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Do Zen Monks/Hermits have a 'specific' reading study ? (like The Pāli Canon for Theravada)

zenmystezenmyste Veteran
edited July 2012 in General Banter
What would a Zen Hermit study? (like the ones from the documentary ''AMONGST WHITE CLOUDS'')

The documentary is about real zen hermits living in the mountains.

They say that their practice is to meditate, live simply and study (then it shows a huge book of writings)

What is the study of a Zen Monk?

For example, what would Dogen have studied before he wrote his own shobogenzo

(I have many many books on ZEN. But alot of our modern day books are from 'practitioners, authors' who discuss what they think zen is..

But are there any real zen studies out there?

Comments

  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    The heart sutra. The diamond sutra. The surangama sutra.
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    Agree. The Heart Sutra in particular is a huge favorite with Zen traditions. But if the hermit had spent time in a temple, he would have also memorized a large body of chants and poems and sutras, many from the particular Masters that founded that school.
  • SattvaPaulSattvaPaul South Wales, UK Veteran
    edited July 2012
    Zen has quite a large body of literature. I recall a remark by Master Sheng Yen that Zen has the largest body of literature, despite being called transmission outside scriptures! He also said, if you're going on a solitary retreat, Surangama Sutra is a good one to have with you.

    In addidtion to Sutras, maybe they would study texts about lives of ancient masters, such as The Transmission of The Lamp and others.

    Are you planning on becoming a hermit, @zenmyste?
  • zenknightzenknight New
    Interesting question. I admire the life of a hermit but I have to be honest its not for me in this lifetime.

    I remember reading about the three year, three month and three day retreat. It is permited to bring one or two books of your choice but they are considered a distraction to the real goal of samadhi. Here is an answer I found from a three year retreat for peace.

    Can you read books?

    Questions about daily life in retreat

    Generally this is a distraction to deep meditation. The purpose of the three-year retreat is to go beyond the books, having studied them for many years.
    However, meditators may wish to review a topic they have studied and may read occasionally. Or they may wish to read a book as a way to relieve symptoms of lung, an inner wind condition that can occur while striving for deeper states of meditation than the body is prepared to go. But generally during the intense periods of retreat, meditators will not be looking to the outer world for answers.

    Now the real question is what book to bring?
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