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Zen/Chan/Thien- the lowdown

bluefaceblueface
edited December 2009 in Buddhism Basics
Folks i'm appealing to the experienced members of these groups. I am involved in a Thien sangha following the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh (who we all know well). I am interested in the practical differences to be found in t zen tradition/traditions. I am not worried about technicalities like 'we wear red bobbles on our shoes but they wear green':rolleyes: but how important differences may impact on my enlightenment. I have heard many people mention they have found Zen confusing, though the teachings i have received seem designed for easy clarity (not a koan in sight).

Comments

  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited November 2009
    Hi, blueface. TNH seems particularly sensitive to these issues. Even his discussion of koans in Zen Keys seems particularly clear. (Though I must admit, I already had a pretty clear idea of them, by the time I read that.)

    I am just going on his writing and a couple of talks, but I don't think you can go too far wrong with him. The main problem I had with studying Zen was that I was a lone practitioner, and Zen's traditionally elliptical expository style means that there is a lot of scope for a lone practitioner who's getting information from a book to misunderstand and go astray. TNH's style is not elliptical at all. It is very direct, so there is much less risk of this. There is also much less risk of this for a Zen practitioner with a good teacher.
  • kayakaya
    edited December 2009
    Blueface,
    already answered this but to reiterate there should be little difference between the two (japanese zen and chinese chan) esp regarding 'enlightenment', they are both Mahayana schools etc. Where are you seeing them diverging greatly?
  • bluefaceblueface
    edited December 2009
    Chanting, koans, liturgy - I am yet to come across these in our sangha but in discussion with Nios it appears TNH has transformed these eg chants have become songs etc. Also the use of beating etc in some Chan lineages seemed so different- however i now believe these also occur in some japanese lineages. I spose I'm just hesitant about mixing different approaches but perhaps they are pretty similar at heart
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