We owe gratitude to the teachings that have come from the East, but we have to think of how to adapt them to the West, with its Christian influences. When Bankei asserts that the Unborn is our natural birthright, he agrees with Christianity in that we are “temples of the Holy Spirit.” It seems evident that to search for something that is already part of our nature is a losing proposition.
By Angel Roberto Puente
When we begin, our ideas about practice can affect the outcome. One of the persistent ideas is that we are on a search. Bankei Yōtaku turned this on its head.
His teaching was to begin practice not by searching but by finding. This narrative, the result of his own long and painful search and of the inability to find correct guidance, was a radical departure from the norm.
To see the truth of this method, you have to go back to Buddha himself.
In the Bhikkhu Anālayo’s scholarly article, Right View and the Scheme of the Four Truths in Early Buddhism, there are these citations:
“How does [a learned noble disciple] understand formations as they really are? There are three types of formations: bodily formations, verbal formations, and mental formations. In this way, formations are understood as they really are.”
“[Venerable] Mahākotthita, this is reckoned a noble disciple who understands formations as they really are, [understands] the arising of formations, [understands] the cessation of formations and understands the path to the cessation of formations as it really is; who in our teaching and discipline is endowed with right view, has accomplished straight view, has accomplished unshakeable confidence in the Buddha, has come to and arrived at the right teaching, has attained this right Dharma and awoken to this right Dharma.”
Bankei is a prime example of the “right teaching” pointing directly to the path of cessation of formations.
He told his listeners, “It’s only your ignorance of the Buddha-mind that makes you go on transforming it into a hungry ghost, fighting spirit, or animal… Until you transform it, you live just as you are in the unborn Buddha-Mind; you aren’t deluded or unenlightened.”
He makes clear that the antecedent to formations—the reactions to circumstances—is the always present and available, clear, spacious awareness.
Bankei explained:
“What I teach everyone in these talks of mine is the unborn Buddha-mind of illuminative wisdom, nothing else. Everyone is endowed with this Buddha-mind; they just don’t know it. My reason for coming and speaking to you like this is to make it known to you. Well then, what does it mean, you’re endowed with a Buddha-mind?
Each of you now present decided to come here from your home in the desire to hear what I have to say. Now, if a dog barked beyond the temple walls while you’re listening to me, you’d hear it and know it was a dog barking. If a crow cawed, you’d hear it and know it was a crow. You’d hear an adult’s voice as an adult’s and a child’s as a child’s.
You didn’t come here to hear a dog bark, a crow caw, or any of the other sounds that might come from outside the temple during my talk. Yet while you’re here, you’d hear those sounds. Your eyes see and distinguish reds and whites and other colors and your nose can tell good smells from bad. You could have had no way of knowing beforehand of any of the sights, sounds, or smells you might encounter at this meeting, yet you’re able, nevertheless, to recognize these unforeseen sights and sounds as you encounter them, without premeditation. That’s because you’re seeing and hearing in the Unborn.”
By pointing to the element that precedes all appearances—in scientific parlance, attention—and giving it preeminence, Bankei dismantles the search and provides a way forward for practice.
This new narrative that rejected the reliance on hard work to achieve awakening was not well received by the traditions that existed in 17th-century Japan. Yet, Bankei’s widespread connection with the people obligated his being named head of the Rinzai tradition and later being named a national teacher. Still, after his death, the mainstream traditions prevailed and his teachings were superseded.
I would argue that if we are ever going to stop imitating the Japanese, we have to embrace Bankei. Even in his time, he rejected the whole structure of Zen teachings.
We owe gratitude to the teachings that have come from the East, but we have to think of how to adapt them to the West, with its Christian influences. When Bankei asserts that the Unborn is our natural birthright, he agrees with Christianity in that we are “temples of the Holy Spirit.” It seems evident that to search for something that is already part of our nature is a losing proposition.
What we “awaken” to is our innate nature. This awakening is as D. T. Suzuki said, “awakening from the state of being dominated by discrimination without any awareness of this fact.” Cultivating this awareness in all aspects of our lives is true practice.
There is much to be gained by studying the teachings of Bankei.
There are now many teachers who in some degree reflect the same narrative he expounded. Once you get to know his teaching, you can hear the echoes in many others.
For me, as a Zen practitioner, he represents freedom from the straitjacket of traditions. Bankei avoided reliance on suttas, elaborate ceremonies, or the traditional koan system; the content of daily life was enough to deal with. He believed that long and arduous discipline was not required; there was “no need to fix yourself.” He rejected the role of the teacher as an authority, preferring the role of guide.
Remembering to pay attention at all times (sati) is the formula that Buddha established. From that observation point, body, feeling, mind, and phenomena could be seen clearly. Bankei would say: “There’s nothing you need to attain. Just be aware of how your mind gets pulled away and stop going along with it. That’s all.”
“That’s all” is practice for a lifetime. More and more our dissatisfaction becomes less and less. The Unborn is the true “refuge and strength.”
Photo: Pixabay
Editor: Dana Gornall
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El amor de Ángel Roberto Puente por la investigación comenzó desde su infancia cuando desarmaba los juguetes que recibía en Navidad. Lo único que consiguió después fueron juegos de montaje. Una experiencia temprana de lo no conceptual lo llevó a un viaje para reconciliar una educación cristiana con la práctica de Zazen y los estudios de Psicología. Habiendo logrado una solución cómoda, ahora se sienta con Morning Star Zendo. Un grupo zen dirigido por un sacerdote jesuita/Roshi. Como introvertido maduro, todavía separa las cosas, y ahora los conceptos y las creencias. Check out his site here.
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