Greetings,
DLT's comments about doing 'Zen' were absolutely right taken in the full context of
his posting. The
point being made (correct me if I am wrong David) was that Western (mainly American)
bastardisations
of Zen Buddhism are 'hippie' nonsense, not that Zen itself is. The insult is rightly
not against Zen
but against the kind of brainless oafs who take hallucinogens and yet still claim an
affinity with
Zen.
Let us make this absolutely clear. Zen Buddhism abhors anything other than a clear
mind. The taking
of mind altering drugs is, for the Buddhist, utterly immoral (for a non-arhat - note)
and a sure
path AWAY from enlightenment. Read what the original Buddha had to say about the sixth
and seventh
steps of the eight step path, then look at the teachings of every genuine Zen
practitioner since. It
couldn't be made more plain.
There is no doubt whatsoever that peyote smoking Indians, tripped out middle class
Americans, and
followers of Zen are pulling in completely different directions. This post-modern
cultural piracy; a
sort of metaphysical 'pick 'n' mix,' certainly has its advantages, but when people
tell me that they
are drug taking followers of Zen, I have to conclude that they have fried their minds
one time too
many.
If there was an insult in DLT's comment it was accurate, warranted and incisive.
Struan
P.S Notice that I am not making any personal judgement on the morality of using drugs
in the above.
Or at least if I am, it is beside the point.
------------------------------------------
Struan Hellier
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"All our best activities involve desires which are disciplined and
purified in the process."
(Iris Murdoch)
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