Question

Is it so important in Zen to know the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha about the four Noble Truths and how critical is it to know the noble Octuple Path and its application?

The question may seem silly but I would like to know. Does Zen, like other branches of Buddhism, take into account teachings or is it solely concerned with zazen?

Answer from Master Kosen

The lotus illuminates life and life illuminates the lotus.

Teachings bring understanding to our live, whereas the dimension of zazen is beyond our personal live and consciousness.

But both are complementary and illuminate one another.

Kosen


Mondo On the same theme : Teaching

Ego

I've learned by getting interested in zen that the ego was an illusion from the mind, because it was deluded that phenomenon are separated. But phenomenon are interdependent. And you answered a visitor who asked about how he could abandon the ego, that he should totally integrate it. But if I integrate the ego, I integrate the illusion ...

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Why do they say that any action we carry out, even in secrecy, echoes throughout the universe? Is this an assumption or a dogma?
...


Religion

Is it so important in Zen to know the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha about the four Noble Truths and how critical is it to know the noble Octuple Path and its application?The question may seem silly but I would like to know. Does Zen, like other branches of Buddhism, take into account teachings or is it solely concerned with ...

Freewill and destiny?

Since I was a little boy, I have always been intrigued by the metaphysical problem of freewill and destiny and have after a very long reading process realised that Western philosophy can never help me understand the truth to this most fundamental paradox. Many people believe in absolute freewill and yet others say we have no freewill whatsoever,...

Abandoning the body and the spirit.

I wanted to know what you understand for "abandoning the body and the spirit". Is this to forget your body-spirit? It seems to me that in one of your teachings you say that in moment it is necessary to forget the body! But then, to return to this body, constantly, as we are recommended in the soto Zen, is this just a first step before the "big ...

Saint, either as awakening, doesn't exist ?

When girls treated St Francis of Assisi as a saint, he used to answer: I am not a saint, I could make you a child. For me, it is a koan, and my interpretation is that holiness, just like awakening, do not exist. One who claims to be awaked, can he be sure of his reaction facing the death of his/her child, the news of a cancer, its own death or ...


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The abused mindturns around the lotusThe awakened mindmakes the lotusturn around him.

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