THE AUTHENTIC ARYAN EIGHTFOLD PATH OF BUDDHISM
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Basis of Dark Zen
excerpt:
Question: Permit me to back up. I think I understand what you're saying. But what I had originally in mind to ask you is what is the historical basis of your teaching?
Dark Zen: From the corpus of old manuscripts discovered at Tun-huang around the turn of the last century, it is clear that Zen transmitted the 'dark principle.' The term is used a number of times in these old documents. In one of the oldest transmission documents found at Tun-huang it mentions the dark principle. In fact, the title of the document is as follows: Former Worthies Gather at the Mount Shuang-feng and Each Talks of the Dark Principle . I should also point out that in this same document there is no indication that there is a transmission going back to the Buddha. Nor, is there a master/disciple succession. But what is clear is that each Zen master is such in virtue of h
is insight into the dark principle.
Question: But what about the fact of a Zen lineage going all the way back to the Buddha as found in the book, The Transmission of the Lamp?
Dark Zen: It is, I think, a tall tale. It's a non-scriptural creation by Sung Dynasty Zennists who took selections from older works and made a singular work befitting of their theory. But it all falls apart when we compare it with the Mahayana Sutra entitled The End of Transmitting the Dharma Basket upon which The Transmission of the Lamp is largely based. The Sutra provides us with a list of 23 Indian ancestors, beginning with Mahakashyapa and ending with Simha Bhiksu. There is no mention of Bodhidharma or his master, Prajnatara. In fact, the Sutra is about transmitting the canon (Dharma)--it's not about Zen. It is also noteworthy that in the Avatamsaka Sutra (the Gandavyuha chapter) it is mentioned that great disciples such as Mahakashyapa were not capable of perpetuating the lineage of Buddhas. Obviously, someth
ing is wrong. This passage doesn't sq
uare with the later Zen theory that Mahakashyapa was transmitted by the Buddha. Why then would the Buddha transmit to Mahakashyapa if he were incapable of perpetuating the lineage of Buddhas? As I read between the lines, Mahakashyapa is only worthy, like Ananda, to transmit the canon. Nothing more. He was incapable of transmitting the Buddha lineage which is the dark principle.
Question: Can you describe this so-called 'dark principle' of which you speak?
Dark Zen: It's an intractable subject, I must say. If I describe it by saying that all constructed things flow from this dark principle while it, itself, remains unconstruced and unmoved, what can such words really explain?
--- I gave up on the Zennites because of too many answers like that one. This sounds more like Chinese philosophy than any White Aryan religion.
Basis of Dark Zen
excerpt:
Question: Permit me to back up. I think I understand what you're saying. But what I had originally in mind to ask you is what is the historical basis of your teaching?
Dark Zen: From the corpus of old manuscripts discovered at Tun-huang around the turn of the last century, it is clear that Zen transmitted the 'dark principle.' The term is used a number of times in these old documents. In one of the oldest transmission documents found at Tun-huang it mentions the dark principle. In fact, the title of the document is as follows: Former Worthies Gather at the Mount Shuang-feng and Each Talks of the Dark Principle . I should also point out that in this same document there is no indication that there is a transmission going back to the Buddha. Nor, is there a master/disciple succession. But what is clear is that each Zen master is such in virtue of h
is insight into the dark principle.
Question: But what about the fact of a Zen lineage going all the way back to the Buddha as found in the book, The Transmission of the Lamp?
Dark Zen: It is, I think, a tall tale. It's a non-scriptural creation by Sung Dynasty Zennists who took selections from older works and made a singular work befitting of their theory. But it all falls apart when we compare it with the Mahayana Sutra entitled The End of Transmitting the Dharma Basket upon which The Transmission of the Lamp is largely based. The Sutra provides us with a list of 23 Indian ancestors, beginning with Mahakashyapa and ending with Simha Bhiksu. There is no mention of Bodhidharma or his master, Prajnatara. In fact, the Sutra is about transmitting the canon (Dharma)--it's not about Zen. It is also noteworthy that in the Avatamsaka Sutra (the Gandavyuha chapter) it is mentioned that great disciples such as Mahakashyapa were not capable of perpetuating the lineage of Buddhas. Obviously, someth
ing is wrong. This passage doesn't sq
uare with the later Zen theory that Mahakashyapa was transmitted by the Buddha. Why then would the Buddha transmit to Mahakashyapa if he were incapable of perpetuating the lineage of Buddhas? As I read between the lines, Mahakashyapa is only worthy, like Ananda, to transmit the canon. Nothing more. He was incapable of transmitting the Buddha lineage which is the dark principle.
Question: Can you describe this so-called 'dark principle' of which you speak?
Dark Zen: It's an intractable subject, I must say. If I describe it by saying that all constructed things flow from this dark principle while it, itself, remains unconstruced and unmoved, what can such words really explain?
--- I gave up on the Zennites because of too many answers like that one. This sounds more like Chinese philosophy than any White Aryan religion.