At times you have said there is no difference between the Buddhist point of view and the Ch'an point of view. At other times you make a distinction between conventional Buddhism and Ch'an Buddhism. There are many different sects of Buddhism. Are there radical differences among the sects, or are they fundamentally the same?

SHIH-FU:

Actually, more sects of Buddhism existed in the past than exist today. The seeds for the many sects were planted in Sakyamuni's time. The seeds were actually Sakyamuni's closest followers. Each disciple approached the practice in his own special way, depending on his personality and talents. Ananda was interested in hearing the Buddha's teachings. Mahakasyapa was interested in ascetic practice. Upali's specialty was keeping the precepts. Others specialized in debating, or cultivating supernormal powers. Variations existed right from the start.

When Buddhism was introduced into China through certain sutras and sastras by different Dharma masters, a number of sects developed. There are different forms of practice, each one appealign to a particular interest. Before the T'ang dynasty, there were many Buddhist sects in China, but by the end of that dynasty, the methods of practice had reduced mainly to those taught by the Ch'an and Pure Land schools.

Is there a great difference between Ch'an and Pure Land? There is in Japan. Ch'an and Pure Land, as all Chinese sects, were transmitted to Japan in the same way Buddhism was transmitted to China from India. In the process, changes occurred, and the sects that emerged in Japan were flavored by the distinctive personalities of the particular Dharma masters who founded them. So, in Japan, Ch'an and Pure Land are distinctively different schools.