Chan is inseparable from Buddhism

Chan is inseparable from Buddhism. Like the top of a pyramid, it is the pinnacle of the Buddhist teaching. In this sense, the path of purification is not denied but is instead part of the process of Chan practice. Some people misunderstand Chan and Zen: they wrongly assume that since everything is “empty,” they can do whatever they want and practice is unnecessary. Bodhidharma’s text never says that there is no need to practice. In fact, Bodhidharma’s text recognizes karmic retribution and causes and conditions, and strongly emphasizes practice. Practice is the heart of Chan. I cannot emphasize enough its importance. However, practice must be guided by correct view. All Chan teachings point to the correct view; without it, Chan becomes a mere philosophy. Worse, it becomes misguided and amoral.

— Guo Gu in “The Essence of Chan”

Submitted October 09, 2017 at 07:30PM by KeyserSozen http://ift.tt/2y9VibI