Zen Development The Yogacara Background Research

It is generally accepted by the Chinese Buddhism scholars that ZEN is the Chinese assimilation of Indian Buddhism. Having developed for more than 1000 years, the profound system of Indian Buddhism has many sects including, chronologically, Primitive Buddhism, Sectarian Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism (early-stage known as Prajna, mid-stage known as Mind-only, and Late-stage known as Tantrism) and Hinayana Buddhism. All those sects are very different, but they share the same principle of Three Seals. Zen, as the Chinese assimilation of Indian Buddhism, complies with but not exclusively come from Three Seals Therefore, to reveal the real origin of ZEN, it is not sufficient to say"ZEN is the Chinese assimilation of Indian Buddhism". We should base our further study on the standpoint that Zen has come from a perfectly developed sect of Indian Buddhism.Chinese Buddhism comes from Indian Buddhism. Without a deep understanding of the history of the Vijnapti-matrata Theory, we cannot see from where Zen actually originated. Primitive Buddhism is the ultimate origin of Zen. It emphasizes Liberation and Spiritual Cultivation, and attaches special importance to the significance of Mind to Liberation. The practice of Spiritual Cultivation brought about epistemological questions, which even led to the break-up of monastic groups. Later Nagarjuna established the Prajna in his theory of Middle Way and hence not only answered the epistemological questions, but also laid a solid foundation for the establishment of ontology for Buddhism. At last, the ontology of Indian Buddhism was established. Later it was realized that while Tahagata-garbha could help sentient beings to build up their faith, it could not help them deal with their afflictions in reality. For this purpose, the theory of Alayavijnana was developed. As a result, the ontology of Indian Buddhism was able to help people both in dealing with their afflictions as well as in building up their faith. In Indian Buddhism, ontology does not confront but is unified with Epistemology. Similarly, Tathagata-Garbh is related to Alayavijnana in the same way as form is related to mind. Both are part of the Vijnapti-matrata theory of the Yogacara School, which should represent the final and perfect state of the argumentation of Indian Buddhism.The core thought of Zen is Cittata-tathagata-Garbha. Tathagata-Garbh belongs to the Vijnapti-matrata theory. Therefore, we can say that the core thought of Zen should belong to the Vijnapti-matrata theory of the Yogacara School. The teaching of Lankavatra-Sutra by Bhidharma predicted the coming of Zen and the birth of The Platform Sutra marked the maturity of Zen in China. Cittata-tathagata-Garbha has been always involved in the evolution of Zen, which is rather a process of unification of the ontology and epistemology of Buddhism. It is also a process of absorption and Chinese assimilation of the latest study of Chinese and Indian Buddhism,which reveals that the Indian Vijnapti-matrata theory has the greatest significance for the evolution of Zen. At the time of Bodhidharma, Lankavatra Sutra was the core text f his Zen theory. For the Mid-stage Mahayana Buddhism, Lankavatra Sutra is the most important book on the Vijnapti-matrata theory. Its main thought is to unify Tathagata-Garbha and Alayavijnana. After Bodhidharma's time, the second and third Patriarchs began to attach importance to Prajna by connecting Prajna to Buddha nature. Later Dong Shan Fa Men was established and it further developed the theory of unification of Prajna and Buddha nature. The Awakening of Faith, a popular book at that time and a fruit of the Chinese assimilation of the Vijnapti-matrata theory, also echoed some teachings of Dong Shan Fa Men. Later, the birth of Platform Sutra witnessed the first time in the history of Chinese Buddhism that ontology, epistemology, theories about nature of mind and about spiritual cultivation were totally unified.The most important part of the Platform Sutra is the absorption of the thoughts from the Ornament of Diamond Sutra written by Asanga, especially such thoughts as"attaining buddhahood through sudden enlightenment". The Ornament of Diamond Sutra is a simplification of the Vijnapti-matrata theory. In addition, the Platform Sutra also absorbs thoughts from Lankavatra Sutra and The Awakening of Faith. As the Platform Sutra finds its original theories in the classics of the Vijnapti-matrata theory, we can say that Zen is a simplified form of the vijnapti-matrata theory of the Yogacara School.Zen and the vijnapti-matrata theory have similarities, for example, Cittata-tathagata-Garbha belongs to the vijnapti-matrata theory. Zen emphasizes liberation instead of being and argumentation. In this sense, Zen has something in common with Primitive Buddhism. However Zen does not copy those common points from Primitive Buddhism, it is a result of sublating the thoughts of the Yogacara School. It also simplifies the scholasticism of the Vijnapti-matrata theory. As Zen aims to find the way to liberation, it emphasizes the nature of mind and spiritual cultivation instead of theories about otology and universe which are less related to liberation. In terms of epistemology, although Zen does not have so many concepts and categories, it does share common views with the vijnapti-matrata theory。Indian Buddism and the Yogacara School no longer exist. The books of Vijnapti-matrata theory introduced by Master Hsuan Tsang are lost , too. However, the Vijnapti-matrata theory itself has survived. It has revived and is continuing to live in its Chinese form, Zen.