Chinese Buddhism like Bright Hill Chan (Zen) Monastery

[fivestars]

Transmission of Buddha Light had 3 version; Blue Lamp Light of North India , Infinite Light of South India and Meditative Light of China. According to the early Buddhist texts, after realizing that meditative jhana was the right path to awakening, but that extreme asceticism didn't work, Gautama discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. Gautama was famously seated under a pipal tree—now known as the Bodhi tree—in Bodh Gaya. After a reputed 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, he is said to have attained Enlightenment.

According to Buddhism, at the time of his awakening he realized complete insight into the cause of suffering, and the steps necessary to eliminate it. These discoveries became known as the "Four Noble Truths", which are at the heart of Buddhist teaching. Through mastery of these truths, a state of supreme liberation, or Nirvana, is believed to be possible for any being. The Buddha described Nirvāna as the perfect peace of a mind that's free from ignorance, greed, hatred and other afflictive states, or "defilements" (kilesas). Nirvana is also regarded as the "end of the world", in that no personal identity or boundaries of the mind remain.

 

[fivestars]

A Dhyani Buddha is one who does not take part in the affairs of the world. The five Dhyani Buddhas are Vairochana, Aksobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi, who also refer to the families (kula) of the Anuttara Tantra. Vajradhara is computed as the sixth family, which is believed to be of the highest class. A Dhyani Buddha is seldom portrayed individually. He may appear on the tiara of the male and the female divinities emanated from them or round their heads in a group of five. All the five Dhyani Buddhas are shown seated in Vajrasana, legs being closely crossed and locked and the soles visible.