Lin Chi


[ above right; ink portrait of Rinzai (Lin-chi)
with hoe,
by Genro Suio (1717-1789) of Japan;
collection of New Orleans Museum of Art
]

Lin Chi

( Lin-chi, Lin-chi I-hsuan,

Rinzai, Rinzai Gigen )

( died 867 )

Lin-Chi (Rinzai in Japanese) was the founder of the school
of Ch’an Buddhism (Zen in Japanese). He was known for his strength of character
in dealing with disciples, a trait shared with his master, Huang-Po
(Obaku in Japanese). Lin-Chi said it just does not work to pamper them.
He was a very successful Teacher and had many students, but he felt that
his Teaching would not be effective unless he dealt with people very strongly.
In a famous discourse, typical of his speeches, he spoke these words:

    Among all the students from every quarter of the world
    who are followers of the Way, none have yet come before me without being
    dependent on something. Here I hit them right from the start. If they come
    forth using their hands, I hit them on the hands; if they come forth using
    their mouths, I hit them on the mouth; if they come forth using their eyes,
    I hit them on the eyes. Not one has yet come before me in solitary freedom.
    All are clamoring after the worthless contrivances of the men of old. As
    for myself, I haven’t a single dharma to give to men. You followers of
    the Way from every quarter, try coming to me without being dependent upon
    things. Then I would confer with you.
    1

A story of Lin Chi (Rinzai) and

his Master Huang-Po (Obaku)

 

links

Rinzai
Gigen

Venerable
Master Lin Chi

The
Folly of Wisdom

Review
of Burton Watson’s


The
Zen Teachings of Master Lin-chi

Another
from
Zen Unbound

Lin-chi
Ch’an and the Use of Kung-an and Hua-t’ou


Professor Dan Stevenson

Part
2

Osho:
Rinzai: Master of The Irrational, Chapter 2

Revealing
the family shame


The tradition of Zen transmission

Zen Master Wu Kwang (Richard Shrobe)

Opening talk at the transmission ceremony.

This talk was first printed in Primary Point,

volume 10, number 1 (Winter/Spring 1993)

from Primary
Point


The Kwan Um School
of Zen


 

bibliography

The Record of Rinzai

I-hsèuan

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The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi:

A Translation of the Lin-Chi Lu

(Shambhala Dragon Editions)

I-Hsuan, Burton Watson (Translator)

Published 1993

( review
)


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The Zen teaching of Rinzai:

the Record of Rinzai

Lin-chi

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The Zen Teaching of Rinzai:

The Record of Rinzai

Irmgard Schloegl / Published 1976

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Points of Departure:

Zen Buddhism With a Rinzai View

Eido T. Shimano

Paperback / Published 1992

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The Original Face:

An Anthology of Rinzai Zen

New York : / Published 1978

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The Golden Age of Zen

Ching-Hsiung Wu, et al.

Paperback / Published 1996

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Golden Age of Zen

John C. Wu / Published 1975

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(1)

The Record of Lin-Chi

trans. Ruth Sasaki

Kyoto: The Institute for Zen Studies, 1975

Original Teachings of Ch’an Buddhism.

Chung-Yuan, Chang, trans.

New York: Random House, 1969.

Essays in Zen Buddhism, First Series

Daisetz T. Suzuki / Paperback / Published 1986

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Essays in Zen Buddhism, Third Series

D. T. Suzuki

York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser, 1985.

Original Teachings of Ch’an Buddhism.

Chung-Yuan, Chang, trans.

New York: Random House, 1969.

 


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