Illuminating Silence by Master Sheng-Yen

Author:Master Sheng-Yen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Watkins Media

DHARMA DISCOURSES

The Method

Once again I am joining British practitioners on Chan retreat in Wales. Each time I come I have a different feeling; the only thing in common is the experience of a cold climate. Taiwan is a hot place so here I feel the cold, even when you British may tell me it is a warm day! Yet there is something else in common too. Each one of us is getting older. All of us are aging; even those of us who are actually young. Whether we are also getting wiser is another question!

The first time I came the only person I knew was John. It was he, indeed, who had persuaded me to come. The second time I knew a few more people including some who had joined me on retreat in New York. Now I see even more new faces. People differ through time and so does The Maenllwyd. Here, hidden in the hills of Wales, this little farmstead is looking more and more like a Chan monastery. It is really quite unexpected that in Britain one can find such a place.

During this visit I want to tell you more about Silent Illumination because many of you have found it helpful, and because John has a particular affinity with this practice. It seems that at The Maenllwyd there is a good karmic association with Silent Illumination. We need to move towards a deeper appreciation of Buddhadharma and this will be an excellent way of doing this. Hopefully, we can nourish the roots of Chan already growing in the rich soil of Britain.

Some of you have practised shikantaza, the serene reflection method of Soto Zen, at the Throssel Hole Abbey, founded in the north of England in 1972 by Jiyu Kennett Roshi of Shasta Abbey, California. The Japanese Soto tradition developed historically from the Caodong School in China, so it is not surprising that shikantaza and Silent Illumination have much in common. The practice of Silent Illumination was the basis of this Japanese method but I believe the latter, although an excellent practice, does not bring out clearly the conditions, method, and concept of Chinese Chan.

It was the great Japanese master, Dogen, who, having learned Silent Illumination from Master Ju-ching in China, and having received transmission from him, took the basic method to Japan. This method was descended from Master Hongzhi whose profound text we shall study together on this retreat. Hongzhi’s writings may seem very advanced, for he speaks of Silent Illumination straight from his heart and from his immediate realisation. To truly comprehend him we have to be right with him in our practice of the method. Yet serious beginners may find illumination just by appreciating his words.

We must begin by clarifying the form of the practice, because it will only be by putting it into effect that we will come to understand fully the words of the master. We need to be clear both about the practice itself and about the concepts that lie behind it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.