SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

24 Sōtō Zenwriting. If we wish to grasp the basic spirit of Buddhism and tolive according to that spirit, the only path for us to follow is thatof Zen. The fact that the Mahyna Scriptures were preached bythe Buddha either on the occasion of his entering serene reflectionmeditation or after he emerged from meditation mustalways be kept in mind. The Hannya Ky‡ (Skt. Praj–pramitS‰tra) was preached in the Tojio Zammai; the Hokke Ky‡ (Skt.Saddharma Pundar−ka S‰tra) was preached in the Mury‡Gisho Zammai (Skt. Anantanirdesa Pratisthna Samdhi); theKegon Ky‡ (Skt. Avatamsaka S‰tra) was preached in the KaiinZammai; the Nehan Gy‡ (Skt. Parinirvana S‰tra) waspreached in the Fud‡ Zammai. The meditation practiced by theBodhisattvas in China before the establishment of the ZenSchool as well as the meditation of the Sanron School, TendaiSchool, Kegon School, etc., is included under this heading ofMahyna Zen.The Zen of the Highest Vehicle is found in the SereneReflection Meditation Tradition transmitted by Daruma Daishi(Skt. Bodhidharma, C. Ta-mo Ta-shih) which teaches thatmanÕs nature is originally pure and untainted, that he possessesinherent wisdom from the time of his birth and that his heart isBuddhahood itself.Daruma was the third son of the king of K‡shi, a state insouthern India. Deploring the decline of true Buddhism, he lefthis homeland on a distant voyage to China, arriving somewhere