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
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)
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
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(1)
The Record of Lin-Chi
trans. Ruth Sasaki
Kyoto: The Institute for Zen Studies, 1975
Chung-Yuan, Chang, trans.
New York: Random House, 1969.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, First Series
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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.