own life, so as to lead
that insight really exists, yet scorns any intellectual or formalistic means of attaining that insight.In a word, Zen is me
something we have to keep.

Zen pointed out that the founder of Chinese Zen was Huineng (638-713).Hui Neng was deeply moved by the "Diamond Sutra" recited by others,
So he trekked for more than a month and begged Hongren, the fifth patriarch, to take him in to study the Fa.Hong Ren recognized Huineng's root cause, and passed down the cassock inherited from the ancestors

Pay him (this statement is said by Huineng's disciples, and may not be true).

According to Suzuki, Huineng's "recognizing one's own nature is one of the most important words in the history of the development of Zen." Related to this concept is

Huineng
Nanzong's "Dunjiao".Contrary to the view that enlightenment can be achieved through passive and lonely meditation, Hui Neng emphasizes that the self is acting

to comprehend the nature.Hui Neng initiated the tradition of obtaining truth directly and intuitively rather than intellectually.

The book "Zen Buddhism" agrees with the Buddha's "Four Noble Truths". This theory is based on the basic idea that life is suffering.

To suffer, one must overcome lust and seek the truth.Everyone has a struggle between the finite and the infinite, so the nature of human life

(which provides a clue to dissolving the inner conflict of the ego) must be grasped directly.But scriptures cannot provide this kind of help.

The same cannot be said about sex. Only by "directly pointing at the heart" mentioned in the above-mentioned four-line verse is the way to become a Buddha.

Just like the Buddha holding flowers, direct teaching or pointing out is sometimes a silent reminder.But it may manifest as using a
A seemingly irrelevant, or even absurd, meaningless discourse.Suzuki warned that in order to correctly evaluate the pointing method,
One must see the intention of learning as more than recreation; for Zen followers, Zen is a moral discipline, a

An attempt to sublimate his spiritual power to an ideal height.A Zen master's short answers to his disciple's questions are by no means intended to be intellectual enigmas

verbal or symbolic expressions.Talking in a metaphorical way is not directing.Perhaps we can say that although some Zen masters

The expressions seem to be symbolic, but they still have a more straightforward meaning, which is the important meaning in talking about expressions
righteousness. The book "Zen Zong" cites the Zen master's speech dialogue as an example, asking "What is Zen?" The Zen master replied "Boiling oil and pouring fire
"; to "What is one who does not become a partner with all dharmas?" The Zen master (Matsu) replied: "After you drink up the water of the West River in a day, I will tell you."

"

This kind of answer is more difficult to understand, but what is important is not those spell-like mysteries or digressions, but the "direct point to the truth".

’. The tendency of the Western mind is to take these words intellectually, to “crack out” their meaning. Suzuki convincingly

He argues that these words are a means of enlightenment for Zen disciples, and they can be grasped by "opening the third eye", thereby achieving

An epiphany can give a person insight into the nature of his life.The means of attaining enlightenment is specialized meditation (Mr. Barrett explains "Zen
"The word comes from the Japanese "zazen", which is equivalent to the Chinese "Zen" and the Indian Sanskrit "Zenna". The Zen of Zen is different.
The advantage lies in the unity of meditation and action.Suzuki said: "Zen has its own way of practicing Zen. Zen and quietism or ecstasy
The state of ecstasy is irrelevant").

Achieving insight must include "focused contemplation of words or actions that come directly from the heart, unencumbered by intellect or delusions."
. "When the Zen master expressed the direct pointing method of Zen, he often mentioned the example of a stick. Fenyang Shanzhao once said: "Knowledge

Pillars and sticks, the study is over. But Huiqing said: "You have a stick, and I have one with you; if you don't have a stick, I will take one from you." "

In some illuminating words, this book conveys the method of Zen to the Western mind as faithfully as possible.pointing method why

It is possible for Zen masters, if we consider that the meditation that fills the whole of life is infinitely enlightened in all aspects, we will

The relevance of apparently unrelated words can be correctly assessed.If a person learns to know the pillar in the hands of the Zen master
If the stick is the ultimate, then as Suzuki suggested, it may also be the ultimate to know the little flower in the cracked wall.Tennyson's parable also
Xu in many ways has the same metaphorical meaning as the Zen master.When it comes to Buddhist scriptures, Suzuki emphasizes that "expression and enlightenment are integrated", "limitation is
Infinite, infinite is finite", and "The mistake is that we divide in two what is actually one. "All this makes me

We associate the philosophies of esoteric mystics, quite close to the views of such as Nicholas of Cusa and Bruno.the moment

Aware of the unity of all things, and acknowledging the unity of human nature, that is, the nature of all things, at the moment of enlightenment, the Zen master's digression
Words are nothing more than to draw attention to the nature of anything, which is certainly not an intellectual function.Because the "solution" used
The intellect will strip away the whole meaning, just as one tries to grasp the whole rug by untangling its warp and woof and their connections.
same quality.The occurrence of enlightenment can only be a momentary "grasp" and "sudden" understanding, so the digressions of the Zen masters are regarded as
It's normal to point at the moment.

"Zen" defines enlightenment in the language of "enlightenment" as "a kind of understanding of the nature of things as opposed to analytical or logical understanding."

intuitive insight. "It contains a whole new standpoint. A whole new way of looking at the universe. What the Zen masters emphasize is not
It is not to guide and preach, to see the nature of people, but to see the nature of all things, and to break away from the cycle of life and death to become a Buddha.

"Zen" also emphasizes that the Zen master's method is to make the seeker leave the word "enlightenment": "A monk asked Zhaozhou for advice,...ask him to explain
What is Zen.Zhaozhou asked, "Have you eaten porridge yet?" The monk replied: "Eat porridge too." ’ Zhaozhou said, ‘Go and wash the bowl. '

It is said that after hearing this, the monk suddenly realized the truth of Zen. "

For the desire to know everything, Zen masters refer to everything by appealing to ordinary things.seemingly unrelated
Dry places, they show the unhindered integration of all things. "Zen" describes the main feature of enlightenment, irrationality, that is, will is not logic

leap of series; intuitive insight, that is, mysterious and subtle knowledge; fidelity, that is, the finality of personal knowledge; certainty, that is,

Acceptance of all things; a sense of transcendence, which dissolves the sense of self into a sense of wholeness; impersonal qualities, devoid of any love
or "spiritual" feeling; exhilaration, that is, the satisfaction of life unfettered and independent; instantaneity, a sudden experience

experience, a present awareness of "seeing from a new perspective".

In "The Practical Method of Zen Enlightenment", it is discussed how to achieve the understanding of the absolute "Zen" unity of things.to be completely
Evaluating these methods, even roughly, would require detailed explanation and plenty of examples, but here it is useful to expose

Show one or two.Zen sometimes makes use of the paradox, but with concrete metaphors rather than abstract concepts.Another way is to force

Trying to make people realize that truth cannot use the usual logic of affirmation and negation, this is the method of "beyond opposites".third party

Law is the negation of contradiction, that is, the negation of what has been or seems to be.

"Zen's Unintentional Theory" in "Zen Zong" examines the basic principles of Zen, especially the teachings about Hui Neng.here

Emphasizes the involuntary, unconscious, revealing its essential content with positive, non-reasoning, intuitive insights.If one avoids knowingly
If you take the intellectual understanding that comes from consciousness and engage in daily activities, then you are ready for epiphany.

"Zen Buddhism" also believes that Zen is different from pragmatism. Pragmatism emphasizes the practical validity of thoughts, while Zen emphasizes purposelessness

sex or "getting rid of teleology".Suzuki's description of Zen as life is completely in line with Zen's non-intellectualism, and Zen contains life
significance of various activities.But Zen is not so much concerned with the nature or direction of the action as it is with the perception of the actor;
The tune is "knowledge".Like existentialism, Zen recognizes the contradiction between the finite and the infinite and reveals the possibility of linking apparent opposites.
Possibilities; unlike Being, Zen does not contain any absolute opposition and thus does not assume any "unbearable"
"responsibility", or a sense of aversion to the necessity of action. The division of the finite and the infinite, of the individual and the other, is intellectual division
As a consequence of the analysis, assuming that the idea of ​​individuality is replaced by the idea of ​​totality, then there is no longer any fear of falling into the abyss.
.

In addition, in the discussion of Zen and Japanese culture, Zen also reveals ink painting (using ink to draw outlines on rice paper without false decoration)
How do , fencing and tea ceremony express Zen teaching.

Carry forward Zen and become famous all over the world

"Zen Buddhism" by Suzuki Taizhuo is a tome with worldwide prestige.

The weight
It can be seen that among those scholars and their works dedicated to promoting Zen, no one can surpass Suzuki Dazhuo and his Zen Buddhism. "Zen
The book "Zong" condenses the essence of Chinese and Japanese Zen culture, and it has made inestimable contributions to the evaluation of Eastern religions and philosophies.it describes

Wrote the meaning of life and the essence of Eastern and Western wisdom.In the book, Suzuki Dazhuo pointed out a path full of hope for the future of mankind and the world

The path of hope and happiness.At the same time, this book is also helpful for the study of traditional Chinese culture, and it can also give a glimpse of the collision of Eastern and Western cultures.
bump and communicate.

(End of this chapter)