Yet another Pure Land/Zen Post
Posted: March 7, 2010 | Author: Doug | Filed under: Buddhism, Jodo Shinshu, Jodo Shu, Zen | 6 Comments »I think this is one topic I keep beating to death, but, I wanted to post a thought-provoking quotation by a Chinese Buddhist monk in the 10th century named Yǒng-míng Yánshòu (Yung-ming Yen-shou, 永明延寿):
Nine out of ten of those who practice Zen but do not practice the Pure Land method take wrong paths.
Without Zen but following the Pure Land Path, ten thousand practitioners of ten thousand meritorious actions are to be born (in the Pure Land).
Those who practice both Zen and the Pure Land method are the strongest, like tigers with horns.
I thought this statement was very compelling, partly because I am a Pure Land Buddhist who takes interest in Zen from time to time, but also because it reflects a more syncretic view, and not the exclusive paths usually espoused in Japanese Buddhism. In Japan, sects tend to divide into one-practice/one teaching which lead to sects such as Zen or Pure Land, but rarely both, unless you encounter older sects like Tendai, Shingon or the original Nara schools (e.g. Hossō). So sometimes when I explore the more popular Japanese sects, I feel they tend to fall into a kind of tunnel-vision that disagrees with my eclectic, scholarly nature. 
However I should add that for many the straight-forward nature is also an advantage too, so I don’t want to denigrate this approach either!
Chinese Buddhism, by contrast, tends to synthesize the various strands of Buddhism more. Take for example the commentaries of the Amitabha by Ou-I, a seventeenth century monk, which explores a well-known Pure Land text on various levels, or the late Ven. Yin-Shun’s comments on meditation and reciting Amitabha’s name. It’s interesting to see both ancient Chinese Buddhists as well as contemporary ones preaching a consistent method.
So, anyway, this is something I felt like saving for a while, and decided at last to post. Now if I could just see one of those tigers with horns, that would be cool. 
Namu Amida Butsu
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the 
Ha Ha I don’t have horns but I am told I was a big boy for my Mum !
I am a Pure Land Buddhist too and I have found given what is happening in the World The Pure Land Practice has served me well Relying totally on Lord Buddha Amitabha and the Bodhisattva’s I have been able to keep body and mind intact and I see every single day physical evidence that proves to me that Lord Buddha Amitabha is not only waiting at the time of death but is also in the here and now Helping Practitioners whenever we recite His name
With me If a thing isn’t broke Then why fix it Besides there is an acute shortage of decent Teachers At least in the UK and as You will already be aware Zen relies very heavily on the input of a good living Teacher to make progress Maybe it was for a time long past
It is claimed There will come a time when only the name of Amitabha will remain in the World In this Dhamma Ending Age and given my experience’s to date I could well believe that
It will be interesting to see if a Tiger with horns does respond
Hello Dhammagevesi,
I have to admit lately I am more doubtful of the notion of Dharma Decline than I was in the past. Of course, everything has a contingent existence (i.e. empty) and subject to decline, but I am inclined to believe the challenges of Buddhism in the West are due to its relatively recent arrival in a culture that already has established religion traditions. Buddhism had similar conflicts when it arrived in China because of the establishment of Confucianism and Taoism, so fast-forward Western Buddhism 500 years and will look somewhat different.
Cheers!
Right I don’t believe we will have to wait 500 years Nor do I believe it is a cultural thing as you suggest There are many corrupt Monastics in the West who look on Buddhism as no more than a profit making scam and while they are not on their own The Tibetans are certainly way out in front Certainly in the UK
Even in the US A fully ordained Lama has his own porn site
Do you want the link ? (jk)
Indeed, indeed. Even in the Buddha’s time though, there were plenty of monks who were scalawags too:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn16/sn16.013.than.html
It is what it is. :-/
I really like this statement as well. I really like aspects of both Pure Land and Zen Buddhism and I see no reason to not follow both or have an interest in both.
- Jon
Hi Jon, I suspect in practice many people who are devout Buddhists are the same way, even in sects that only espouse one practice. Why limit yourself to one aspect of Buddhism afterall?