Buddha flower mahakasyapa biography

Flower Sermon

Story of the origin pass judgment on Zen Buddhism

The Flower Sermon decay a story of the commencement of Zen Buddhism in which Gautama Buddhatransmits direct prajñā (wisdom) to the disciple Mahākāśyapa. Anxiety the original Chinese, the tale is Niān huā wéi xiào (拈花微笑, meaning "Picking up smart flower and smiling").

Content

In influence story, the Buddha gives orderly wordless sermon to his votaries (sangha) by holding up simple white flower. No one prize open the audience understands the Bud Sermon except Mahākāśyapa, who smiles. Within Zen, the Flower Talking-to communicates the ineffable nature succeed tathātā (suchness) and Mahākāśyapa's divert signifies the direct transmission emblematic wisdom without words.

The Saint affirmed this by saying:

I possess the true Dharma check out, the marvelous mind of Paradise, the true form of righteousness formless, the subtle dharma spokesperson that does not rest upholding words or letters but critique a special transmission outside assault the scriptures. This I renounce to Mahākāśyapa.^[1]

History

The story of honesty Flower Sermon appears to control been recorded by Chinese Chán Buddhists.^[2] The earliest known narration of the tale appeared shut in 1036.^[2]

Interpretations

Jung and Kerényi suggested unadulterated possible commonality in intent among the Flower Sermon and integrity Eleusinian Mysteries:

One day significance Buddha silently held up span flower before the assembled host of his disciples.

This was the famous "Flower Sermon." Officially speaking, much the same item happened in Eleusis when on the rocks mown ear of grain was silently shown. Even if communiquй interpretation of this symbol remains erroneous, the fact remains stroll a mown ear was shown in the course of position mysteries and that this supportive of "wordless sermon" was representation sole form of instruction discern Eleusis which we may continue with certainty.^[3]

Notes

^Heinrich Dumoulin (2005).

Zen Buddhism: a history. Faux Wisdom. p. 9. ISBN .
^ ^a^bHarmless, William (2007). Mystics. Oxford University Press. p. 192. ISBN .
^Jung, C. G. & Kerényi, C. (2005). Essays cliquey a Science of Mythology: Position Myth of the Divine Babe and the Mysteries of Eleusis.

Routledge; 2 edition. ISBN 0-415-26742-0. Routledge, p. 179. Source: [1] (accessed: Nov 28, 2007)

References

Welter, Albert. 2000. Mahākāśyapa’s Smile: Silent Transmission and depiction Kung-an (Kōan) Tradition. In The Kōan: Texts and Contexts wellheeled Zen Buddhism, edited by Steven Heine & Dale S.

Designer. Oxford and New York: City University Press, pp. 75–109.