Lineage (Buddhism)

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An authentic lineage in Buddhism is the uninterrupted transmission of the Buddha's Dharma from teacher to disciple. The transmission itself can be for example oral, scriptural, through signs, or directly from one mind to another. Several branches of Buddhism, including Zen and Tibetan Buddhism maintain records of their historical teachers. These records serve as a validation for the living exponents of the tradition.

In the lineage of the vinaya, the requirements for ordination as a monk or a nun include the presence of at least five other monks, one of whom must be a fully ordained preceptor, and another an acharya (teacher). This lineage for ordaining nuns became extinct in many Buddhist countries. When Ani Tenzin Palmo wanted full ordination for example, she had to travel to Hong Kong to receive it. Lineages in the Mahasiddha tradition do not necessarily originate from the historical Gautama Buddha, but are ultimately grounded, like all Buddhist lineages, in the primordial Dharmakaya Buddha.

Wallace, et al. (Chagmé et al., 1998: p. 22) render into English a citation of Chagmé (Wylie: karma-chags-med, fl. 17th century) that contains an embedded quotation attributed to Nāropā (956-1041 CE), thus:

The crucial, primary qualification of a spiritual mentor is stated by Naropa, "The qualification of a spiritual mentor is that [t]he[y] possesses the lineage." The Single Meaning of the Vajra Speech [Wylie: rDo rje'i gsungs dgongs pa gcig pa] states, "There is great profundity in the connection within the lineage of the holy Dharma." The real lineage of the realization of this Dharma, which transfer blessings,^[1] is the unbroken rosary of Buddhas...".^[2]

Preservation of lineages

Gyatrul (b.1924),^[3] in a purport to Chagmé (Wylie: karma-chags-med, fl. 17th century), conveys Khyentse's 'samaya' (Sanskrit), diligence and humility in receiving 'wang' (Tibetan), lineal transmission and 'rlung' (Wylie) as rendered into English by Wallace (Chagmé et al., 1998: p. 21):

With respect to oral transmission, even if the lineage is impure, it is not a problem. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche often sought out and received any oral transmission he thought was on the verge of disappearing. It made no difference who was giving it. He would receive it and, in turn, pass it on to make sure that the lineage remained unbroken.^[4]

Ch'an and Zen lineages

The principle teachers of the Ch'an and Zen traditions are known as Patriarchs.

For these traditions the first Patriarch in the lineage after the Buddha was Mahakasyapa. Thereafter there were another 26 teachers in India before Bodhidharma, travelled to China in the 5th century CE, becoming the first Ch'an patriarch.

Five generations later in the 7th century CE, Huineng assumed the position of the 6th Chinese Patriarch (33rd in line from the Buddha). As Chan subsequently flourished in China there were many branches in the lineage, some of which later died out and some of which continue unbroken to the present.

Some of these lines were transmitted to Japan, establishing the Zen tradition. Perhaps the most famous of these transmissions to Japan was that of Dogen who travelled to China for Chan training in the 13th century CE, and after receiving Dharma transmission in the Caodong line he returned to Japan and established the Sōtō line. The Linji line was also transmitted to Japan where it became known as the Rinzai line.

In Jodo Shinshu the term patriarch refers to seven Indian, Chinese and Japanese masters before its founder Shinran. Some of the links in the Chan/Zen transmission-chain have been challenged by historians such as Philip Yampolsky. In particular, there is little or no other evidence linking any of the Indian teachers before Bodhidharma to the Zen sect specifically.

Chöd lineage

Chöd is an advanced spiritual practice known as "Cutting Through the Ego."^[5] This practice, based on the Prajnaparamita sutra, uses specific meditations and tantric ritual.

There are several hagiographic accounts of how chöd came to Tibet.^[6] One namthar, or spiritual biography, asserts that shortly after Kamalashila won his famous debate with Moheyan as to whether Tibet should adopt the "sudden" route to enlightenment or his own "gradual" route, Kamalashila enacted phowa, transferring his mindstream to animate a corpse polluted with contagion in order to safely move the hazard it presented. As the mindstream of Kamalashila was otherwise engaged, a Mahasiddha by the name of Padampa Sangye came across the vacant kuten or "physical basis" of Kamalashila. Padampa Sangye was not karmically blessed with an aesthetic corporeal form, and upon finding the very handsome and healthy empty body of Kamalashila, which he assumed to be a newly dead fresh corpse, used phowa to transfer his own mindstream into Kamalashila's body. Padampa Sangye's mindstream in Kamalashila's body continued the ascent to the Himalaya and thereby transmitted the Pacification of Suffering teachings and the Indian form of Chöd which contributed to the Mahamudra Chöd of Machig Labdrön. The mindstream of Kamalashila was unable to return to his own kuten and so was forced to enter the vacant body of Padampa Sangye.^[7][8]

See also

• Dharma transmission
• Gotra
• Religious order
• Sangharaja
• Wang (Tibetan Buddhism)

Notes

1. ^ 'Blessing' (Wylie: byin-rlabs; Sanskrit: adhiṣṭhāna):
   

   "In the Buddhist context, the term blessing should not be understood in terms of grace as in the case of theistic religions. Rather, it relates to the sense of inspiration received...which transforms or awakens the potentials inherent within an individual's mental continuum. Thus, the Tibetan word byin-rlabs is interpreted to mean: 'to be transformed through inspiring magnificence'."

   Padmasambhava (composed); Terton Karma Lingpa (revealed); Gyurme Dorje (translated); Graham Coleman (editor); Thupten Jinpa (editor) with H.H.Tenzin Gyatso (introduction) (2005, 2006). The Tibetan Book of the Dead. First Complete Translation. Strand, London, UK: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-140-45529-8, p.448
2. ^ Chagmé, Karma (author, compiler); Gyatrul Rinpoche (commentary) & Wallace, B. Alan (translator) (1998). A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga. Ithaca, New York, USA: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 9781559390712; ISBN 1559390719, p.22
3. ^ Source: [1] (accessed: Wednesday March 25, 2009)
4. ^ Chagmé, Karma (author, compiler); Gyatrul Rinpoche (commentary) & Wallace, B. Alan (translator) (1998). A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga. Ithaca, New York, USA: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 9781559390712; ISBN 1559390719, p.21
5. ^ Rinpoche, Yangthang (1991). "Chod - Cutting Through the Ego". http://www.bodhicitta.net/Chod.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
6. ^ Edou, Jérôme (1996). Machig Labdrön and the Foundations of Chöd. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 9781559390392. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=AQULAAAAYAAJ&. 
7. ^ Thrangu, Khenchen & Klonk, Christoph (translator) & Hollmann, Gaby (editor and annotator)(2006). Chod – The Introduction & A Few Practices. Source: [2] (accessed: November 2, 2007)
8. ^ Tantric Glossary

External links

• The Lineages and History of Buddhism
• Chö/Chöd/Lineages associated with Machig Labdrön
• Schools of Zen Buddhism at the Zen Buddhism WWW Virtual Library
• Zen Ancestors in China - The Five Houses
• Caodong and Linji lineage chart of present day Chan Master Sheng-yen