Among other things, the teachings of Zen master Tsung-mi (780–841) describe five kinds of dhyânas or Zens which are found in his important work entitled, Ch'an Preface. Historically, when Tsung-mi put black ink to paper Zen was evolving. There was not one Zen but rather five different Zens which were interpretations.

I believe that Tsung-mi’s classification of five Zens, while not perfect, helps us to see where modern Zen is going and where it is, presently. Zen has always been fluid. It changes. Certain aspects of Zen, naturally, appeal to certain types of people. Some will see Zen as just a form of self-help; as a way for individuals to cope with the stress of daily life. Others will see it differently as a Zen which falls into the philosophy of different. Zen, in other words, is not just Zen. And just because someone says they are practicing Zen it doesn’t mean it is the highest Zen.

The five Zens that Tsung-mi describes range from the lowest Zen which is outside of Buddhism, called Gedo Zen, to the highest Zen of the highest vehicle which is called Tathagata-pure Zen, otherwise called in Japanese, Saijojo Zen.

As I mentioned earlier, the lowest Zen is Gedo Zen which has nothing to do with the teachings of the Buddha. We might call it heterodox Zen, non-buddhist Zen or outsider Zen. This Zen is followed by common or worldling Zen which in Japanese is called Bompu Zen. Those who practice this Zen are prithagjana or worldlings. Such people seek a better afterlife after this one is ended. They might hope to be reborn in a deva or heavenly world. The next Zen is Shojo Zen or inferior (hina) Zen. Those who practice this Zen have an inferior view of what âtman or self is. The the next Zen is Daijo Zen or great vehicle Zen. Those who practice this Zen understand the emptiness of self and the emptiness of dharma. The highest Zen is called Saijojo Zen. Of this Zen, Tsung-mi says:

“This type is also known by such names as Tathagata-pure dhyana, the one-mark samadhi (ekâkâra-samadhi), and tathatâ samadhi [true essence samadhi]. It is the root of all samadhis. If one can practice it from moment to moment, he will naturally and gradually obtain the myriad samadhis. This is precisely the dhyana which has been transmitted down from Bodhidharma” (Jeffrey Broughton, “Kuei-feng Tsung-mi: The Convergence of Ch’an and the Teachings” [Ph.D. diss., Columbia University, 1975], 93–94). (Brackets are mine.)

This last Zen cannot be understood by the other Zens. It is not a Zen taught in a typical Zen center many of which, arguably, teach Bompu Zen since people who attend these centers have not entered the stream to nirvana. Instead, they hope to be reborn into higher realms where suffering is much less. At some point, Shojo and Diajo Zen help us to see the Zen that Bodhidharma brought with him from India to China. This is Saijojo Zen which is found in the Lankavatara Sutra.