Anthony,

To paraphrase a bastard Jew...'Before Siddhartha was born, I am.'

...Bill!


--- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@...> wrote:
>
> Bill!,
>  
> For once I agree with you. It is Siddharta himself who claims that zen 
> existed before him, as he often said he taught an ancient way. Now it is your 
> job to prove who practiced zzzzzen before Siddharta. Which sage or saint did 
> it?
>  
> Anthony
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Bill! <BillSmart@...>
> To: [email protected] 
> Sent: Saturday, 28 July 2012, 10:58
> Subject: [Zen] Re: Chan and zen
> 
> 
>   
> Anthony,
> 
> I've addressed most of your questions a post just prior to this - my 'going 
> out on a limb' post. But there is one thing you wrote I want to clarify - 
> remind you of actually...
> 
> As you know I draw a distinction between 'Zen' and what I call 'zen'. 'Zen' 
> is 'Zen Buddhism' and 'zen' is what I practice and is the 'awareness of 
> Buddha Nature'.
> 
> So, you certainly could say 'Zen' (Zen Buddhism) did not exist before 
> Siddhartha Buddha, but I maintain 'zen' (awareness of Buddha Nature) did 
> exist long before Siddhartha Buddha and I've climbed out on a limb to 
> convince you of that.
> 
> ...Bill! 
> 
> --- In mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com, Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote:
> >
> > Bill,
> >  
> > Siddharta did not invent Buddha Nature. Like you say, he discovered an 
> > awereness of Buddha Nature. that is what he means by stressing that he 
> > teaches an ancient way. Zen is not equal to Buddha Nature. It is the way to 
> > be aware of Buddha Nature, like you mean. If you agree to that, are you 
> > sure zen predates Buddhism? then who practiced zen before Buddhism? What 
> > was it like before Buddhism was born?
> >  
> > Anthony
> > 
> > 
> > ________________________________
> > From: Bill! <BillSmart@>
> > To: mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com 
> > Sent: Friday, 27 July 2012, 18:23
> > Subject: [Zen] Re: Chan and zen
> > 
> > 
> >   
> > Anthony,
> > 
> > When I say 'zen' I usually use that term to mean 'an awareness of Buddha 
> > Nature'. So when I say 'zen existed before Buddha or Buddhism' what I mean 
> > is Buddha Nature existed before Buddha and Buddhism. What else do you 
> > think? Do you think Buddha (Siddhartha) INVENTED Buddha Nature? Or did he 
> > just 'discover' it? And if you think he discovered it do you think he was 
> > the first one to discover it? I don't.
> > 
> > ...Bill!
> > 
> > --- In mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com, Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Bill,
> > >  
> > > Something zen-like may predate Buddhism. It may have been practised by 
> > > people of the Indus Valley before the 'Arians' came to India. However, 
> > > Sakymuni started Buddhism, followed by many modifications up to mahayana. 
> > > Eventually your techer Mr Frontcorner took it up and taught you. That is 
> > > what I call zen developed from Buddhism, not from Christianity or Islam. 
> > > It does not contradict your statement that zen predates Buddhism and me 
> > > and your good self. Still, how do you prove that something called zen 
> > > existed well before the Buddha?
> > >  
> > > Anthony
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@>
> > > To: mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com 
> > > Sent: Wednesday, 25 July 2012, 18:06
> > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Chan and zen
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   
> > > Anthony,
> > > 
> > > No, zen predates Buddhism, Siddhartha Buddha and all the other Buddhas. 
> > > Zen predates everything except perhaps 'sentient-ness'. So maybe the 
> > > first sentient being (Adam?) could be called the first Buddha, but after 
> > > that all sentient beings possessed Buddha Nature.
> > > 
> > > ...Bill! 
> > > 
> > > --- In mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com, Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Bill,
> > > > ÃÆ'‚ 
> > > > Your 'zen' also developed from mahayana Buddhism. Otherwise, where did 
> > > > it come from? If you say from Christianity, the devil and angel will 
> > > > both be after you.
> > > > ÃÆ'‚ 
> > > > anthony
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > ________________________________
> > > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@>
> > > > To: mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com 
> > > > Sent: Monday, 23 July 2012, 9:32
> > > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Chan and zen
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > ÃÆ'‚  
> > > > ED,
> > > > 
> > > > My response below assumes by 'chan' and 'zen' you mean 'Chinese Chan 
> > > > Buddhism' and 'Japanese Zen Buddhism'. Anyway, my response below is 
> > > > limited to my knowledge of those... 
> > > > 
> > > > I only know of Chan from what I've read and the excellent information 
> > > > JMJM has given us through his posts. From these I do think there is a 
> > > > little difference between Chinese Chan Buddhism and Japanese Zen 
> > > > Buddhism, but most of that I see are due to the different cultural 
> > > > wrappings of each. There are many more parallels and similarities than 
> > > > differences. They are both from the school of Mahayana Buddhism. If I 
> > > > were to grab any one difference to emphasize I would say Chan Buddhism 
> > > > is a little more mystical than Japanese Zen Buddhism but that's about 
> > > > all.
> > > > 
> > > > ...Bill! 
> > > > 
> > > > --- In mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com, "ED" <seacrofter001@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Bill and JM,
> > > > > 
> > > > > Do either of you perceive any substantive difference between chan and
> > > > > zen?
> > > > > 
> > > > > --ED
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>




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