Category: korean buddhism
“These words seem to be correct and yet are wrong.”
有人云, “自心淨土, 淨土不可生, 自性彌陀, 彌陀不可見!”
此言, 似是而非也.
People say, “Your own mind is the Pure Land, so you cannot be born in the Pure Land; your own nature is Amitābha, so Amitābha cannot be
seen.”
These words seem to be correct and yet are wrong.
On Sects and Sectarianism in Chinese and Korean Buddhism
In dealing with East Asian Buddhism, Japanese and Westem scholars are
easily exposed to Japanese Buddhist sectarianism and western Christian sectarianism.
However, from the introduction of Buddhism to the period of Wonhyo, there are no
institutionalized sects that resemble Western religious sects or Japanese Buddhist sects.
For example, the scholars of the Chinese Huayan sect, actually established by Fazang,
do not have strong sectarianism, compared to Japanese Buddhist sectarianism and
western Christian sectarianism. The “Huayan sect” refers simply to the group of
scholars who are interested in Huayan Buddhism.
Four Great Vows in Hanja, Hangul, and romanized transliteration
衆 生 無 邊 誓 願 度
중 생 무 변 서 원 도
jung saeng mu byeon seo weon do
everything born without limit vow to liberate
Traditional Buddhist Chanting
Over a twelve month period, starting in March 2023, this course will cover the following six chants (we will spend two months on each chant):
Yebul / Homage to the Three Jewels
Kanzeon
Heart Sutra
Great Dharani
Kwan Seum Bosal / Jijang Bosal
Master Uisang’s Song of Dharma Nature
Yongming Yanshou (永明延壽) and Korean Buddhism (Five Sources)
In the Zongjing lu 宗鏡錄, Yongming Yanshou 永明延壽 (904-975) attempted to unite the whole of Buddhism by suggesting the integration of the doctrinal and meditation schools 禪敎一致, under the slogan of taking the one mind as the axiom 擧一心爲宗 and illuminating the ten thousand dharmas as if in a mirror 照萬法如鏡.
予一生崇尚念佛 (“For my entire life I have honored nembutsu.”)
予一生崇尚念佛
予 = yǔ = praise, esteem, give
一生 = yīshēng = all one’s life
崇尚 = chóngshàng = promote, praise
念佛 = niànfó = mindfulness of Buddha
Yúnqī Zhūhóng (雲棲袾宏; 1535–1615)
Avalodalekśvara: Extirpate All Karmic Obstacles!
唵 阿嚕勒繼 娑婆訶
ǎn ālǔlēijì suōpóhē
옴 아로륵계 사바하
om a-ro-reuk-gye sabaha
おん あろりきゃ そわか
on arorikya sowaka
ओं आरोलिक् स्वाहा
oṃ ālolik svāhā
“Paradise and Amita Buddha with his forty-eight vows really do exist”, Sosan Taesa
So we can see from all of this that the teachings can freely use
seemingly different expedient means and expressions to point to the
same universal substance. Only the words themselves have a
different appearance and meaning, yet the point they communicate
is the same. For one whose insight is in accord with his actions, it is
possible to see through what is said to be “near” or “far.” This is why
our tradition can embrace both ways of practice: calling out to Amita
Buddha, like Hui-yuan, and looking directly into true nature, like
Jui-yen.