THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIVE RANKS

I have posted a paper here.

If you are interested in the foundations of Buddhism, especially Mahayna, this may be of interest. I have been busy translating Dong Shan's poems and other material from Chinese and have arrived at rather different conclusions from most of the other interpreters of this work. You can find several on the internet.

The Five Ranks (Japanese Go-i) is generally presented as a rather obscure or esoteric idea peculiar to Zen. It appears to me, however, to be something else, namely a poetic reaffirmation of the basic Mahayana view that there is a truly religious perspective beyond the normal conventional idea. Or, to put it in more Buddhistic language, the "arhat" position is only a step on the way - rather like the "apparitional city" in the Lotus Sutra.

Since Dong Shan's writing is generally considered foundational for both Soto and Rinzai Zen yet here appears (to me, at least) to be wholly compatible with - and, indeed, identical to - Pureland thought and not inconsistent with any other major Mahayana school, this seems significant and important.

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