Difference between revisions of "Discover"
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| − | Buddha-nature in East Asian Buddhism is largely based on the ''Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna'', another treatise whose author is not easily identified. The second-century Indian poet [[Aśvaghoṣa]] is considered by Chinese tradition to have been the author, but most scholars think that unlikely. The sixth-century Indian monk [[Paramārtha]] is credited with its translation, and he may well have composed it as well, in China, along with a team of Chinese scribes. The first commentary appeared in 580, written by the monk Tanyan (516–88), and was followed over the centuries by more than 170 others written in China, Japan, and Korea by some of the great religious leaders of East Asian Buddhism. These included Jingying Huiyuan of the Chinese Southern Dilun school, the Chinese Chan patriarch Shenxiu, the great Korean monk [[Wǒnhyo]], the Chinese Huayan founder [[Fazang]], and the Japanese founder of the Shingon school, [[Kukai]]. | + | Buddha-nature in East Asian Buddhism is largely based on the ''Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna'', another treatise whose author is not easily identified. The second-century Indian poet [[Aśvaghoṣa]] is considered by Chinese tradition to have been the author, but most scholars think that unlikely. The sixth-century Indian monk [[Paramārtha]] is credited with its translation, and he may well have composed it as well, in China, along with a team of Chinese scribes. The first commentary appeared in 580, written by the monk Tanyan (516–88), and was followed over the centuries by more than 170 others written in China, Japan, and Korea by some of the great religious leaders of East Asian Buddhism. These included [[Jingying Huiyuan]] of the Chinese Southern Dilun school, the Chinese Chan patriarch [[Shenxiu]], the great Korean monk [[Wǒnhyo]], the Chinese Huayan founder [[Fazang]], and the Japanese founder of the Shingon school, [[Kukai]]. |
The Japanese scholar [[D. T. Suzuki]] first translated the ''[[Awakening of Faith]]'' into English in 1900. Some of the most influential early-twentieth-century American converts used it in their promotion of Buddhism, most notably [[Paul Carus]], the author of ''The Gospel of the Buddha'', and [[Dwight Goddard]], the author of ''The Buddhist Bible''. Columbia University professor [[Yoshito S. Hakeda]] published a reliable translation in 1967. The Russian Buddhologist [[Eugène Obermiller]] first translated the ''[[Ratnagotravibhāga]]'' into English in 1931. Japanese scholar [[Takasaki Jikidō]] published a second English translation in 1966. | The Japanese scholar [[D. T. Suzuki]] first translated the ''[[Awakening of Faith]]'' into English in 1900. Some of the most influential early-twentieth-century American converts used it in their promotion of Buddhism, most notably [[Paul Carus]], the author of ''The Gospel of the Buddha'', and [[Dwight Goddard]], the author of ''The Buddhist Bible''. Columbia University professor [[Yoshito S. Hakeda]] published a reliable translation in 1967. The Russian Buddhologist [[Eugène Obermiller]] first translated the ''[[Ratnagotravibhāga]]'' into English in 1931. Japanese scholar [[Takasaki Jikidō]] published a second English translation in 1966. | ||
Revision as of 15:50, 14 December 2020
As the laughter died down, the Gyalwang Karmapa delivered a profound and reasoned teaching on Buddha-nature and the nature of mind. "All sentient beings are endowed with the potential for complete Buddhahood," he began.
They are inherently Buddhas, and inherently that Buddha-nature is completely free of any stains -- it is stainless, and perfect. Yet, at the level of relative or immediate experience, our experience is not this way. Our experience is that this perfectly pure Buddha-nature is veiled by our confused outlook.
Shifting the teaching to a deeper level, the Gyalwang Karmapa then described the dharmakaya, or the Buddha's enlightened mind. "Lord Gampopa said that the nature of thoughts is dharmakaya," he explained.
Thoughts and dharmakaya are inseparable. We have this dualistic approach of seeing dharmakaya as pure and thoughts as impure, but we need to understand the inseparability of thoughts and dharmakaya.
The Gyalwang Karmapa spoke directly in English as he continued:
Every moment that we have thought, every moment that thought arises, we have the opportunity to recognize the nature of thought as emptiness or dharmakaya, whatever you want to call it. Thought and the emptiness of its nature are inseparable. We can't make them separate; there's no separation. Because thought itself is emptiness that means actually in everyday life we have lots of opportunity to recognize and realize the nature of thought, or nature of emptiness, or dharmakaya. But we just follow the appearances, the illusions -- we don't look deeper.
The Gyalwang Karmapa then responded to several more questions from the audience, teaching briefly on the progressive views of emptiness within Tibetan Buddhism which culminate in the final Madhyamaka view. The final questioner echoed the thoughts of many gathered when she asked the Gyalwang Karmapa how his students could help and support him. "I feel energized and inspired by all the love and the support that I receive from all of you. That really is sufficient. I don't need anything more than your love and support," he replied, to resounding applause.
Continuing an annual tradition, the teaching took place at the request of the Root Institute for Wisdom Culture. The Gyalwang Karmapa taught to an overflowing gompa, with hundreds of students spilling out into the surrounding balconies and gardens. In addition to mostly international students, the audience also included local Indian children from the Root Institute's school."The mind's nature is vivid as a flawless piece of crystal. Intrinsically empty, naturally radiant, ceaselessly responsive." –Shabkar (Source Accessed July 17, 2020)
