Here are some important practice points:

First, after settling into the correct posture, relax. Tension, whether physical or mental, is a detriment to practice. It leads to resistance, which causes exhaustion, and you cannot concentrate if you are tired.

Second, disengage your mind from any concerns other than the practice method before you. You will have wandering thoughts anyway, but if you determine to concentrate on the method, this will help dispel scattering.

Third, be patient. Do not anticipate or push for results. Simply persevere.

The practice itself is the result. That is the Chan attitude.

Give your body on the cushion and your mind to the method! This is the foundation for effective meditation.

Only just become interested in Buddhism and Chan / Zen which ever you want to call it. Where would you start?

So if Buddhists don’t believe in a soul, what is the fundamental substance that transmigrates among the six destinies and can transcend mundane existence?

[...]Buddhists believe that “phenomena arise dependent on conditions” and “things inherently lack self-nature.” In accordance with this view, the physical world exists dependent on causes and conditions, as does the spiritual [mental] domain. Things arise when the right causes and conditions are present, and they disintegrate and disappear when causes and conditions disperse. Without causes and conditions, nothing would exist. Thus, in a sense, we can say that nothing really exists. Scientists studying physics and chemistry can easily support this observation .

And what of the spiritual domain? Although Buddhists do not believe in a soul, they are by no means materialists. Buddhists describe the spiritual domain with the term “consciousness.” In Nikāya Buddhism, six consciousnesses are discussed, with the sixth consciousness serving as the entity that integrates the life process. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, two more consciousnesses are mentioned, for a total of eight consciousnesses. The eighth consciousness is the entity that integrates the life process [providing coherence and continuity within one life and between lives].

All the eight consciousnesses are actually one entity: they are given different names in accordance with their eight different functions. Residue from all the activities of the first seven consciousnesses, good or evil, is deposited and registered in the eighth consciousness, which serves as the depository of all karmic seeds. The supervisor of this warehouse is the seventh consciousness, and the sixth consciousness works like a warehouse clerk handling the in and out of inventory. The first five consciousnesses execute actions.

[...]So the function of the eighth consciousness is storage. But the storage is not that of a one-way depository. It takes deposits from outside and makes withdrawals from inside. What is deposited is the psychological residue of behavior, which is imprinted on the field of consciousness and called karmic impressions or seeds; what is withdrawn are psychological impulses that later develop into behavior and the results of behavior, called karmic fruits or active dharmas. [...] The flow of cause and effect from seed to active dharma and active dharma to seed goes on and on, from countless lives in the past until countless lives in the future. This flow of causality comprises the coherence we experience in one life and the continuity between different lives.

[...]The eighth consciousness, therefore, exists in the continuum of momentarily changing karmic seeds and fruits. Besides this changing continuum of karmic seeds and fruits, there is no such thing as the eighth consciousness itself. An analogy to a current of water is illustrative. A current of water is nothing but water flowing in continuous motion. Besides the flowing water, there is no such thing as a current itself. The objective of Buddhist practice toward liberation is to disrupt this current of birth and death induced by karmic seeds and fruits.

[...]From the above discussion, we see that the eighth consciousness is not equivalent to an eternal soul. If an eternal soul did exist, then the transformation of an ordinary person into a noble one, that is, liberation from the cycle of birth and death, would be impossible. Buddhists reject the concept of an eternal soul, and their ultimate goal is to negate the eighth consciousness altogether.

From his book Orthodox Chinese Buddhism

Im looking for Chan Buddhist texts that were written in China with English and Chinese translations. Not so much the sutras but the texts/classics that were written by Mazu Daoyi, Linji Xuyuan, Huang Po… and other Chan Buddhist master for example. Any recommendations would be helpful thank you.

Gold Buddha Monastery is going to host an Introduction of the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Shurangama Sutra online course. If you are interested, please register at https://gbm.drba.org/ or with QR code. Details below.

Gold Buddha Monastery

http://www.gbm-online.com/

​

https://preview.redd.it/wvx8ygyt7udc1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=e2458bf4955688d412aa3df17329ff2c69b0b778

How would you translate it to Western categories?

"...Rely on yourself to do chores around the house, like cleaning up after meals. Do your household chores carefully and mindfully: don't shake dishes, don't slam doors... these chores help you center your mind and make meditation easier. They can also prove: whether you are truly mindful or still lost in afflictions...."

"When I talk about the east, you go into the west, and when I talk about the west, you go into the east; I can do nothing for you! If you could turn your heads around, when your insight opened up you’d be able to say, “After all it turns out that the teacher has told me, and I have told the teacher,” and when the head was shaken the tail would whip around, everything falling into place."

MTNemptiness inserts:

[“Others have put samādhi (“the mental state of being firmly fixed on a single object”) earlier and prajñā ("non-discriminating knowledge", or "intuitive apprehension") later. I put prajñā earlier and samādhi later.” Indeed, when …(doubt) indecision/apprehension are smashed [THAT IS PRAJNA], then [what the false teachers] call 'taking a rest and stopping' [i.e., the samādhi of quiet sitting] IS SPONTANEOUS; no need of your wishing for it.”] Master Dahui [Broughton]

Grand Master Foyan continues:

"You brag about having studied Zen for five or ten years, but when have you ever done this kind of work? You just pursue fast talk." (see Cleary, Instant Zen)

The master himself [Dahui] said:

“Others have put samādhi earlier and prajñā later. I put prajñā earlier and samādhi later.” Indeed, when ...indecision/apprehension are smashed [that is prajñā], then [what the false teachers] call taking a rest and stopping [i.e., samādhi of quiet sitting] is spontaneous; no need of your wishing for it.”

Broughton

The term "Enlightenment" was made popular in the Western world through the 19th-century translations of German-born philologist Max Müller. It has the Western connotation of general insight into transcendental truth or reality. [Inherently dualistic?]

In the Western world, the concept of spiritual enlightenment has taken on a romantic meaning. It has become synonymous with self-realization and the true self and false self, being regarded as a substantial essence being covered over by social conditioning.

The English term enlightenment is the Western translation of various Buddhist terms, most notably bodhi (which means the knowledge or wisdom, or awakening of a Buddha).

[In the Mahayana what about 'emptiness' in relation to awakening?]

Mulamadhyamakakarika (transl. By Kenneth K. Inada)

Verse One:

At nowhere and at no time can entities ever exist by originating out of themselves, from others, from both (self-other), or from the lack of causes.

"You people just talk about studying Zen by bringing up stories as if that were Buddhism. What I am talking about now is The Marrow of Zen; why do you not wonder, find out, and understand in this way? Your body is not there, yet not nothing. Its presence is the presence of the body in the mind; so it has never been there. Its nothingness is the absence of the body in the mind; so it has never been nothing. Do you understand? If you go on to talk of mind, it too is neither something nor nothing; ultimately it is not you. The idea of something originally there now being absent, and the idea of something originally not there now being present, are views of nihilism and eternalism."

Instant Zen (Pg. 23)

I see many common themes between early daoism and Chan (Mahayana more generally) so I'm curious if Chan Masters even mentioned or commented this text or the Zhuangzi.

"... When Xuefeng went to Touzi three times and Dongshan nine times, do you suppose he did it for the sake of words? You should simply step back and study through total experience.

How do you step back? I am not telling you to sit on a bench with your eyes closed, rigidly suppressing body and mind, like earth or wood. That will never have any usefulness, even in a million years. When you want to step back, if there are any sayings or stories you don’t understand, place them in front of you, step back and see for yourself why you don’t understand.

Professional monks say, “Thinking will not do; not thinking will not do either.” Then how do they teach people to contemplate? I tell you, just step back and look.

Phew! Sure gives people trouble! Sure is hard to understand! But look here— what is it that troubles people? Who is it that troubles anyone? Step back and look in this way; gradually you will wake up, with each passing day illumination will expand and enlarge.

And yet, you should not fanatically recognize this alone and immediately claim perfect attainment, for then you are dependent and fixated. Then it will be ineffectual you must apply some wisdom in your observation.

The ancients allowed you to focus on a route: if you stop and step back in this way, I guarantee there is a reason. This is what is considered incomprehensible and not susceptible to knowledge.

There is also a type who talks wildly and speaks at random, questioning this and that. Again, just step back and look; what is it that talks wildly and speaks randomly? Just turn your attention around and reflect. Go on working like this, and eventually you will be sure to awaken. If you don’t believe it, there’s nothing I can do about that.

Chan Master Foyan (Cleary, 1994)

Hello everyone,

I found this film on accident and I couldn’t find it posted on this subreddit. I think if you are into Chan, you will love this film. I watched it about a week ago and I just can’t stop thinking about it.

I hope you like it as much as I did.

Link: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/themountainpath

Guohan was one of Master Sheng Yen's students. He leads Study Group sessions on the Suddenness Chan approach on a Discord-based meditation community, MeditationMind. The sessions will start taking place from next week Saturday (at the time of this post).

To register for the event, please do so via https://discord.gg/VGGtPqM2md?event=1157773278815981719. You will need to be a Discord user and on the server to access it.

To listen to past sessions of his, which we've recorded, please check out https://meditationmind.org/study-group-with-beishi-guohan/.

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them in response to this post.

Edit: Can't edit the title. I accidentally left out the preposition.

Given the reputation Starbucks has (being vehemently anti-union but never messing with my district) would it be “right” to continue to work there. I’ve never been mistreated nor anyone I know. But in OTHER parts of the country the corporation does some pretty egregious things. How does one handle working for such a massive entity & what has that to do with right livelihood in the 8 fold path? I’d ask a monk but I don’t have a sangha. So you fine folks can help

Is there a place for mandalas in Chan as something meaningful or are they just pretty decoration.

Mainstream people nowadays often fall for these self proclaimed masters. If you mention it to them they always react the same „you just dont understand his teachings". Luckily, I am not here to discuss if his little teachings are good or not (they are mid level pseudo psychology), I am just here to say it has nothing to do with Shaolin or buddhism and that he is a liar.

Here is the official declaration from the official shaolin temple about Monroe Coloumbe, the temple otterberg and all who are part of it like shi heng yi…

„The Shaolin Temple and the Shaolin culture

Letter of warning from the mother temple

Recently, there have been various reports about the alleged Shaolin temple in Otterberg near Kaiserslautern. The head of this institution claims to be an offshoot of the Songhan Shaolin Temple and to act on behalf of the Mother Temple. He even claims to train novices in the name of the Mother Temple. With regard to these reports and the related inquiries here in the temple, the Shaolin Temple Germany is prompted to publish the text of the letter of warning from the Mother Temple to the head of the institution in Otterberg below.

(Translation from the Chinese original of the Songhan Shaolin Monastery China)

Mr. Monroe Columboe:

First of all, a New Year's greeting and congratulations!

Since last year, we have been constantly asking German friends in the Shao-lin Monastery as to whether the representations on your website as well as your claims about your person correspond to the truth. After our investigation, we find that there are many deceptions and falsehoods in the publications on your website that are related to the Shao-lin Monastery and its abdom. Their behavior violates the Buddhist ideal, and it is illegal. That's why the Shao-lin Monastery presents its point of view specifically to you:

1. Immediate omission of any abuse with the names of the Shao-lin Monastery and Abde Shi Yongxin regarding your personal representations.

2. Immediate omission of the forgery and abuse of the authorization of Shao-lin Monastery and Abde Shi Yongxin.

3. The future use of the name Shao-lin Monastery as well as the authorization of the abd Shi Yongxin must be submitted to the Shao-lin Monastery as an application in order to finally be officially admitted and certified accordingly by Shao-lin Monastery.

We welcome the love that Mr. Monroe Columboe has for the Shao-lin monastery and the culture of Shao-lin. We would also support your desire to participate in Shao-lin and Buddhist culture, but all on the condition that the administrative regulations and standards of conduct are respected and complied with, and that as a member of the Shao-lin Order you are aware of your duty and fulfill it.

Congratulations to you again!

Amitabha! (阿弥陀佛！)

Seal with text inscription:

Shao-lin Monastery, Songshan, China

2. February 2008“

(https://web.archive.org/web/20181025231825/http://www.shaolin-tempel.eu/shaolin/index.php/de/shaolin-tempel/14-abmahnschreibens-des-muttertempels)

/

Shi Heng Yi claims to be ordained as a master by Shi Yan Hai, later saying he is not even a monk aso. A lot of self destructive information. The guy that he wants to be ordained from, wasnt a part of shaolin.

Shi Heng Yi, just like Monroe Coloumbe learned under a master Dow (not a shaolin) that teached a mixture of martial arts (but NOT the shaolin kung fu). http://www.shaolin-orden.de/cgi-bin/orden/nav.pl?seite=personentexte/shi-heng-yi

("Vietnam veteran Air Force Master Sgt Frankie Dow, who died in 2013 at the age of 66 and whose obituary states that he was an active church member of the Grace Fellowship Church, founded a teaching program for the American military police that then mutated into the Shaolin Temple.")

Shi Yan Hai (the one they claim to have their master titles from) left the offical shaolin temple Berlin 2004 and made up his own thing in Bielefeld. At that time they met up. But Shi wants to be a master since 2001 already? Frankie Dow is no master in shaolin though and also never claimed to be.

"Furthermore, it is implied between the lines that there is some kind of mastery associated with this, Shi Heng Yi has been considered a master since 2001 and the abbot would also have to have such a rank in order to be an abbot. However, the classification of "Heng" in the 35th generation only refers to the disciple, nothing more."

Later on, Shi Heng Yi recently did his first pin in the official warrior monk duan pin system, which makes him officialy a student, which also represents his knowledge about buddhism and shaolin.

/

https://www.shaolintemple.eu/uploads/Media/2022/Unique%20Experience/Unique%20Experience%20%C2%B7%20Jiang%20Yu%20Shan%20(PDF).pdf

5 k per person, with a dude that also claims to be official, hist masters photoshopped themselfs into official shaolin pictures. (I think Gui Do spoke about that : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5_2izOSAAc)

A buddhist magazine once called otterberg, asking if their are official masters or not, them responding „We re just calling ourselfs that, whats the problem?

Some german discussions on this:

https://www.buddhaland.de/forum/thread/22812-wer-kennt-monroe-coulombe-alias-shi-heng-zong-vom-shaolin-tempel-europe/?pageNo=1

http://www.spiegelblog.net/spiegel-tv-reportage-kaempfen-fuer-buddha.html

/

http://www.shaolin-nrw.de/Shaolin_in_Deutschland.html

"No matter what you read and find in your search about Shaolin in Germany: First of all, pay attention to the "red logo" with the three-part monk. It is protected by law and may be used by authorized schools of Shaolin Temple China. It shows you that this school is in contact with the temple in China and you may not be disappointed later. To what extent you will be looked after elsewhere and whether you will learn more or less about Shaolin, you can also find out about the Shaolin monks' principle of faith. If you are unsure, go to the Shaolin Temple Berlin or the Shaolin Association German in Velbert Langenberg, where you can legitimize yourself properly, even with other documents. Or call the Shaolin Temple Berlin on 030 23631389 or Velbert Langenberg on 02052 80630.

False masters

The other side of the coin, however, was that martial artists often flew to Shaolin, stayed there for a short time and got off the plane in Germany as great masters with fantasy stories and photos from the Shaolin temple. However, not only martial artists and such "masters" discovered Shaolin for themselves, but also the industry, the media and many other organizations. A marketing machine was set in motion and everything from Shaolin beer to Shaolin sausage or Shaolin cigarettes was suddenly available. Much to the displeasure of the Buddhist temple leadership in China.

Name Shaolin

They reacted and the name "Shaolin" was protected, including with the above-mentioned "red logo". As the name "Shaolin" still fascinates many people today, this was an important and correct decision. The temple management is not necessarily concerned with who uses the name Shaolin, as this also has advantages for the temple (e.g. advertising), but with the way in which it is sometimes used.

Shaolin in Germany

The situation changed in 2001 with the founding of a recognized Shaolin temple in Germany/Berlin commissioned by the mother temple. The current head of the Shaolin Temple China, the honorable Abbot Shi Yong Xin, decided to support a project that had almost failed in 2006. Within 5 years, the idea of the abbot slipped out of the hands of the German managing director appointed at the time and he left behind a difficult situation after his departure. At this time, the majority of the first Shaolin monks who were sent to Berlin were also unable to cope with their monastic life and the tasks associated with it and entered worldly life. The Western world with its materialistic and other values, such as starting a family, had caught up with them. Without a mission from Shaolin Temple China, some became independent, mostly in the field of Shaolin Kung Fu. (can be researched everywhere on the net). In the biographies, everyone gives their own reasons. At the same time, a certain number of other schools tried to claim their own rights in the Shaolin area, which of course also had no mandate from the temple leadership in China.

"Half a truth is still a whole lie"

At this point, some people even thought they had to found or support other temples and centers. From the internet to the press, we receive reports that are simply not true. In the age of the World Wide Web, even TV stations and TV media, which are mainly concerned with ratings, are apparently deliberately unable to do proper research. With documentaries in which for example, in which a young man goes from a "so-called temple" in Germany to China, to many false reports, unbelievable things are happening. These and other, sometimes even worse, methods are used to create a false impression in order to make a name for themselves in the martial arts scene with half-truths. Even logos are now being misused. For those truly interested, this naturally casts a dark shadow over Shaolin culture in Germany. The confusion is great and is not in line with Shaolin philosophies.

Shaolin teacher travels to China - warnings

After the director of the Shaolin Center Velbert Langenberg, Shifu Thomas Malz, got to know not only the former managing director of Berlin, but also some of the "so-called false Shaolin temples, centers and masters" personally, he wanted to keep an overview in this chaos. To find out how the situation in Germany is really viewed by the temple leadership in China, Shifu Thomas Malz flew to China again with a friend in February 2008. At the Shaolin monastery, they sought a direct conversation with Shaolin abbot Shi Yong Xin, who informed them in writing that there is only one Shaolin temple in Germany, based in Berlin. At the same time, there were several warnings, including one to a fake temple in Rhineland-Palatinate. These warnings can be viewed in Berlin and Velbert. Although there are now really good Kung Fu schools in Germany (see link/ IMAEC), others, especially in the Shaolin area, seem to have completely lost touch with reality. It is certainly difficult for any martial arts school, even if it is privately run, to strike a balance between tradition and commerce, but fantasies and lies should be left out of the equation.

certified by. Thomas Malz, Yan Hai Liu and Abbot Shi Yong Xin after talks in 2008 about the Shaolin situation in Germany

Recommendation for those interested in Shaolin

The Mother Temple itself and the temple leadership in Berlin are endeavoring to provide information through contact persons and statements. In addition, Abbot Shi Yong Xin has the officially recognized Shaolin Temple Germany/ Berlin and the officially recognized Shaolin Association Germany with headquarters in Velbert - Langenberg. Each of these institutions can legitimize itself and is informed about current developments of Shaolin in Germany/Europe. Here you can make inquiries and receive first-hand information:

Velbert Tel.: 02052 80630 Berlin Tel. 030 23631389

"Regardless of those who mistake cunning for wisdom, disobedience for boldness and take gossip for truth" Confucius (551- 479 BC)

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)"

Further info -> https://www.reddit.com/r/Shaolin/comments/1755exx/shi_heng_yi_a_fraud_for_shaolin/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

See also: Work from Gui Do (there are quite a few english and german videos on this topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTZEnB0Qyfo

Hi I am new to learning about the different schools of Buddhism.

I believe in bodhisattvas and I like guanyin especially. But I also believe in sutras, mantras, mudra, etc. I don’t know if that would fit in with chan Buddhism?

Please recommend the ones you know of.

Chan only. (Chinese Buddhism, Chan Pure Land)

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I came across either the secularized 'it's only a metaphor' reading and the 'the sutras are 100% literal as they are'.

Both versions seem inadequate to me. Are different readings allowed witjout leaving the realm of orthodoxy or even Buddhism itself?

The understanding i got is that rebirth and different realms are literally there, but the descriptions of them are "mythologized" and symbolic in nature to describe something that cannot accurately described with mere describtive language.

Another question: How literal should the lengths of hell be taken? I've seen astronomical year counts.