The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and JapanNukariya, Kaiten
Religion
The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan
Nukariya, Kaiten
Buddhism -- China; Buddhism -- Japan; China -- Religion; Human beings -- Origin; Japan -- Religion; Zen Buddhism
Therefore the Buddha for a temporary purpose made these (uninitiated)
observe the Five Precepts similar to the Five Virtues[FN#327] of the
outside doctrine, in order to enable them to escape the three (worst)
States[FN#328] of Existence, and to be reborn among men. (He also
taught that) those who cultivate[FN#329] the tenfold virtue[FN#330]
of the highest grade, and who give alms, and keep the precepts, and
so forth, are to be born in the Six Celestial Realms of Kama[FN#331]
while those who practise the Four[FN#332] Dhyanas, the Eight
Samadhis,[FN#333] are to be reborn in the heavenly worlds of
Rupa[FN#334] and Arupa. For this reason this doctrine is called the
doctrine for men and Devas. According to this doctrine Karma is the
origin of life.[FN#335]
[FN#327] The five cardinal virtues of Confucianism are quite similar
to the five precepts of Buddhism, as we see by this table:
VIRTUES.---PRECEPTS.
1. Humanity.---1. Not to take life.
2. Uprightness.---2. Not to steal.
3. Propriety.---3. Not to be adulterous.
4. Wisdom.---4. Not to get drunk.
5. Sincerity.---5. Not to lie.
[FN#328] (1) Hell, (2) Pretas, (3) Beasts.
[FN#329] A. 'The Buddhist precepts are different from the Confucian
teachings in the form of expression, but they agree in their warning
against the evil and in encouraging the good. The moral conduct of
the Buddhist can be secured by the cultivation of the five virtues of
humanity, uprightness, etc., as though people in this country hold up
their hands joined in the respectable salutation, while the same
object is attained by those of The Fan, who stand with their bands
hanging down. Not to kill is humanity. Not to steal is uprightness.
Not to be adulterous is propriety. Not to lie is sincerity. Not to
drink spirits nor eat meat is to increase wisdom, keeping mind pure.'
[FN#330] (1) Not to take life, (2) not to steal, (3) not to be
adulterous, (4) not to lie, (5) not to exaggerate, (6) not to abuse,
(7) not to talk ambiguously, (8) not to covet, (9) not to be
malicious, (10) not to unbelieve.
[FN#331] Kama-loka, the world of desire, is the first of the Three
Worlds. It consists of the earth and the six heavenly worlds, all
the inhabitants of which are subject to sensual desires.
[FN#332] The Buddhists taught the four Dhyanas, or the four
different degrees of abstract contemplation, by which the mind could
free itself from all subjective and objective trammels, until it
reached a state of absolute absence of unconcentrated thought. The
practiser of the four Dhyanas would be born in the four regions of
the Rupa-lokas in accordance with his spiritual state.
[FN#333] Namely, the above-mentioned four degrees of contemplation,
and other four deeper ecstatic meditations. The practiser of the
latter would be born in the four spiritual regions of Arupa-loka in
accordance with his state of abstraction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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