Tag Archives: Tsung-mi

The Sutra of Primordial Enlightenment

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Vajragoni

After years of gathering dust on a table full of books, awaiting its birth as a series here one day, The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment was dusted-off and examined for possible entry this February. It was pleasantly satisfying to find … Continue reading →

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Karma’s Repository

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Vajragoni

The advent of Mahāyāna Buddhism that coincided with the beginning of the Christian-era gave birth to the most sublime innovations in Buddhist-thought that have not been surpassed even to this day. Colorful, dynamic and transcendent in scope, resplendent with rich … Continue reading →

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Eunuch Power and the Two Entrances

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Vajragoni

The Sweet-Dew Incident It may sound hard to hear for modern ears that the great Tsung-mi’s downfall was at the hands of Eunuchs. However, these were no namby-pamby fellows that appear in some Mel Brook’s comedy, but rather fierce-warriors that … Continue reading →

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Tsung-mi: An Intimate Study

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Vajragoni

Tsung-mi (780-841) A good subtitle for this series would be, “The Spiritual Knowing that knows no darkness.” With brilliant erudition Tsung-mi (pronounced Zongmi—preferred spelling by modern-day scholars) set out to define Bodhidharma’s Mind Transmission as a silent knowing of Mind’s … Continue reading →

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(5) The Black Dragon

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Vajragoni

When the birdcage is open and the illusion of the false bird dies the virtuous one recollects the unborn essence. Transcending the sensory addicted mind, finding the gateless gate to its original source of perfection. This is a black dragon’s … Continue reading →

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Sudden Anointment

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Vajragoni

The eminent Tsung-mi holds the key to deciphering the enlightenment equation. Here is his assessment to Shen-hsiu’s verse: “Sentient beings originally have an enlightened nature just as a mirror a luminous nature, but defilements cover it from view just as … Continue reading →

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The Platform Sutra: Setting the Stage

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Vajragoni

The Platform Sutra of Hui-neng is quite unlike any other; usually a sutra has as its basis a teaching directly from the Tathagata, i.e., speaking Ex Tathata. Here we have elements, directly at the beginning, of a formalized autobiographical account … Continue reading →

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The Genius of Tsung-Mi

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Vajragoni

Tsung-mi (781-841) was a truly a singular spirit most erudite in both historical and Mahayana-spiritual development. In terms of the latter he once formulated a marvelous systematized analysis revolving around the intertwining ten-fold paths of delusion and awakening. The following … Continue reading →

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