Is Chan a Religion?
SHIH-FU:
Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment and taught the Buddhadharma in India, at a time when its culture was spiritually and religiously oriented. He began his teachings by criticizing the other religions of his time, but for the sake of inducing followers of other faiths to follow the Dharma, he incorporated elements from other spiritual traditions. Also, as Buddhadharma spread, it absorbed some ideas and beliefs of other cultures. In the process, Buddhism became a religion. However, Buddhism is different from all other religions, and its fundamental principles are not necessarily of a religious nature.
Sakyamuni did not teach his disciples to pray to a deity, to God, or even to th Buddha himself or anoher, for help or salvation. He encouraged sentient beings to help themselves as well as others. By studying and practicing Buddhadharma, sentient beings can relieve themselves of life's vexations, and eventually free themselves from the cycle of birth and death.
Inevitably, however, people asked: "Where do we come from? And if we don't get enlightened, what will happen after death, where will we go?" In answering these questions, Sakyamuni Buddha relied on a modified version of the teaching of reincarnation, which already existed in Indian religions. Sakyamuni perceived that sentient beings have past and future lives, were imprisoned in the seemingly endless cycle of samsara, and would remain that way unless they began to practice Buddhadharma. If sentient beings practice until they were fully enlightened, then they would be free from vexation ─ from desire, aversion, and ignorance ─ which keeps them chained to samsara.
People then asked, "If anyone can practice and attain Buddhahood, is Sakyamuni the only Buddha? If not, where are the others who have attained Buddhahood?" Sakyamuni Buddha said that the scope of ordinary sentient beings' perceptions and power is limited. This world is tiny, and the universe vast. There are innumerable Buddhas who have attained ultimate enlightenment, and when causes and conditions ripen, ordinary sentient beings will also attain Buddhahood. Again, the Buddha's answer encouraged people to practice.
But people are rarely satisfied, so they asked, "How long will it take to attain Buddhahood?" Sakyamuni Buddha explained the path and process of practice, describing the levels of attainment, which culminate in complete enlightenment. He spoke about those exemplars of practice, the bodhisattvas, who attained saintly status. Yet, Sakyamuni did not exhort people to pray to bodhisattvas; instead, he encouraged people to emulate them.
Sakyamuni spoke of the wisdom and compassion of the bodhisattvas and their eternal vows to help sentient beings attain liberation. He spoke of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, Man-jusri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, and many others. At first, practitioners looked to the bodhisattvas as role models, but later on, many who lacked determination and faith in themselves, stopped practicing and began to pray to one or another of the bodhisattvas. They prayed for the fulfillment of their needs and the appeasement of their suffering. Such practices continue to this day. In this sense, yes, Buddhism is a religion.
It is not bad that Buddhism has developed this religious aspect. When people sincerely pray to deities, bodhisattvas, or even God, they will be helped or appeased. But the response to the prayers does not come from the deities, bodhisattvas or God. It comes in part from the mental power of the person seeking help, and it also comes from the collective power of all the people seeking help from a particular deity or bodhisattva. When a sufficient number of people sincerely seek help from a bodhisattva or deity, power will manifest, whether or not the bodhisattva or deity exists. It happens. People seek help, and their prayers are answered. It is common in every religion. In this respect, Buddhism is like other religions. Ch'an Buddhism, however, is different.
Ch'an Buddhism penetrates directly to the original essence of Buddhadharma, and encourages practitioners to rely on themselves, and to solve their own problems. In fact, Ch'an describes people who seek the Dharma outside of their own minds as following outer path teachings ─ teachings outside the Dharma. Since Ch'an espouses self-initiative, it can do without the religious, supplicating aspects of other Buddhist sects.
Ch'an practitioners do not deny the existence of bodhisattvas. They believe strongly in bodhisattvas, Buddhas and patriarchs, but they do not pray to them as people would pray to a deity or to God. They recognize that patriarchs and bodhisattvas are beings at different levels of practice. They revere bodhisattvas and seek to emulate them, but they do not typically ask for their help. In a humble, sober manner, Ch'an followers practice on their own, or under the guidance of a master.
If Ch'an practitioners ask the Buddha or bodhisattvas for anything, it is the Dharma. They seek the Dharma through the help of the Sangha, and through the study of the sutras and sastras. They do not ask for power, spiritual experiences, or enlightenment. Likewise, if they burn incense and prostrate to images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas, it is not worship. Rather, they are expressing their gratitude, because without Buddhas, bodhisattvas and the Sangha, there would be no Buddhadharma in the world. For Ch'an practitioners, Buddhas and bodhisattvas are role models, not idols to be worshipped, or guardian angels that protect their lives. For them, bodhisattvas are not crutches.
I, as well as other Ch'an masters, teach people to recite Amitabha Buddha's name or Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's name, but not for religious purposes. Some Buddhists recite Amitabha's name in order to be reborn in the Pure Land. They recite Avalokitesvara's name so that their wishes and needs will be fulfilled. These are religious practices. I ask you to recite their names solely as a method of meditation. The recitation focuses your mind. In reciting a Buddha's or bodhisattva's name, either aloud or silently, your body, speech and thoughts are focused on a great, enlightened being. It is a good method to discipline and purify the mind. Through this method, you can even experience samadhi and cultivate wisdom.
Sometimes, people ask me to pray for them. I tell them that I will. From a religious point of view, these people might think that I kneel down and pray to a deity or bodhisattva to help them. Perhaps they think I have a hotline to the Buddha. I don't have any special connections, and I don't pray. Then why do I agree to pray for these people? Two reasons! First, if I say I will pray for them, they'll feel better. Usually, that's all people need. Second, I can transfer merit to these people through the power of my practice. People who practice can transfer merit to others. In fact, even without practice, people who are sincere in their intentions can bring about a good effect on others. The opposite is also true. If many people wish someone harm, then that person will likely suffer. It is not magical. It is merely the power of the mind.
I recite Avalokitesvara's name, with the idea that my merit will be transferred to others. I do not care if he exists or not. Why do I bother? First, Sakyamuni Buddha praised Avalokitesvara and his power, and I trust the Buddha's words. Second, precisely because so many people believe in and pray to Avalokitesvara, his power exists. For these reasons, I recite his name, and use him to transfer merit.
Avalokitesvara serves as a giant reflector, upon which thousands of people direct their thoughts. If these individuals direct their thoughts to different objects, it is like thousands of weak flashlights shining with limited power. But if people concentrate their thoughts on a single entity, it is like shining all of the flashlights' beams onto a giant mirror, increasing tremendously the illumination. Avalokitesvara is such a mirror. Externally, this may seem similar to the practices of many other religions, but the perspective is different. Other religions say that power comes from the deity one prays to. Buddhism maintains that power comes from the person or people who pray.
Some Buddhists who do not practice well, or do not have strong faith in themselves and their methods, will seek the help of bodhisattvas, or ask that a master transfer spiritual power to them. Ch'an masters, as well as serious practitioners, would never seek for anything ─ except Dharma ─ from Buddhas and bodhisattvas. They are willing to help and give to others, but they will not seek supernatural power or spiritual benefits. It is alright for beginning practitioners to seek external help, as long as they realize that, eventually they must not seek at all, that they must rely solely on themselves. Help that comes from outside can only temporarily relieve your problems. It will not penetrate to the root and solve your problems. The basic approach, and in fact, the only thing that works, is to rely on yourself, and to solve your own problems through practice.
Resources
Zen Wisdom, Is Chan a Religion?, p.215-220
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