The Complete Dark Zen Teachings, Japonia, Zen
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Dark Zen
DARK ZEN
What is Mystical Zen
Buddhism?
What is Mystical Zen Buddhism?
This text is presented by: Zenmar, the Dark Zen Mystic.
“What if the universe was an afterimage whose only purpose was to serve as a finger pointing to that
invisible power which originated it? Would, therefore, our perception of it be like a backward glance
in which even our bodies would be those of backward men chasing after endless illusions without ever
finding their origin? According to the Buddha, we are such backward men who desire to look into the
obscure past that mankind calls its future!
“Who now is brave enough to look forward, as if to live in such a way as to preexist the universe, thus
to never become backwards again?
“What manner of human-being is willing to live above all things that come after his vision? Such men
we declare, are called Sages. Truly, such men come before all else, having surpassed the visible tomb
called the human body.
“Here then is our declaration: transcend the shadow called mankind and live in anterior bodies of
light. If now your lost courage is coming back to you-if now you feel the awakening from a thousands
sleeps about to commence, then you must leave your house of flesh and join our cause. For what
greater adventure is there for a knight of wisdom than to conquer his own mortality as the Buddha
conquered Mara.”
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Q:-
What do you mean by "Dark Zen"?
A:-
Dark Zen is synonymous with mystical Zen. It is the highest truth of Zen which is transmitted by
means of Mind's self-awakening. Here you are in complete unity with true nature of Mind itself. In the
time span of a single thought you complete the stages of a Bodhisattva and enter the lineage of the
Buddhas, going back to the first Buddha. Without a doubt, you recognize that all phenomena are
continent on Mind's bright vivifying nature.
Q:-
How does Dark Zen differ from conventional Zen?
A:-
Given that the fundamental basis of conventional Zen owes its origin to Dark Zen, it does not follow
that conventional Zen can likewise transmit the Buddha-nature. That is the chief difference between
the two. What, in fact, conventional Zen transmits is a second-hand teaching. Such a second-hand
teaching is only intended to comfort and inspire those who wish to proceed on their own to look even
deeper within their own being so as to awaken and see the mysterious nature of Mind.
Q:-
Isn't it true that the lineage of Zen began with the Buddha passing his knowledge on to Mahakashyapa
who in turn passed the teaching on to Ananda where it eventually was transmitted to present day
teachers? Are you saying that this lineage is false?
A:-
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DARK ZEN
What is Mystical Zen
Buddhism?
That history of the transmission from one teacher to another was composed by an adept of Dark Zen
during the Sung dynasty in China as a means to inspire weaker souls who lacked the ability to
understand that the Buddha is their very own mind. To be honest with you, the lineage that you are
alluding to, described in
The Flame Transmission
is an extended allegory speaking to the various
ideas and aspects of absolute Mind as it unfolds itself. Now to answer your question. These stories are
not false if they lead you to see the nature of Mind itself. However, these stories will delude anyone
who does not have the True Eye to see the nature of Mind in each story, foolishly clinging, instead, to
a succession of human teachers supposing that each teacher actually handed over Mind's bright nature
to his heir!
Q:-
My own teacher claims to be the Dharma heir of his teacher's teaching going back to the Buddha. Is
he not a genuine heir of the teaching of Zen?
A:-
Again , that is the teaching of conventional Zen. It is not the ultimate teaching. Your teacher is an
heir to his teachers opinions about Mind's mysterious nature. That is all. That doesn't mean he is
enlightened to the nature of Mind itself. It only means that he is part of a lineage that accepts Zen's
Mind doctrine. In Dark Zen, a "Dharma heir" is someone who has seen Mind's pure nature directly
having passed through all the stages of a Bodhisattva. From this they are able to promote the ancient
teachings of the Buddha, creating skillful means in order to teach others the true purport of
Buddhism.
Q:-
My own teacher who was transmitted seems to know the answers to the koans. Doesn't that say
something for his wisdom?
A:-
When a teacher gives his Dharma heir a collection of koans with answers, which more or less is
considered the succession of Dharma, he is merely recognizing his student's potential to become a
genuine Bodhisattva. In other words, the Dharma heir has only demonstrated his understanding of
Buddhism, not his accomplishment of it. If you think that this individual can interpret a Mahayana
Sutra correctly or has had genuine Bodhicitta after five or ten years of study, you are deluded. Before
the Sung dynasty and the invention of the succession fable, for almost four hundred years prior to that,
Zen was mainly Dark Zen. Teachers recognized genuine enlightenment in others without recourse to
koans as a means of testing. Today, that has all changed.
Q:-
In what way has modern Zen changed from the perspective of Dark Zen?
A:-
From the perspective of Dark Zen, today's Zen institution is much different. It is based on paternal
allegiances, formalism, blind rituals, and clericalism. We must realize that the pure essence of Zen is
not found in the outer elements of religion which such institutions present to the public. The true
content of Zen is only to be found within our being stripped bare of all preconceptions. Let me finally
say, that institutional Zen is really for those people who are afraid to give up conceptual thinking and
their emotions. Such people are still motivated by the ways of the world putting their energizes into
building a cultural edifice that they believe will somehow push back the ocean of suffering. In contrast
to this, Dark Zen is for those individuals who understand that the mysterious source of the teaching
cannot be conceptualized through the senses, taught, or even cultivated. In fact, it cannot even be
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DARK ZEN
What is Mystical Zen
Buddhism?
transmitted. What the term transmission, in fact, means is just to awaken to the whereabouts of Mind
itself thus putting an end to suffering once and for all.
Q:-
My teacher has the authority to teach Zen. I have seen his credentials. What is your authority and
where is your proof?
A:-
Buddhism only recognizes one authority. That is Mind which is also the Buddha. If you have seen
Mind's nature then you have the authority, given to you by the Buddha, to do has you please. If not,
then you should guard both yours words and your actions. Those who claim to have the authority to
teach Zen, showing off their robes and certificates, have no authority since these things are not Mind.
Over the years, I have seen that anyone, with enough money, can become a Zen master almost over
night. So it proves nothing to brag about your teacher's credentials. In the past good students could
recognize good teachers just by listening to a word or two. In their heart, they were searching for the
one true source of all, having recognized that Mara's shadow was upon them. And because they were
searching in this manner, their hearts resonated with the ideal teacher who had safely crossed to the
other shore. Today, inferior students can only recognize inferior teachers judging them by looking at
their wares like merchants. This implies that they only resonate with materialism and not Mind. As
for proof, if you only want mouse shit, rather than gold, there is nothing I can do to convince you
otherwise. Evidently, you are attached to the trappings of conventional Zen. But make no mistake
about it, Dark Zen, variously described as Yin Zen, is the true teaching that Bodhidharma brought to
China.
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DARK ZEN
The Teaching of Mystical Zen
Buddhism
The Teachings of Mystical Zen Buddhism
1)
Buddha-nature
2)
Critique of modern Zen
3)
Dark Zen Meditation Part 1
4)
Dark Zen Meditation Part 2
5)
Heart Sutra with commentary.
6)
Q&A on Karma and rebirth
7)
A dialogue between Master and disciple
8)
Mystical Zen Buddhism
9)
Old Zen and zazen
10)
Students of the Way
11)
The Transcendence Q &A
12)
The Satori Q and A
13)
The Bodhicitta Q and A
14)
The Koan Q&A
15)
The Zenmar Interview
16)
A Transmission outside religion
17)
Hui-K'o and Student
A short introductory talk from Zenmar, the mystic of Dark Zen.
Students of the Way, you have asked me tonight to speak from the heart about the secrets of
Zen. I realize of course that I have neglected my duty to you to do so, please forgive this old fool. Old
age dulls his body which only thinks of taking naps in the afternoon and watching the sunset in the
evening.
First of all, I would like you to understand that the profound teachings of Dark Zen really
consist of two important awakenings. In the first awakening we come to behold Mind's pure nature
(cittaprakriti) called the 'gotra'. In this state, rather than being the perfection of Mind, we only come
to see a small portion of Mind's vastness. Also, please understand that you must have this intuition
first before you can become a real Bodhisattva.
Let me also say that with regard to what modern teachers say about becoming a Bodhisattva,
don't be misled. Becoming a true Bodhisattva is about having certain spiritual intuitions concerning
Mind, rather than learning how to be a Buddhist Boy Scout doing good deeds. Remember that
showing compassion for the unfortunate is the duty of the Pratyekabuddha (Solitary Buddha) who
helps the wretched and teaches the laity. The Bodhisattva's compassion is spiritual and cannot be seen
with ordinary perception.
Next, I will briefly talk about the second awakening--which I know is over your heads. In the
final awakening, after you have already become a Bodhisattva going through many stages, you will
completely verge with Mind-not just a small portion of it, it the case of the gotra. After you verge with
Mind, you will see that the Buddha's secret is no big deal--rather the big deal is just getting there.
That is why an ancient worthy called Zen the path from gold to dung.In verging with Mind, nothing is
really accomplished or attained called "Mind" because Mind, in hindsight, was present from the very
beginning of the crazy journey to the other shore of enlightenment. Ironically, I should say,Mind
moved all of you to come here tonight to the lecture hall in order to sit like dunces listening to an
ignorant fool!
Well, that is all that I am going to say tonight. I am going to put this old fool to bed, for he is
very tired.Meanwhile--all of you--wake up a little, enough to see a small portion of Mind's light come
into your sleepy eyeballs!
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