Are there any historical accounts of lineages being created?

[Cookie Monster]

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Edited March 5, 2018 by Ocean Form

[exorcist_1699]

A lineage worthy of study should be one  different from what people nowadays always  coming across easily  in the parks or on the internet : A gong composed of a series  of postures ,likely  accompanied with certain ways of  breathing,  and  boasted of what amazing healing effects it has.

 

Although most of them  name themselves beautifully ,says XXX-gong  ,they are in fact  some kind of copies or mediocre revisions originated  from those TCM medical qi-gong writings. 

 

A Taoist lineage worthy of paying attention to should get some unique ideas that enable us to look deeper at  Taoist principles or gives us a different perspective on some ideas  ,not to mention its always having  outstanding creators, for example,  the Wu-Liu School was established by Wu and Liu, a monk-turned Taoist who not only likes quoting tons of Buddhist phrases in his writings, but also due to his background , raises the issue about the importance jing leakage in spiritual cultivation; in fact, jing leakage is  not only important in Taoism, but also in Buddhism ; maybe also in all other  religions as most of them  emphasize asceticism , yet unable to  tell you exactly why .

 

Or, in the West School  its creator , Li xi-Yue, claims himself  as a reincarnation of the  creator of the East School,Lu xi-Xing, coming back  only to finish his unfinished job. Notice that in Taoism, different from what you see in Tibetan heritage , reincarnation is hardly anything positive. A master should be smart and resolute enough to complete his job of turning into an immortal in one life-time,  not in several ones.   Besides, the starting point of the West school  is also strange, different from most schools: Followers are asked  to have their eyes focus on their noses' tips , that means on the boundary of the body where it is neither inside nor outside, neither attached to eyesight nor smell ;  and although  close to  the upper dantian , it has  fewer of its  defects .

Edited January 2, 2018 by exorcist_1699

[exorcist_1699]

In fact, nose tip is a place difficult to pinpoint ; you are asked to focus on somewhere, but led to nowhere.  Nose tip is just a place transitional . Capable of skilfully  making use of emptiness /nowhere  at certain stage of our cultivation is one of the significance of  the West School.

Edited January 2, 2018 by exorcist_1699

[joeblast]

On 12/30/2017 at 6:07 PM, Ocean Form said:

-and what exactly was the basis of this creation?

Or do they get defined as lineages later in the history of a tradition?

over the last 4 years we saw sotg create one

[Aetherous]

I often find myself wishing that lineages kept better historical records of their origins. And accurate records...not mythical stuff.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Aetherous

[doc benway]

On 12/30/2017 at 6:07 PM, Ocean Form said:

-and what exactly was the basis of this creation?

Or do they get defined as lineages later in the history of a tradition?

 

I suspect that lineages which stand the test of time are created in retrospect by their followers.

Lineages created by "founders" are likely short-lived creations of the ego.

Just a guess.

[silent thunder]

23 hours ago, steve said:

 

I suspect that lineages which stand the test of time are created in retrospect by their followers.

Lineages created by "founders" are likely short-lived creations of the ego.

Just a guess.

This thought settled with me as well.  It seems to me that the students are the living force of a lineage.  While the founder/teacher draws the students through tales and observations... the lineage only comes about when the students assimilate what is taught and the longevity, vitality is then exemplified in the enduring fruits of the teachers who are born out of the system taught by the founder.

 

The health and vitality of a tree is known in its fruit. 

[Aetherous]

On 1/5/2018 at 11:51 AM, silent thunder said:

the students are the living force of a lineage

 

This was an incredibly scintillating thought!