TURNING TOWARD THE SOURCE:

CHINUL AND KOREAN ZEN

Ozmo Piedmont

Chinul was an innovator and a bit of rebel for Buddhist Zen theory and implementation of meditation techniques. He lived in the 12^th century in Korea, a time of social upheaval, corruption, and unrest.  The Buddhist church at that time was degenerating and corrupt, mingling with commerce and politics.  Chinul abandoned ties with the Buddhist church hierarchy to re-establish spiritual orientation of the clergy, attempting to reform Buddhism from outside the systems court and government.  He was a Son/Zen adherent primarily and ordained in the lineage of Southern Chan of China, but never received formal transmission from a Son master nor did he stay with any master for a long time.  He was never inspired to make a pilgrimage to China, so had to find guidance through the study of Buddhist sutras themselves.  He had a natural eclecticism, borrowing from whatever teaching of scripture he found helpful.  These influences shaped Chinul’s understanding, resulting in reformation and synthesis of all the prevailing schools of Buddhism at that time, which he summarized himself as Sudden Awakening and Gradual cultivation.   The following paper will give a brief description of Chinul’s philosophy and meditation techniques, and his recommendations for ongoing practice.  The final part of the paper will give some personal reflections on how Chinul’s philosophy is echoed in many other Zen teachers both ancient and modern. 

THE SACRED SYMBOLISM OF TREES

IN BUDDHIST DHARMA

Ozmo Piedmont

The Buddha and his teachings have always been closely associated to nature, with high spiritual significance being particularly linked to trees.  Tree symbolism has effectively conveyed Buddhist Dharma throughout the years, and is particularly relevant to our present time of ecological concern.   The Buddha’s association with nature reflects his rejection of the security, structure, and safety of the home life, which was in turn a rejection of the society of his day plagued by urban turmoil, wars, stress, economic growth accompanied by aggression and competition.  Portraying the Buddha historically as being close to nature, it highlights his seeking of a deeper Truth based on harmony, simplicity, beauty, compassion, and peace.  At the same time, the symbolism of trees throughout the life and story of Buddha has conveyed a sense of refuge, protection, healing, beauty and peace, all qualities that convey the basic teachings of Dharma toward the attainment of Nirvana.  What more effective image than the Buddha calmly seated in the cool shade of the a tree to illustrate the peace, tranquility and cool repose of one free from desire and craving, when the fires of passion have been extinguished, and one is in harmony with the world and with oneself (Armstrong, 2001).

Buddhist Hell and Salvation:

Reflections on Anger

Rev. Hyonjin Ozmo Piedmont

HELL

The Tibetan Wheel of Life demonstrates very graghically the interrelation between  our consciousness, the fifth skandha, and our experience of the world.  At its hub are three animals, the cock, the snake, and the pig.  These represent the kleshas, or mental habits inherited from past conditioning, or karma, in this and past lives, manifesting as greed, anger and delusion.  Being attached to these three tendencies in our minds, we create our experience both literally and psychologicall of our world.  This is represented in the Wheel of Life by six realms: human, Titan, animal, hungry ghost, heaven and hell.  These worlds are created by our consciousness manifesting as literal worlds we can become reborn in after this life, or as moment to moment psychological experiences that are constantly changing between one realm and another based on external conditions and internal states of mind.  The hell realm in particular manifests great pain and suffering due to the klesha of aversion manifesting as extreme anger, which can be subdivided into hatred, anxiety, fear, desperation, and worry. But these emotions and their consecuent experiences of hell are not permanent, but are rather temporary manifestations of the mind that when are released and purified, can be transformed into higher states of consciousness and ultimately the vehicles to our Enlightenment and complete liberation.  The point is that these realms are all caused by our desires and attachements, they are all imperfect and illusory, causing us great suffering, but yet teaching about our true nature and how to be free and at peace. How to understand hell, becoming aware of its causes and consecuences, and in turn, how to transform it into liberation, is the focus of this paper. 

THE TRANSFER OF MERIT

ON THE BODHISATTVA PATH TO FULL BUDDHAHOOD

Ozmo Hyonjin Piedmont, Ph.D.

The transfer of merit is a valuable tool and practice on the road to full Buddhahood.  In the practice of Buddhism, the tradition of transferal of merit is performed throughout the world as a way of benefiting both one’s deceased relatives as well as helping others who are still living.  Since the consequences of karma return to each individual, how can merit be transferred from one person to another?  What is actually being transferred?  Does it alter the karma of the other person?  What kind of benefits does it bring for the giver and the receiver? 

TATHAGATABARBHA: BUDDHA NATURE

Ozmo Hyonjin Piedmont, Ph.D.

1.      Frequently, tathagatagharba, or Buddha-Nature doctrine is held to imply that all beings contain the "potential" to become a Buddha. Zimmerman's translation of "containing a Tathagata" is somewhat different. Briefly discuss the difference, and the implications of each.

The tathagatagharba teaching, understood as Buddha-essence or Buddha-nature, was of great importance in China, where it was considered as the fourth turning of the Dharma wheel (Williams, 5:103).  Michael Zimmerman’s translation of the term as “containing a Tathagata” means that literally each sentient being has a fully-enlightened Buddha seated cross-legged in their center (Williams, 104).  However, the term ‘garbha’ in Sanskrit also means ‘womb/matrix’, ‘seed/embryo’, and ‘innermost part’.  These latter meanings imply that  instead of there being a literal Buddha sitting in our center, we all have the qualities and virtues of a Buddha within us, as undeveloped potential, like a seed, and which is obscured by defilements, yet could be brought to manifest itself fully in our lives. The Tathgatagarbha Sutra describes this as all beings have the virtues of the Buddha, including his wisdom, which is always pure and present in our centers, but which is covered over by defilements.  The question remains, our we all instrinsically already enlightened and are actually Buddhas, or must we become enlightened to realize a potential that lies dormant within us?   The Avatamsaka Sutra seems to be describing the latter, representing this potential as gnosis or awareness of a Buddha, something that is an aspect of our minds, which is pure, and which allows enlightenment to take place (Williams, 105). In light of these latter meanings, we can apprectitate the difference in meaning between Zimmerman, whose translation implies something that is essentially different from the sentient being, but which lies in our center already complete, a Buddha.  Whereas the other above translations are describing what sentient beings essentially are in their minds, with virtues, wisdom and qualities potentially lieing dormant, and which must be awakened to manifest the Buddha that we all essentially are. 

The Unstruck Sound: A Buddhist Perspective

Ozmo Hyonjin Piedmont, Ph.D.

Prajna Institute for Buddhist Studies

March 1, 2012

1.  Introduction

            Several years ago, on a visit to the desert home of the renowned psychoanalyst Robert Johnson, a student of Carl Jung, I happened upon an extraordinary event, one that would leave a profound impression on me.  My friend Robert led me to the beginning of a pathway in the middle of the desert, both literally and figuratively, since this path would lead me to a strange experience that would open a doorway to new spiritual perceptions and understandings. He instructed me to follow this path alone and find where it would lead.  With some dread and trepidation, I set out on what I thought would be a pleasant, if not challenging, day of sightseeing and relaxation.  Instead, I found the doorway to a mystery that continues to reveal itself even today. 

The Mahayana Ideal: An Ancient Spirituality for Contemporary Concerns

Ozmo Hyonjin Piedmont, Ph.D.

January 29, 2012

The Mahayana path of Buddhism has made rich contributions to world spirituality in the in the form of the Bodhisattva ideal, which places a high valuation on compassion, tirelessly working for the salvation of all sentient beings, placing their welfare before one’s own.  The Bodhisattva ideal is well suited for a contemporary society concerned for its survival as a species and a planet.  Buddhism in general, and the Mahayana school in particular, provide the means and techniques to carry out a new and evolving spirituality based on reason, science, tolerance and direct experience, important ingrediants for a world religion that can serve as a psychology of healing, as well as, an ethical way of life.