Zen Talking

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary: In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that.

Zen Teaching: Huangbo! Again! Blofed tras. via https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission/dp/0802150926/

> You must get away from the doctrines of existence and non-existence, for Mind is like the sun, forever in the void, shining spontaneously, shining without intending to shine. This is not something which you can accomplish without effort, but when you reach the point of clinging to nothing whatever, you will be acting as the Buddhas act. This will indeed be acting in accordance with the saying: 'Develop a mind which rests on no thing whatever

Reddit Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/xfacsf/the_bahiya_sutta_really_seems_zenlike_though/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary:

Despite what trolls, tryhards, wannabes, and outsiders have to say about r/zen, this place is a resource like no other when it comes to the study of Zen. People who are serious waste no time… I can split that four years into three phases. There is the time when I was very ill mentally, leading up to diagnosis and treatment. At the time I was unable to directly confront what the masters were pointing to. My study was purely intellectual.

Zen Teaching: Wumen's Checkpoint and Yunmen's Record, aka Ummon Record Sayings

Reddit Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x72hee/zen_mental_illness/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary:

Foyan said:

"I urge you not to be crude minded. In your conduct, day and night, keep evolving higher; then even if you do not attain enlightenment, you will still be a highly refined individual. Be sure to be attentive"

Zen Teaching: Foyan, Cleary trans. - https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Zen-Waking-Up-Present/dp/1556431937

Reddit Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x75l5i/is_zen_worth_studying_without_ever_attaining/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary:

A monk asked Muzhou, "Can the entire canon be recited in one breath?"

Muzhou said, "What pastries do you have? Set them right out!"

Dahui said, "When you get up early in the morning, there are also people who've been traveling by night."

Zen Teaching: Dahui's Shobogenzo, trans. Cleary – no longer on Amazon

Reddit Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x9ajz2/muzhous_why_cant_you_uphold_the_five_precepts/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary: Can some people attain enlightenement, gain a glimpse of "the way," and forget about it to no longer be enlightened? Do the truly enlightened maintain their clarity eternally?

Zen Teaching: Blyth's Zen and Zen Classics Volume 3 (Soto Zen)

Reddit Post: https://reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x7otc3/can_enlightenment_be_lost_after_attained/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit form about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary: Is not murdering, not lying, and not raping just optional?

Follow your nature, blend with the Way,

be free and easy, a stranger to all care.

Text: Trust in Mind aka Faith in Mind, available all over. Let me know if you can't find it. Compare translations!

Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x27ook/hot_take_adhering_to_precepts_is_not_required/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary: The Layman said, "I will do whatever is best." It came to pass that he never shaved his head to join the sangha.

Text: Layman Pang: https://www.amazon.com/Sayings-Layman-Pang-Classic-China/dp/1590306309

Post: https://reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x2wauo/zen_take_layman_pang_and_the_5_lay_precepts/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary:

Master Yangshan went to Dongsi. Dongsi asked, "Where are you from?" Yangshan said, "I'm from Guangnan." Dongsi said, "I've heard that there is a bright pearl that stills the sea in Guanguan. Is this true?" Yangshan said, "Yes." Dongsi said, "What is this pearl like?" Yangshan said, "It is hidden when the moon is dark, and appears when the moon is bright." Dongsi said, "And did you bring it?" Yangshan said, "I brought it." Dongsi said, "Why don't you show me?" Yangshan joined his hands, stepped forward, and said, "Yesterday I went to Guishan and was also asked for this pearl; I simply had nothing to say in reply, no principle to set forth."

Zen text: https://www.amazon.com/Treasury-Eye-True-Teaching-Discourses/dp/1645470784

Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x1y3p3/yangshans_pearl/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary: "My cousin recently became Christian, and asked me if I read anything spiritual or religious. I told him I read the mumonkan and pitched it as "The Zen Bible"."

Zen Teaching: Zhaozhou's "No" via https://www.amazon.com/Recorded-Sayings-Zen-Master-Joshu/dp/157062870X

Reddit Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/x0extu/did_i_get_the_point_or_am_i_fooling_myself/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

r/zen is a reddit forum about Zen scholarship, study, and practice.

Summary: I don't have as much of an issue with the idea of letting go of my own suffering, but when it comes to others, I feel some moralistic way about it, like sometimes I feel empathy or moral outrage. How does zen address this?

Zen Teaching: Huangbo said, "Compassion is not seeing others as to-be enlightened" via https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission/dp/0802150926/

Reddit Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/wukpwz/how_can_i_be_zen_if_others_are_suffering/

Zen Lineage: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted