Tibetan Zen: Discovering a Lost Tradition

This is an exciting study of a new set of translations marking a fresh perspective on the history and historical development of Buddhism in ancient Tibet. Van Schaik’s approach is scholarly and archaeological (looking for details about the function, purpose and context of these texts and the other materials discovered with them), and goes a long way towards fleshing out details and making the historical record more accurate, especially in regard to the semi-mythical 8th century debate between proponents of the Indian gradualist (Sutric Mahayana) approach and the Chinese sudden path (Zen) approach. But it also has value and relevance as a set of translated Zen texts, which by nature are practice oriented and timeless.Tibetan culture is full of hagiographic biographies of renown teachers, and in some respect the overall histories of the various schools and development of Buddhism in Tibet is also strongly hagiographic in flavor. All too often the details, subtlety and nuance are lacking (what would make a study from a Western cultural perspective interesting and engaging). This study looks at both the content of the translations and what the actual physical evidence may suggest about the bigger picture (how they were practiced and by whom). The translated texts are from a mass of documents discovered in the early 20th century in a sealed cave at Dunhuang in Chinese Central Asia, an area controlled by Tibet in the 8th to 9th centuries, with the relevant Tibetan texts dating from the 9th to 10th centuries. There is no doubt these are early Zen teachings from China (mixed in with teachings from other schools of Buddhism), teachings that were apparently widely practiced and accepted in Tibet before the rise of the ‘New Schools’ and their renaissance of Indian based Buddhism.Tibetan Buddhism offers a tremendously wide range of practices from the sutric and tantric traditions, and it is often difficult for both the indigenous culture and an outsider just learning about it to make sense of it all. Each of the various major and minor ‘schools’ has their own way of classifying and organizing let alone valuing and prioritizing as well as applying these teachings.As van Schaik notes in his introduction (a helpful 23 page background essay which I thought could have easily been expanded to two or three times that length to great effect) the 10th century scholar Nub Sangye Yeshe classified the 4 main approaches to Buddha-dharma in Tibet in ascending order as; (1) the gradual approach (2) the instantaneous approach (3) the tantric meditation of mahayoga and (4) the formless approach of atiyoga, and was concerned that Tibetans were mixing up Zen (2) and Ati (4) – although not a whole lot more is said about this distinction in the context of these translations. This is really not an unexpected confusion since it is looking at the same Perfection of Wisdom based teachings from the exoteric, esoteric and non-dual perspectives, much like how there is to this day sutric, tantric and essence Mahamudra traditions (a ‘New School’ equivalent of Ati teachings) which also covers such a wide range of approaches and can confuse the uninitiated due to the overlapping use of many of the same terms.So that is a glimpse of the fascinating background for the translations themselves. The translations included here have the flavor of being ancient texts but also very much to the point as practical nondual teachings, which aim to get to the heart of the often dogmatic and intellectual formulation of Buddhism as it was imported from India down through the ages. Most of these texts take the form of question and answer dialogue to clarify the uniquely Zen approach with abundant reference to scriptural authority (which in itself is an amazing resource), although some are straightforwardly descriptive of people and events and of meditation techniques. These are presented in this book in 10 short separate chapters each proceeded by a very helpful several page introduction by the translator.For a taste of van Schaik’s skillful translating;"The preceding answers are merely teachings aimed at those who instigate superficial debates, but those who have reached the limit of perfection do not cling to their own texts or refute those of others, just as they do not accept nirvana or reject samsara." (p. 41)“The scriptures say, “Know that the six objects are deceptive, and consciousness is distracted in the hubbub; turn away without engaging with them.” So, when the sage transforms the confused mind through the path of conceptual analysis, is that the mind’s nirvana? No, it is not like this. The scriptures say, “The essential point of realization is nothing more than your own awareness.” (p.185-6)Again, beside the essential timeless jewels of Buddha-dharma translated here what is most interesting to me is the archaeological approach emphasized, and what this reveals about the history and development of Tibetan culture and dharma practices. We can also get a glimpse of how Buddhism was practiced 1200 years ago before rigid and formal doctrinal divisions were developed, a glimpse which I think has important practical relevance today.Overall, I don’t think this is a very useful kind of book for someone new to Tibetan Buddhism and seeking a clear and unconfusing path in one of the practice lineages being presented today, but for someone who is not so concerned with being grounded in a specific tradition, who seeks to synthesize and apply the nondual essence of the Buddha’s message this may be very stimulating and liberative indeed.

Sam van Schaik has delivered a short masterpiece on the practices of now-extinct Tibetan Zen. Documents retrieved from a cave near Dunhuang - a mix of sutras, teaching guides and student primers - provide a fascinating look at Zen during the period 700-1000 CE.The book chapters each focus on a limited area of Zen practice, but together they paint a clear picture. Each chapter has an introduction describing historical context and illustrating subtleties in the translation, followed by the translated document.It is interesting that many of the teaching documents contain brief FAQs intended to focus teaching correctly. I learned the answers to a few questions I should have asked my teacher long ago.This translation is wonderfully rendered in modern English. It is a pleasure to read.Highly recommended.

This is a very well written book! The teachings contained herein were holed up until 1900 in remote caves in China. Reading through this smartly translated work, I marveled at the connecting threads of these teachings now appearing in English for the first time. I feel very fortunate and blessed to be able to study them in the language of my mother tongue.The breadth and scope of details from this historiography is wonderfully presented, as well as, pith instructions for all levels of practitioners on the path. It is a gem.

This book is excellent!I haven't finished it yet, but it's really fun, it helps me a lot to understand the overall history of Zen Buddhism and it is full of wonderful Dharma, profound teachings that apply now just as much as a thousand years ago. I highly recommend it for people with some Buddhist background and curiosity about it's origins in East Asia.

Thanks!

It was very good

This excellent book illustrates how "original" Zen was introduced and practiced in Tibet from the eighth to the 11th centuries, based on manuscripts from the Danhuang Library Cave. It has been the cause of much discussion and thought in my Sangha's book club & is recommended by all who have read it.

This book offers valuable insight into the breadth of historical Buddhist practices in Tibet. It provides translations of an assortment of texts from around 1000c.e. with author's narrative to provide context. It helped me better appreciate the doctrinal choices at the heart of the famous debate (in whatever form it may have taken) in that era. I would have enjoyed a larger translation to commentary ratio, but that said, the text was well worth reading.

Superb

Interesting but tedious, I would have appreciated if it got a bit more straightforward to the point.It needs lots of time and patience

This item is very good.

Excellent book, recommend to anyone.