As Ch’an masters have been generally celibate, the idea of successful procreation does not hold for the perpetuation of their respective lineages. In the case of enlightened lay Ch’an masters – even if they have off-spring it is not guaranteed that their children will be enlightened beings.
Tag: Sangha
Abbot Yong Xin of the Shaolin Temple Discusses Master Xu Yun
Li Ji Shen referred this dispute to Zhou Enlai (who discussed it with Mao Zedong), and it was agreed that Xu Yun was correct. This decision was taken because at the time certain members of the international community were attacking China with regards to human rights issues. From that day onwards, traditional Chinese religion has been protected under law.
Xu Yun on Different Types of Monks
‘The Master Xu Yun replied, “The title ‘Monk’ is just a name, for there are holy monks and worldly monks. It is not fair to blame the whole Sangha because there are one or two bad monks. Can we blame Confucius because there are bad Confucian scholars?
The Buddha’s Closest Family Member – Rahula
Therefore, for the Buddha, there was no difference between Rahula and all sentient beings – and no difference between all sentient beings and Rahula. The Buddha made a point of teaching all beings with equal attention. As a consequence of this effort, Rahula attained Arhatship whilst still in his early twenties.
The Buddha’s Awareness and the State of Homelessness
‘Of course, the act of physically changing one’s environment for another inevitably has the consequence of a change of mind itself. For many ordinary beings this change of mind through experience is simply the process of the cognising of new sense-data – to be stored alongside similar sense-data previously acquired. For the Buddha himself, the change of physical experience led to the development of the immense urge within him to seek the answer that reconciled all physical experience, regardless of the nature of that experience itself.’
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 