Dharma Transmission

Dharma Transmission

Western Buddhism
Part of a series on

Main articles Western Buddhism Buddhist modernism Buddhism in the United States
Theravada Theravada Vipassana movement England Anagarika Dharmapala Sangharakshita Ajahn Chah Germany Nyanatiloka Nyanaponika Thera USA Thanissaro Bhikkhu Joseph Goldstein Jack Kornfield
Zen Zen Zen in the USA Modern Chinese Chán Hsuan Hua Sheng-yen Rinzai Zen D.T. Suzuki Soto Zen Shunryu Suzuki Sanbo Kyodan Haku'un Yasutani White plum Asanga Taizan Maezumi Korean Seon Seung Sahn Vietnamese Thiền Thich Nhat Hanh Category: Zen Buddhists
Pure Land Pure Land Buddhism USA David Brazier Canada Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada
Tibetan Tibetan Buddhism 14th Dalai Lama USA Chögyam Trungpa England Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Germany Lama Anagarika Govinda
Exchange Buddhism and Christianity Buddhism and psychology
Buddhism General Buddhism Outline of Buddhism Traditions Hinayana Mahayana Vajrayana Asian Countries Indian Buddhism Chinese Buddhism Japanese Buddhism Category: Buddhism

See also: Zen ranks and hierarchy

In Zen-Buddhism, 'Dharma transmission is a custom in which a person is established as a "successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers and disciples, a spiritual 'bloodline' (kechimyaku) theoretically traced back to the Buddha himself." The dharma lineage reflects the importance of family-structures in ancient China, and forms a symbolic and ritual recreation of this system for the monastical "family".

In Rinzai-Zen, inka shōmei is ideally "the formal recognition of Zen's deepest realisation", but practically it is being used for the transmission of the "true lineage" of the masters (shike) of the training halls. There are only about fifty to eighty of such inka shōmei-bearers in Japan.

In Soto-Zen, dharma transmission (shiho) provides access to only a relatively low grade. It is listed as a requirement for the very lowest ecclesiastical status, that of an instructor third class (santō kyōshi) further training is required to become an oshō.

Read more about Dharma Transmission: History, Function of Dharma Transmission, Contemporary Use in The Zen-traditions, Criticism