JMJM, You asked if "...Zen has a "mystic" practice?"
My short answer would be definitely NO. My long answer would be: Buddhism may have mystical practices, and therefore Zen Buddhism may also; but zen in and of itself is the opposite of mysticism as the term is usually used. It is nothing special. It is available to all sentient beings. It is just everyday life. Zen practice is the 'cypress tree in the garden', 'three-pounds of flax', 'a dried shit-stick'. Zen practice is Just THIS! An addendum (long one) to my long answer is: I differentiate Zen Buddhism and zen. I do not believe zen is co-dependent with, exclusively associated with or a merely a sub-set of Buddhism. I do of course recognize a sub-set or sect of Buddhism called 'Zen Buddhism'. I refer to this in my posts as 'Zen' with an upper-case 'Z' to denote it is a proper noun. I use 'zen', which I believe to simply be the direct experience of reality, with a lower-case 'z' to refer to non-denominational zen. For me Zen Buddhism is a Buddhist expression of zen. It has taken the essence of zen and has encased it with the religious dogma of Buddhism. A further extension of this would be 'Japanese Zen Buddhism' as contrasted with 'Korean Zen Buddhism'. These have been further encased with culture values associated with the Japanese or Korean cultures. This layering goes on and on and on until the layers are so thick the kernel or essence which is zen is sometimes completely obscured. This is also true of Christianity, and I believe all other 'religions'. In fact that is what I think most 'religions' are: a stylized expression of zen - which as I said above very often puts more emphasis on the layers of 'style' than the kernel of 'zen'. I think there are certainly 'mystic practices' within most religions. I think religions encourage the belief in 'mysticism' to protect the layers they've overlaid on the basic kernel of zen, and to justify the creation of hierarchies within the religion - like lay people, monks, priests, prophets, 'mystics', etc... 'Mysticism' protects the religion by shielding it from access by most of the 'lay people' so the upper hierarchies, such as priest classes, can continue to define and reinforce the adherence to the layers. Although 'mystics' are sometimes seen as rouges and revolutionaries in a religion, they only are allowed to do so under the watchful eye and approval of the religions upper hierarchies. Of course some 'mystics' are not accepted, and they are either denounced as 'heretics' or, if they are popular enough, might succeed in breaking off a group into a sect or even a new religion - such as Jesus did. ...Bill! From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:zen_fo...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jue Miao Jing Ming - ???? Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 12:56 AM To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Zen] Practical Mysticism - Evelyn Underhill Hello Bill and all, Thank you for your answer. As we both know definitions are just labels, my next question is whether Zen has a "mystic" practice? Since Chan is the "Grand Mystic", the foundation of our Chan practice is "Inner observation and witnessing the direction unification with the universe, including all the phenomena as well as the life force that caused everything." Through this practice, there will be no conflict between our mind and our heart. Both the logic and the universal truth will be one. The discriminating mind will be wise to accept all. What can you comment? Thank you for your time to read my post, JM On 9/8/2010 12:40 AM, billsm...@hhs1963.org wrote: JMJM, You bring up a very good question. According to Merriam-Webster Online the definitions of these words and my opinion as how they could be applied to zen are: MYSTICAL 1:a : having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence [Bill!] Zen is not 'spiritual' and is definitely apparent to the senses, so this definition doesn't seem to fit. Zen is however not obvious, nor even accessible as far as I'm concerned, to the intelligence. b : involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality [Bill!] This is pretty close, although I would take out the words 'subjective' and 'God or ultimate' which leaves 'direct communion with reality'. MYSTICISM 1: the experience of MYSTICAL union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by MYSTICS [Bill!] I could live with this definition. 2: the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight) [Bill!] Again, this is close, but I don't associate Buddha Nature with intuition or insight - although I know in the West these could be used as a poor substitute. 3:a : vague speculation : a belief without sound basis [Bill!] I don't like this one at all. b : a theory postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power [Bill!] This is pretty close. I like the word 'ineffable'. That definitely fits. I don't like the words 'intuitive, acquisition, knowledge and power'. In English, 'mysticism' is generally associated with God or 'hidden' knowledge or insight. I associate zen with just everyday stuff. It's no big deal. ...Bill! From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:zen_fo...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jue Miao Jing Ming - ???? Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 2:14 AM To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Zen] Practical Mysticism - Evelyn Underhill Dear all, I have a question. In Chinese, the Tibetan practice is literally translated as the "Mystic Order", the Chan practice is literally translated as the "Grand Mystic Order". Chan is the grand one, because Rong-Shu Patriarch brought the Chan to Tibet and affected their practice. In Chan 『秘密內證法』 "Mystic Inner Witness Dharma" means an inward practice enabling heart to heart witness of Buddha. That's all. There is really nothing mystic about it. Is the term "mystic or mysticism" means the same as the I described above or not? Much obliged, _/\_ JMJM On 9/7/2010 8:13 AM, DP wrote: That's kind of the point of the book. She is trying to bring mysticism down to Earth, as it were. She wants to show that not only monks can do it. --- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, <billsm...@...> wrote: > > DP, > > I haven't heard of this book, but it does sound interesting. > > I don't, however, associate mysticism with zen, or with `seeing the world as > it is' (which I do associate with zen). How could anyone call that > mysticism? Or with spiritualism as so many are wont to do? > > …Bill! > > From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:zen_fo...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf > Of DP > Sent: Monday, September 06, 2010 9:22 PM > To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [Zen] Practical Mysticism - Evelyn Underhill > > > I recently downloaded this ebook from a public domain site (the book is > nearly 100 year old) and I have to say I'm very impressed with it. Underhill > was an ANglo-Catholic, but her main focus is on how anyone can appreciate > the mysticism of everyday life by seeing the world as it is, without > categorization. I think this sounds very Zen, and I wonder if anyone else > had read it. > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 5429 (20100906) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 5429 (20100906) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > -- Be Enlightened In This Life - We ALL Can http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com http://www.heartchan.org __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5432 (20100907) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5432 (20100907) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com -- Be Enlightened In This Life - We ALL Can http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com http://www.heartchan.org __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5435 (20100908) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5435 (20100908) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! 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