The Understanding of Baek-pa(白坡) on The Edification Method of Dankyung(壇經)

Abstract

On the chapter7 Chamchungkiyeonpum(參請機緣品), there are several methods of edification by Jogye-Haenueng. One is that Haedal, who was one of disciples of Haenueng, asked his master about the Theme ‘The Nature mind is the Buddha’. Another disciple Beopdal communicated with his master on the chanting Beophwakhyung(法華經). Ven. Backpa put a fresh outlook on these two stories.BR Above all, Zen master. Haenueng answered the haedal’s question that the Nature mind is not dichotomous and the Nature mind is eternity, therefore ‘The Nature mind is the Buddha.’ In contrast, Ven. Baekpa shows different thinking. He says that when we achieve the Enlightment, we all knows which all the beings originally have the mind of Buddha, and this state is so called, the Nature mind, and its appear is the Buddha. Moreover, the behaviors that trust Nature mind calls Daeyoung(大用), Nature mind itself calls Daegi(大機). The former is Myoyong(妙用), the latter is Jingong(眞空). Therefore, These two ones arise at the same time, and these are two but not two.BR Ven. baekpa criticizes the chantings of beopdal that it is the obsessive mind, and he regards it as, so called, Uiri-seon(義理禪). In addition, he argues that Uiri-seon has three phrase of yu,mu(有·無), the Yeorae-seon(如來禪) has three phrase of Bon,guem(本ㆍ今), the Josa-seon has three phrase of gi,young(機用). However the Jingong surpass these ones. These three types of seon are communicate each other.BR On these respects, Ven. Baekpa explains the Dankhyung(壇經) by Jingong and Myoyou, and these thoughts are different with the ones of text Seonmunsukhyung(禪文手鏡). The texts of Dankhyung(壇經) and Sukhyung(手鏡) have the same thought that Jingong and Myoyou, but Dankhyung has more progressive thought that Bulbyen(不變) and Suyeon(隨緣).