--- In [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> ,
Bill wrote:
>
> Mike,
>
> Theravada is Buddha's original teaching? I'll bet you already know I
think Buddha's original teaching is just holding up a flower at Vulture
Peak.
>
...Bill!
Bill,
May be 'Yes', may be 'No'.
See below.
--ED
THE FLOWER SERMON
Toward the end of his life, the Buddha took his disciples to a quiet
pond for instruction. As they had done so many times before, the
Buddha's followers sat in a small circle around him, and waited for
the teaching.
But this time the Buddha had no words. He reached into the muck and
pulled up a lotus flower. And he held it silently before them, its roots
dripping mud and water.
The disciples were greatly confused. Buddha quietly displayed the lotus
to each of them. In turn, the disciples did their best to expound upon
the meaning of the flower: what it symbolized, and how it fit into the
body of Buddha's teaching.
When at last the Buddha came to his follower Mahakasyapa, the disciple
suddenly understood. He smiled and began to laugh. Buddha handed the
lotus to Mahakasyapa and began to speak.
"What can be said I have said to you," smiled the Buddha,
"and what cannot be said, I have given to Mahakashyapa."
Mahakashyapa became Buddha's successor from that day forward.
"Background to the Flower Sutra
The Flower Sutra is a sutra in the Zen (or Chan) tradition of Mahayana
Buddhism. It's earliest versions date from the 11th century.
Zen Buddhism stresses wordless insight more than most other types of
Buddhism. This sutra exemplifies that very well.
In many versions of this sutra the Buddha doesn't walk around, he merely
holds up the Lotus, roots and all, to a group of disciples. Most
disciples are confused.
Mahakashyapa smiles.
To Zen Buddhists this sutra shows the origins of the wordless teachings
of Zen - its history started with the Buddha himself. "
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/flower-sermon.htm
<http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/flower-sermon.htm>
