Category Archives: Korean Sŏn

Chinul on Pure Land

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chinul found the Pure Land practice of his time to be embraceable, provided that it was based upon one’s “own Buddha-mind”. Chinul followed Sŏn Master Yen-shou’s admonition, “If the mind is known, then one is born in the mind-only pure land.” read more

Posted in Korean Sŏn | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hwadu

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chinul’s last “great awakening” occurred at Sangmuju am, near the top of the Mount Chiri—here, [suddenly] he was taken by reading Ta-hui Tsung-kao’s rendering of the hua-t’ou (K. hwadu) method: read more

Posted in Korean Sŏn | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Universal Brightness

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Vajragoni

Universal Brightness

Chinul’s “second-awakening” involved his fusion with Hwaŏm (Hua-yen Buddhism): read more

Posted in Korean Sŏn | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Samādhi and Prajñā

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Vajragoni

The key to Chinul’s variety of Sŏn Buddhism revolves around three distinct styles of practice that was directly influenced through “three enlightenment experiences.” Firstly, there is the balanced equation of samādhi and prajñā–all derived from a transformative experience involving the Platform Sutra; secondly, there was complete faith and transcendent knowing according to the sudden teachings of the Hwaŏm school, from Li Ti’hung-hsüan’s Exposition of the Avataṃsaka Sütra; thirdly, he utilized a shortcut approach of the hwadu (koan-like) applications, from the Records of Ta-hui. Each will be examined separately. read more

Posted in Korean Sŏn | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Coming in March 2016: Korean Sŏn

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Vajragoni

Sŏn is the Korean pronunciation of the Sanskrit, Dhyāna. Sŏn is also comparable with samādhi although it takes on a different connotation from our usual rendering. Tsung-mi expounds that it is a comprehensive equation for both samādhi and prajña. Sŏn’s primary task is the recollection of the original Mind Source, one’s own Buddha-nature. One’s awakening in this endeavor is akin to prajña, while the cultivation of this Mind-ground is samādhi. Chinul, whose teachings are the spotlight this series, asserts that samādhi and prajña are constitutive of the threefold training of śīla, samādhi and prajña just outlined. read more

Posted in Korean Sŏn, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment