Dharma transmission

Dharma transmission (Chinese传 衣, Pinyin Chuanyi, W.-G. ch'uan -i, disclosure of the robe '; hgl 전의, jeonui; . Jap.传 衣, denne ) is a term of the Chan or Zen, the refers to the process of succession authorization of a Zen master against a student.

Explanation

After the self- understanding of Zen Buddhism, the true knowledge can not be taught in the usual sense, it can only be experienced beyond words and traditional teachings as the essence of Zen is not intellectually comprehend. A teacher's role is to be the student model and an incentive, he can show him techniques and ways to enlightenment ultimately the student can achieve this but only on their own efforts.

With the Dharma transmission, a Zen master recognizes a student of the Dharma as a successor. He confirmed it so a certain level of maturity of their own experience and that he is able to independently continue the Dharma of the teacher and to be his Dharma successor (Japanese Hassu ). Associated with this permission ( and obligation) is to teach the student himself and later to determine their own Dharma successor also. This confirmation has a certain similarity to the lineage holder of empowerment in the schools of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Since Dharma can not really be taught and enlightenment is nothing but the ordinary consciousness, one so gains nothing to Zen masters emphasize again and again that Dharma transmission is only a stopgap measure, the Master so nothing passes and the student does not receive anything.

As a symbol of confirmation as a Dharma successor presented in the Zen tradition former teacher the Successor their begging bowl and her monk's robe. In the case of Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch after Bodhidharma this was done secretly at night. Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch Huineng was thus protected from the envy of the other monks of his monastery.

The first Dharma transmission occurred after the self-understanding of Zen and the legend referred to by the historical Buddha. Rather than holding a speech he held up a flower only once and turned it between his fingers. Only Mahakashyapa, one of the disciples of the Buddha smiled. Later, the Buddha said: "The great Mahakashyapa understood my doctrine " (see here). After the conceptual model of this prototype Dharma transmission to date takes place.

However nowadays are Dharma transmissions in the different direction of Zen, in particular celebrates the great traditions of Soto and Rinzai according to established, traditional rules.

Dharma teaching lines

Every Zen teacher sees itself as a successor to a long line of masters, each of whom received the Dharma transmission from his teacher and she passed on according to one or more of his students. One speaks of traditions, teaching lines, Dharma teaching lines, Dharma transmission lines, etc. has its origins in this tradition ultimately Buddha Shakyamuni (see above). Up to Huineng all Zen traditions rely on the same patriarch.

Bodhidharma was the 28th and last patriarch of the Indian teaching line and at the same time the first patriarch of Zen in China. After the ( historically doubted ) tradition of Zen received after Bodhidharma five Chinese master a personal Dharma transmission, Huineng was the sixth of them consequently.

Huineng transferred the patriarchate not individually. Instead, he called shortly before his death together all his close monk disciple and committed them to ensure the dissemination of the Dharma and to appoint its own successor:

" All of you, receive this teaching, and do so later on gradually. You must definitely have a successor to the you can transmit the teaching. And let as promised, do not lose the essence of the teaching. " Huineng, The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

With Huineng and his students began the golden age of Zen in China. On two of his ablest pupils, Nan Huai - jang - yüeh (Japanese Nangaku Ejo ) and Ch'ing -yuan Hsing -ssu (Japanese Seigen Gyoshi ) Go all the major lineages of Zen back in China.

Currently, the tradition has about 90 patriarchs, from Huineng differ the teachers, thus differing names and number of people after Huineng between the contemporary educational lines. The result of the previous line of a teacher is known by name and (usually in abbreviated form ) solemnly recited in rituals.

Denko - roku

The Denko - roku ( " recording of the monk Keizan on the passing of light" ) is a collection of events which Dōgen to describe the Dharma transmission in the transmission line of the 52 patriarchs of the Soto school of Mahakashyapa Zenji. The Denko - roku was recorded by the Japanese master Keizan Jokin, which, according to Dogen Zenji as the most important Zen master of the Soto school and is considered one of the most important writings of the Soto Zen.