Zen concentrationmeditation instructions found in monastic code.

1. The Prayer Beads In the Sage Mandala Sutra (Munima􏰆􏰂ala-sūtra*; Mounimantuoluojing) the prayer beads are called bosaimo, or shuzhu in the Liang Chinese dialect.

They are a “a tool that assists the concentration of the mind and the disci- pline of practice.” In the Soapberry Tree Sutra (Ari􏰄􏰀aka-sūtra*; Muhuanzi- jing), the following story is related:

Once upon a time there was a ruler named Boliuli. He said to the Buddha, “Since my country is small and located in a remote region, I have always felt insecure. The Dharma storehouse is so deep and wide that it is impossible for a person to practice everything. Please, teach me the essentials of the Dharma.” The Buddha replied, “If you want to annihilate your mental defile- ments, make a set of prayer beads by piercing a hole through one hun- dred and eight soapberry tree seeds, string them together with a thread, and carry this with you at all times. Recollect the names of the Three Treasures: ‘Namo Buddha, Namo Dharma, Namo Sangha,’ and upon completing each repetition of this phrase, move one of the beads from one side of your finger to the other, and in this way you will gradually reach one thousand times and even ten thousand times. And if you feel no mental and bodily disturbance, then you will be able to leave your life and be reborn in the Yāma Heaven, [which is filled with supreme light]. When you reach the number of one million times, you should be able to remove the one hundred and eight delusion-bound karmas and thereby realize the fruit of eternal bliss.” The king replied that he would practice as instructed.

From Baizhang monastic code articles for new monks. Written by Baizhang, Mazu’s successor.

Found here: https://www.thezensite.com/ZenTeachings/Translations/Baizhang_Monastic_Regulations.pdf

Pg 244

The entire document is quite dry, I mean, it is regulations, but quite a historical curiosity. It describes life in a zen monastery, Tang Dynasty. Rituals, festivals, drums, initiation rituals, shared Buddhist myths, monastic expectations, merit etc. It adds a lot of context to the texts.

Submitted June 20, 2022 at 11:08PM by mindbrainhaver https://ift.tt/DNWbvr0