Thank you ED for your questions giving all of us the opportunity to reflect upon them and to Bill the opportunity to write a clear response of his personal experience in the practice of zen and from which we all get nourishment. Mayka --- On Tue, 19/10/10, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: RE: [Zen] Questions, questions, question To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, 19 October, 2010, 10:02 Ed, My responses are embedded below: For an insight into zen, one may better seek answers to a series of questions such as: • What, if any, is the worldview of zen? [Bill!] I think most people think of zen as an eclectic subset of Buddhism which involves a lot of meditation and crazy questions. • What are the most common motivations and expectations that direct individuals toward zen practice? [Bill!] This varies a lot, but probably the two most prevalent are: • Zen is mysterious and cool. • Becoming enlightened will solve all their problems. • Is it the case that zazen and other zen practices, over a long period of time, under the guidance of an accredited Zen master, can alter the neurophysiology of the brain, resulting in the experience of 'enlightenment' or equivalently, the realization of one's 'Buddha nature'? [Bill!] I don’t think zen practice alters the neurophysiology (physical changes) of the brain; and even if it did that would not be valuable information for me to know. • Is the enlightenment process something other than what is suggested immediately above? [Bill!] If you left out the phrase ‘can alter the neurophysiology of the brain’ I would think that description is okay. o Can a person ever cultivate enlightenment in the frantic ambiance of the world of today? [Bill!] Yes. Where else would they cultivate enlightenment? Are you suggesting people have to go ‘somewhere else’, or that enlightenment no longer occurs today? • What are the recommended lifestyles, foci, practices, behaviors, attitudes, etc. recommended for the pacification of one's mind and the realization of Buddha nature? [Bill!] I would just recommend including zazen in your existing daily routine. • Is it the case that pacification of the discursive (see below) mind is essential to the realization of Buddha nature, and is also one of the hallmarks of such a realization? [Bill!] Yes, with the caveat that I’d use the word ‘halting’ or the phrase 'dropping attachment to' rather than ‘pacification’. o What would the usual feeling state of an enlightened person tend to be like? [Bill!] It would be like Just THIS! o How does enlightenment influence moral and altruistic behavior? [Bill!] It stops the imperative to classify things as moral/immoral or altruistic/selfish. o What are the benefits to self and others of the realization of Buddha nature? [Bill!] It reveals the concept of ‘self’ as illusory. It puts an end to all suffering. o In order to attain and maintain his/her enlightened state requires focus, time and effort. This being the case, is the pursuit of the enlightened state and its maintenace compatible with productivity and creativity in the modern world? [Bill!] The attainment of the realization of Buddha Nature requires focus, time and effort. The maintenance requires nothing. Explaining it requires focus, time and effort. Buddha Nature does not classify, quantify or measure things such as productivity or creativity. Others might impose classifications and measurements on Buddha Nature, but I do not know what that result would be. o Could an enlightened person even function satisfactorily in the world of today? [Bill!] Of course! o (Please suggest other questions that might further an understanding of zen.) [Bill!] You’ve changed your request from an ‘insight’ into zen (above) to now an ‘understanding’ of zen. You might be able to get an insight, but you’ll never have an understanding – nor will anyone else. I will paraphrase a little children’s song to give you some questions to work on to gain insight: Tell me why the stars do shine, Tell me why the ivy twines, Tell me why the sky’s so blue, Then you'll be one with Joshu’s Mu! …Bill! --ED Addendum: o discursive: dianoetic + digressive o dianoetic: proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument o digressive: rambling thought or speech; tending to depart from the main point; not relevant, focused or precise --- In [email protected], <billsm...@...> wrote: > Ed, Zen is definable. All terms (names) are definable. Whether any particular definition accurately communicates what's intended and is useful is another question entirely. Merriam-Webster Online defines zen as ": a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation". That is a good definition of Zen Buddhism, but it is not the way I would define the zen I practice. …Bill! Anthony, Is 'zen' definable at all? If so, what is a defininition of 'zen'. --ED __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5543 (20101018) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5543 (20101018) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com
