Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

[Shui_Di]

Hi guys...

do you know anything about Caodong school in China?

I've heard that the Zen/Chan temple in China mostly is a rinzai/linji school.
does the Caodong school still exist in China nowadays?
Is there any difference between Caodong in China, and Soto in Japan? (I mean, beside the culture aspect)

Gassho, Shui Di

[will]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

Cao Dong (in japanese called Soto)

Its father temple is located at Dong Shan village, Tong An town,
Yi Feng county, Yi Chun, JiangXi province, China.

Its founder's name is Liang Jia Roshi. It's
24th successor is named Miao Zhong Roshi.

There are many son temples over east Asia.

Chinese for Rinzai is "Linji".

The Rinzai school emerged in China from the teaching line of Linji Yixuan ???? (J., Rinzai Gigen, d. 866), and was first introduced to Japan by the Japanese monk Myoan Eisai ????(1141-1215). In Japan the Rinzai teachings underwent further refinement, especially in the lineage of Hakuin Ekaku ???? (1686–1769), the great reviver of the Japanese Rinzai school. A second introduction of the Chinese Linji school took place in 1654, when the Chinese master Yinyuan Longqi ???? (Ingen Ryuki; 1592-1673) transmitted the teachings as they had developed in China from the thirteenth through the sixteenth centuries. Yinyuan’s lineage came to be called the Obaku school.

http://zen.rinnou.net/whats_zen/index.html

Buddhism in China:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/r ... sm/han.htm

G,W

[will]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

Tiantong Buddhist Temple,a famous Buddhist temple of China,

located at the foot of the TaiBai Mountain,Dongxiang,Yinxian county,Zhejiang province,

was first built in the first year of the reign of Yongkang,Western Jin Dynasty(the year 300)

The Japanese Sotushu Buddhist Sect respected Tiantong Buddhist Temple as the place of their origin.

1983,it was approved by the State Council as a key Buddhist temple in the region of Han nationality.

A website with some pictures of this temple and history:

http://www.atman-one.com/images/2008/001.htm

Gassho Will

[Shui_Di]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

wow... very interesting....

Thanks a lot for the great information Will.....

I think Caodong/Soto Zen was vanished from its ancestor land in China, but, fortunately, It hasn't vanish yet

Thanks again...

Gassho, Shui Di

[Jundo]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

Hi Shui Di,

If you look at this thread on E-Sangha (you will have to register if you are not yet), there is a pretty good discussion of this ...

http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index. ... opic=57231

Gassho, Jundo

[Shui_Di]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

Hi Jundo...

So, You think that Caodong C'han has been vanished in China?


Gassho, Shui Di

[Jundo]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

Hi Shui Di,

Well, as you know, the state of Buddhism is not very good right now inside Mainland China because of the political system. Buddhism was almost completely lost during the Maoist years, Cultural Revolution (My first teacher ever of Buddhism, when I lived in Beijing about 23 years ago, had been forced to marry and become a pig farmer when his temple was seized by the government). As well, Chinese Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism largely merged with Pure Land Buddhism over the centuries and to evolve in other ways too.

The answer is: I really do not know.

By the way, I will be heading back to China later this year when we adopt our daughter from there (at least, that is the plan and has been for a couple of years of waiting ... all things in their time, but adoptions from China take a lot of time!). I hope to do some traveling around on the way, and to investigate this very question of the state of Caodong in China right now.

Gassho, Jundo

[Shui_Di]

Re: Caodong and Soto Zen school ?

Thanks Jundo...

And I hope your plan is going well in China....

Gassho, Shui Di