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
[FN#359] The first seven Vijnyanas depend on the Alaya, which is
said to hold all the 'seeds' of physical and mental objects.
[FN#360] This school is an extreme form of Idealism, and maintains
that nothing separated from the Alaya can exist externally. The
mind-substance, from the first, holds the seed ideas of everything,
and they seem to the non-enlightened mind to be the external
universe, but are no other than the transformation of the seed-ideas.
The five senses, and the Mano-vijnyana acting on them, take them for
external objects really existent, while the seventh Vijnyana mistakes
the eighth for Atman.
[FN#361] The non-enlightened mind, habitually thinking that Atman
and external objects exist, leaves the impression of the seed-ideas
on its own Alaya.
Then the sixth and the seventh[FN#362] Vijnyana veiled with Avidya,
dwelling on them, mistake them for real Atman and the real external
objects. This (error) may be compared with one diseased[FN#363] in
the eye, who imagines that he sees various things (floating in the
air) on account of his illness; or with a dreamer[FN#364] whose
fanciful thoughts assume various forms of external objects, and
present themselves before him. While in the dream he fancies that
there exist external objects in reality, but on awakening he finds
that they are nothing other than the transformation of his dreaming
thoughts.
[FN#362] Avidya, or ignorance, which mistakes the illusory phenomena
for realities.
[FN#363] A. 'A person with a serious disease sees the vision of
strange colours, men, and things in his trance.'
[FN#364] A. 'That a dreamer fancies he sees things is well known to
everybody.'
So are our lives. They are no other than the transformation of the
Vijnyanas; but in consequence of illusion, we take them for the Atman
and external objects existing in reality. From these erroneous ideas
arise delusive thoughts that lead to the production of Karma; hence
the round-of rebirth to time without end.[FN#365] When we understand
these reasons, we can realize the fact that our lives are nothing but
transformations of the Vijnyanas, and that the (eighth) Vijnyana is
the origin.[FN#366]
[FN#365] A. 'As it was detailed above.'
[FN#366] A. 'An imperfect doctrine, which is refuted later.'
4. Mahayana Doctrine of the Nihilists.
This doctrine disproves (both) the Mahayana and the Hinayana
doctrines above mentioned that adhere to Dharma-laksana, and
suggestively discloses the truth of Transcendental Reality which is
to be treated later.[FN#367] Let me state, first of all, what it
would say in the refutation of Dharma-laksana.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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