Hi Steve, There are many ideas in the article you post. In light of your discussion with Mike on a different thread about zen sects and religion, and the clipped paragraph below, how is all this different from a cult? That parallel was one of the things that kept me at a distance-- to co-exist with my skeptical trust level. Kristy Students, for their part, develop a desire for the master’s aura, recognition, and approval. They also learn to kow-tow to his authority and legitimacy. Further, they learn quickly that their advancement up the institutional ladder is completely dependent upon the master’s good graces. Because the Dharma transmitted Zen master acts not in his own name and authority, but rather as the only full delegate of the institution, with all the authority and power that entails, he also monopolizes the means to salvation. So, we can understand that there might be multiple motives for “not seeing” the master as he really is, whether there be an absence of compassion or wisdom or the presence of sexual improprieties or alcoholism. This is what psychiatrists call “negative hallucination,” i.e., keeping unconscious something that we perceive.
--- On Thu, 2/17/11, SteveW <[email protected]> wrote: From: SteveW <[email protected]> Subject: [Zen] An Article of Interest To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011, 9:55 PM Hello. Here is the link to a very interesting article on the topic of Zen scandals in America by Stuart Lachs entitled The Zen Master in America: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and Scarves http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/CriticalZen/Zen_Master_in_America.html Steve
