Cha’an comes from an important sermon on meditation made the Buddha himself, which emphasised finding enlightenment from personal effort instead of relying on study of the or the experiences of others. Ch an uses unconventional or unusual ways to wake up the disciple to a sudden and ‘wordless’ experience of Enlightenment, including: puzzling meditation themes; Paradoxes; baffling answers; or even yelling and beating to let ‘the bottom of the tub fall out’ and to throw the student into a state of ‘no-mind’.
For example, Chinese Buddhism invented the famous Koan s. These are puzzling questions which seem to have no answers or nonsense answered. The two most famous Koans are, If a tree falls in the forest, and no one hears it fall, does it make a sound? and What is the sound of one hand clapping? There are many answers to these questions and some are as puzzling as the questions themselves, but they are meant to be mind exercises to help the student Buddhist think beyond rational, everyday things, and try to reach bigger truths.
The Chinese Laughing Buddha
Bodhisattva Martreya is the most common Buddha in China. Martreya means the Loving or Friendly One and ancient artists show him as a fat, round, cheerfully smiling character. Statues of Martreya are usually found at the entrance of Chinese temples and among more superstitious Chinese Buddhists are sometimes worshipped as a god of good luck and prosperity.
7 How Buddhism works in China today
China banned almost all religions and religious practices after the Revolution in 1949. For several years people continued to practice their old beliefs, but restrictions became tighter as time went on.
When the Chinese government invaded Buddhist Tibet in 1959 they tore down many of the monasteries and ruined the paintings and statues in them. Today, the Chinese government forbids Tibetans to own or put up any pictures of the Dalai or Panchen Lama. To get a job in Tibet now you have to speak Chinese and not many Tibetans have enough money to go to schools that teaches Chinese.
It is estimated that 1.2 million Buddhists died between 1951 and 1979, in China and Tibet, as a result of persecution, and that 80,000 Buddhists fled to India, mostly from Tibet. There were 6,259 Ch an temples and monasteries in Tibet prior to the 1959 invasion. In the year 2000 there are only eight left.
In 1962 The 10th Panchen Lama wrote a long letter to Chinese president Mao Tse Tung, protesting that the Chinese soldiers were destroying buildings and killing Tibetans. He was arrested and put in prison for over 10 years. In 1987 he again protested that the Chinese government were not treating the Tibetans fairly. In1989 he told the world that the Chinese were destroying the Tibetan people. He died soon after. Some Tibetans think the Chinese poisoned him but no one knows for sure.
During the 1960 s Chairman Mao instituted the Cultural Revolution , which was aimed at creating a second Chinese revolution amongst students and young people. During this time all religious and Buddhist practices were banned, many monks and thousands of believers were tortured, jailed or killed, and many of the 2000 year old temples, monasteries and art works were completely destroyed.
In the 1990 s the new Panchen Lama (the 11th) was 6 years old when he and his parents were kidnapped from their home in Tibet by the Chinese government. He is the world’s youngest political prisoner and he has been missing for over 4 years.
Panchen Lama is Vice-President or Prime Minister – Tibetans call him the second greatest leader of Tibet. Buddhists believe that the Panchen Lama is the protector of all the world’s living beings. China kidnapped the Panchen Lama, his parents and brother from their home in Tibet and are holding them under house arrest somewhere in China.
Today there is practically no Cha an Buddhism practiced anywhere in China. However, wherever a Chinese community exists in Asia, from Korea, to Singapore, to Indonesia to Australia, Cha an Buddhism survives and is practiced my millions.
The Eight Auspicious Symbols
Right-coiled white conch The white conch which coils to the right symbolises the deep, far-reaching sound of the Dharma teachings, which awakens disciples, awakens them from the deep sleep of ignorance.
Precious umbrella The precious umbrella symbolises the good work of protecting others from illness, harmful forces & temporary sufferings, and offers enjoyment of a feast under its shade.
Victory banner This symbolises the victory your own body, speech and mind, over obstacles and negativitities. It also stands for the complete victory of Buddhism over all harmful forces.
Golden fish This symbolises the perfect state of all living beings in a state of fearlessness, without danger of drowning in the ocean of sufferings, free to move from place to place as freely just as fish swim without fear through water.
Dharma Wheel The golden wheel symbolises the turning of the wheel of Buddha’s teaching, enabling people to experience joy and liberation.
Auspicious drawing The drawing symbolises how Buddhist teaching is intertwined with ordinary life. At enlightenment, students will feel the uniting of wisdom and compassion.
Lotus flower The lotus flower symbolises purification of the body, speech and mind, and the full blossoming of an enlightened life.
Vase of treasure The treasure vase symbolises an endless rain of long life, wealth and all the benefits of enlightenment to the world.
Some Cha an Koans
Koans, or in Chinese Buddhism, kung-an, means public case . They are a form of discussion and public teaching of wisdom. Koans are meant to break down ordinary, rational thought. They are often nonsensical and puzzling questions into which the student was expected to put every effort to solve the puzzle. Students carried the questions with them every day, worrying and working on them, until the solution (often framed as oddly as the question) was delivered to him/her straight from Buddha-state. In other words, the answer offered a glimpse of enlightenment . Usually the solution to the koan involved a lesson on the senselessness of words, logic and attachment to the ordinary world.
One monk said to the other, “The fish has flopped out of the net! How will it live?” The other said, “When you have gotten out of the net, I’ll tell you.”
Some professors asked a monk to lecture to them on spiritual matters. The monk ascended a podium, struck it once with his stick, and descended. The academics were dumb- founded. The monk asked them, “Do you understand what I have told you?” One professor said, “I do not understand.” The monk said, “I have concluded my lecture.”
**
A student said to the chief monk, “Help me to pacify my mind!” The chief monk said, “Bring your mind over here and I will pacify it.”
The student said, “But I don’t know where my mind is!”
The monk replied, “Then I have already pacified it.”
**
If you meet a person on the path, do not greet him with words or silence.
How will you greet him?
**
A monk, taking a bamboo stick, said to the people, “If you call this a stick, you fall into the trap of words, but if you do not call it a stick, you contradict facts.
So what do you call it?”
At that time a monk in the assembly came forth. He snatched the stick, broke it in two, and threw the pieces across the room.
**
A monk sat with his three students. He took out his fan and placed it in front of him, saying, “Without calling it a fan, tell me what this is.”
The first said, “You couldn’t call it a slop-bucket.” The master poked him with his stick.
The second picked up the fan and fanned himself. He too was rewarded with the stick.
The third opened the fan, laid a piece of cake on it, and served it to his teacher. The teacher said, “Eat your cake.”
**
Has a dog a Buddha-nature?
This is the most serious question of all.
If you say ‘yes’ or ‘no’
You lose your own Buddha-nature.
THE VOW OF THE ‘TEN FOOTSTEPS’ OF CH’AN TAO CHIA (Chinese Buddhism)
I will have compassion
for all sentient beings;
and will not cause needless hurt
or unnecessary harm.
Through my training,
I will seek enlightenment,
the distinction between right and wrong,
liberation from delusion
and the malevolent influences of
greed, jealousy and rage.
I will seek
to transcend unnecessary dichotomy,
and learn to accept that differences
are often an attitude of mind.
I accept
that of greater value
than the accumulation of goods,
are justice and creativity,
right motive and action, and essentiality,
love and peace, and the freedom to grow.
I will act
with honour,
without contriving for self-advantage
or egotistical effort,
false pride or humility.
I will try to live my life
so as not to give cause
for later regrets.
I will help
those who are suffering,
or disadvantaged,
and those who seek liberation
or enlightenment.