Bodhidharma's Definition of Zen

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

I know people who do that in video games etc. They are always in the games to chat, all day, everyday. My guess is lonely or bored people who are retired or don't have to work for some reason. Maybe don't have friends in real life to talk to or go out and do things with. But then now days, with this bad economy, a lot of people are out of work who maybe want to work. Human's are social animals and don't do well alone so it's good we have these online outlets like chat rooms where people can fulfill these needs they have for interacting with others.

That is some projecting you are doing.

I have a great job and while at work I am in chat working with others while still doing my job.

After work I am with my family which is why I said during working hours.

[RyanWind]

That work sounds like a perfect job tp practice Zen teachings like mindfulness.

When sweeping, just sweep. Zen Saying.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

Well your work must be lonely or boring for you to go into a chat room all day while you are working.

That work sounds like a perfect job if one was truly interested in Zen teachings.

When sweeping, just sweep. Zen Saying.

Instead of going into a chat room all day when you are bored and looking for a distraction or escape, realize the boredom is just a thought and don't try to escape from it in an activity like chatting.

Be in the empty moment.

Again you are projecting and no my job is not boring or lonely. :)

The transmission we do can work in chat so people come to work with us.

We can do in pm., email, fb messenger but the chat has been found to provide a nice strong connection as well as a flow of conversation.

People can come together and do group energy work like the dive described previously .

It is about helping others Ryan.

[RyanWind]

Originally Posted by sky123

Define it please Ryan. The only transmission I know about is Dharma Transmission to establish a successor.

The word transmission is from the Four Sacred Verses of Bodhidharma. These are also known as Bodhidharma's definition of Zen.

A special transmission outside the scriptures;
No dependence upon words and letters;
Direct pointing at the soul of man;
Seeing into one's nature and the attainment of Buddhahood.

Translated by D. T. Suzuki

A random side note is the first line is this...

教外別傳 [i]Kyõge betsuden which google translator says means Teach Outside Biography.



Suzuki translated it as: A special transmission outside the scriptures;

I actually like googles translation because Biography means an account of someone's life written by someone else. This is so fitting because enlightenment is discarding the self we think we are and finding the actual self we are. So the google translation could mean, finding the self that exists apart from the one created by our thoughts, or find the self that is apart from the one our story and conditioning has created. The pointing "teach" is directed not to the ego, "biography" but to the true self. Teach Outside Biography.

So that first line Suzuki translated has the word transmission in it. A special transmission outside the scriptures; this is probably similar to what google came up with in meaning in that "outside the scriptures" is pointing away from anything external and towards the inner consciousness. That it is not found in scriptures or words or letters but within the person themselves. Bodhidharma said this same thing in other Zen writings stating that if one sees their nature, they don't need teachers or scriptures or anything external to seek this thing. What they have as insights into themselves is superior to anything written or spoken of. It's also clear from Bodhidharma's writings that he didn't have much confidence in teachers of Buddhism. He stated it is better to have no teacher at all than to have one that really doesn't know their nature.

Zen Buddhism is about finding the divine in the ordinary. It is a simple and sublime and natural path. Very similar to Taoism. It's also not about belief or dogma. It's about a direct experience. So people like Mooji or Tolle can find the thing and not be involved in any religion at all. But then you can tell from their teachings they have studied Buddhism at some point in their lives as they reference Buddha's words sometimes.

The word "transmission" can also refer to any source that leads us to self examination and inquiry which leads to insights into our true nature. The reason it is called a "special transmission" is because what is transferred or gotten is insights into our nature and not just "book knowledge." You can read a book or listen to a teacher and just absorb that information and not change at all. What Bodhidharma was referring to is life changing self realization so what is transmitted is not mere knowledge. It is meaning and self understanding.

[sky]

[quote=RyanWind]The word transmission is from the Four Sacred Verses of Bodhidharma. These are also known as Bodhidharma's definition of Zen.

A special transmission outside the scriptures;
No dependence upon words and letters;
Direct pointing at the soul of man;
Seeing into one's nature and the attainment of Buddhahood.

Translated by D. T. Suzuki

A random side note is the first line is this...

教外別傳 [i]Kyõge betsuden which google translator says means Teach Outside Biography.



Suzuki translated it as: A special transmission outside the scriptures;

I actually like googles translation because Biography means an account of someone's life written by someone else. This is so fitting because enlightenment is discarding the self we think we are and finding the actual self we are. So the google translation could mean, finding the self that exists apart from the one created by our thoughts, or find the self that is apart from the one our story and conditioning has created. The pointing "teach" is directed not to the ego, "biography" but to the true self. Teach Outside Biography.

So that first line Suzuki translated has the word transmission in it. A special transmission outside the scriptures; this is probably similar to what google came up with in meaning in that "outside the scriptures" is pointing away from anything external and towards the inner consciousness. That it is not found in scriptures or words or letters but within the person themselves. Bodhidharma said this same thing in other Zen writings stating that if one sees their nature, they don't need teachers or scriptures or anything external to seek this thing. What they have as insights into themselves is superior to anything written or spoken of. It's also clear from Bodhidharma's writings that he didn't have much confidence in teachers of Buddhism. He stated it is better to have no teacher at all than to have one that really doesn't know their nature.

Zen Buddhism is about finding the divine in the ordinary. It is a simple and sublime and natural path. Very similar to Taoism. It's also not about belief or dogma. It's about a direct experience. So people like Mooji or Tolle can find the thing and not be involved in any religion at all. But then you can tell from their teachings they have studied Buddhism at some point in their lives as they reference Buddha's words sometimes.

The word "transmission" can also refer to any source that leads us to self examination and inquiry which leads to insights into our true nature. The reason it is called a "special transmission" is because what is transferred or gotten is insights into our nature and not just "book knowledge." You can read a book or listen to a teacher and just absorb that information and not change at all. What Bodhidharma was referring to is life changing self realization so what is transmitted is not mere knowledge. It is meaning and self understanding.[/QUOT


Thanks, this I have heard about.
JB's Jeffs definition confused me as he said it's an important part of Zen.

[Jeremy Bong]

[quote=sky123]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

The word transmission is from the Four Sacred Verses of Bodhidharma. These are also known as Bodhidharma's definition of Zen.

A special transmission outside the scriptures;
No dependence upon words and letters;
Direct pointing at the soul of man;
Seeing into one's nature and the attainment of Buddhahood.

Translated by D. T. Suzuki

A random side note is the first line is this...

教外別傳 [i]Kyõge betsuden which google translator says means Teach Outside Biography.



Suzuki translated it as: A special transmission outside the scriptures;

I actually like googles translation because Biography means an account of someone's life written by someone else. This is so fitting because enlightenment is discarding the self we think we are and finding the actual self we are. So the google translation could mean, finding the self that exists apart from the one created by our thoughts, or find the self that is apart from the one our story and conditioning has created. The pointing "teach" is directed not to the ego, "biography" but to the true self. Teach Outside Biography.

So that first line Suzuki translated has the word transmission in it. A special transmission outside the scriptures; this is probably similar to what google came up with in meaning in that "outside the scriptures" is pointing away from anything external and towards the inner consciousness. That it is not found in scriptures or words or letters but within the person themselves. Bodhidharma said this same thing in other Zen writings stating that if one sees their nature, they don't need teachers or scriptures or anything external to seek this thing. What they have as insights into themselves is superior to anything written or spoken of. It's also clear from Bodhidharma's writings that he didn't have much confidence in teachers of Buddhism. He stated it is better to have no teacher at all than to have one that really doesn't know their nature.

Zen Buddhism is about finding the divine in the ordinary. It is a simple and sublime and natural path. Very similar to Taoism. It's also not about belief or dogma. It's about a direct experience. So people like Mooji or Tolle can find the thing and not be involved in any religion at all. But then you can tell from their teachings they have studied Buddhism at some point in their lives as they reference Buddha's words sometimes.

The word "transmission" can also refer to any source that leads us to self examination and inquiry which leads to insights into our true nature. The reason it is called a "special transmission" is because what is transferred or gotten is insights into our nature and not just "book knowledge." You can read a book or listen to a teacher and just absorb that information and not change at all. What Bodhidharma was referring to is life changing self realization so what is transmitted is not mere knowledge. It is meaning and self understanding.[/QUOT


Thanks, this I have heard about.
JB's Jeffs definition confused me as he said it's an important part of Zen.

Sky,

As I see that it can only written in a sentence : there's a term called transmission but I don't know it, you experience it by yourself.

Transmission need techniques of telepathy on both side or one side or nothing at all, like I lend you my third eyesight.

For transmission of dharma in Gods natural ability it's a simple dharma.

Edit : that's when someone is not up to Buddha nature or far from that isn't that easy to........

[RyanWind]

“Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.”
― Alan W. Watts

[Jeremy Bong]

Sky,

If I didn't want to let you to know it exactly then you are easily be mislead by wrong ideas or any swinging "substitution" which seem right or maybe wrong. It's like a Chinese fiction story of THE TRUE STORY OF AH Q 阿Q正传---- a backward peasant who interprets his defeat as moral victories ---- Ah Q spirit.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Bong

Sky,

If I didn't want to let you to know it exactly then you are easily be mislead by wrong ideas or any swinging "substitution" which seem right or maybe wrong. It's like a Chinese fiction story of THE TRUE STORY OF AH Q 阿Q正传---- a backward peasant who interprets his defeat as moral victories ---- Ah Q spirit.

Thanks Jeremy but I am not being mislead I assure you

Mybe AH Q was not as backward as some presumed, just different....

[sky]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

“Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.”
― Alan W. Watts

But only if it's not seeping under your doors and flooding your home