Ch'an is still part of Buddhism and is therefore not completely devoid of religious elements. Practitioners who are in situations where they feel hopeless may call on Kuan-yin for help or strength. It's human nature to sometimes feel weak or at a loss. The question is, would Ch'an masters ask Kuan-yin for help? Ch'an masters, even if they have no attachments and are not seeking anything for their own sake, may at times find they cannot do something for the sake of sentient beings. In these situations, Ch'an masters may invoke the name of Kuan-yin. However, in my study of Chinese Buddhist history, I have never come across any reference of a T'ang dynasty Ch'an master reciting names of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. It's possible that the attainment of contemporary masters is not as deep as that of past patriarchs. A genuinely enlightened master would not need to call on Kuan-yin for help.

STUDENT:

If Soto Zen derives from Ts'ao-tung Ch'an, then how come Soto is considered a gradual school of practice whereas Ts'ao-tung is considered a sudden approach?

SHIH-FU:

Where did you hear that? There is no such distinction. You shouldn't confuse "soft" with "gradual." The Soto and Ts'ao-tung sects are more gentle in their approach to practice than are the Rinzai and Lin-chi sects. But they are all sudden methods of practice. There are two ways to look at this. First, I always stress that practice is both the process and the goal. If the goal is to practice, then it is automatically a sudden method. Second, no matter whether you practice forcefully or gently ─ no matter whether you break through the barriers of illusion with a hua-t'ou method or you gently calm the mind until the sense of self disappears ─ enlightenment always comes suddenly. Enlightenment never appears little by little.

If you insist on calling the Ts'ao-tung sect a gradual approach, then you must also call the Lin-chi sect a gradual approach. Ts'ao-tung practitioners practice silent illumination steadily for years. Lin-chi practitioners investigate hua-t'ous. They may do so for years. What is the difference?

STUDENT:

Japanese Zen monks can marry. What is the difference between a Zen priest and a Zen monk and why is there no such distinction in Ch'an? Are there any other obvious differences?