Amy, You're on the right track (IMO) if you have an innate dislike of labeling yourself as any one thing. The problem with labels is they are, like everything that's a product of our (human's) intellect, dualistic. So, if you label yourself as one thing then you are autmatically excluding other things. If you're good, you're not also bad. If you're tall you can't be short. If you're practicing zen that has a certain connotation for others that will discriminate or pigeon-hole you into a specific category that is seperate from other categories.
Zen is nothing special at all. It is just being, but being without all the add-on illusions that your discriminating mind creates. More properly I should say 'being without ATTACHMENT to all the add-on illusions...'. So like I said above zen is nothing special at all. Buddha Nature is the original nature of every sentient being. That's why so many zen masters' answers to questions regarding zen or Buddha Nature seen cryptic or just nonesense. That is because they are indeed non-sense - non-rational, non-intellectual, non-dualistic. ORDINARY MIND IS THE WAY Joshu earnestly asked Nansen, "What is the Way?" Nansen answered, "The ordinary mind is the Way." Joshu asked, "Should I direct myself toward it or not?" Nansen said, "If you try to turn toward it, you go against it." Joshu asked, "If I do not try to turn toward it, how can I know that is the Way?" Nansen answered, "The Way does not belong to knowing or not-knowing. Knowing is delusion: not-knowing is a blank consciousness. When you have really reached the true Way beyond all doubt, you will find it as vast and boundless as the great empty firmament. How can it be talked about on a level or right and wrong?" At these words Joshu was suddenly enlightened. [Source: THE GATELESS GATE, Case 19] ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Amy Lemmon <amylemmon@...> wrote: > > Thank you Bill. Your words mean a lot to me and do help with my > understanding. I like to over think everything, funny how my life journey now > draws me to something that I need to stop thinking about and just let happen. > I guess I struggle with the idea of labeling myself as 'zen' or anything and > misrepresenting that label. I am not big on labels in the first place but I > also have no desire to be disrespectful to others, which is why I felt the > need to gather more and more information. As you may notice this is a > struggle with in me ... the need to know all the information versus just > being right now ... the reality is I have come a long ways and hope to push > myself farther on this path. So your thoughts are helpful. Thanks. > > Â > With peace, love and kindness, > Amy Lemmon > amylemmon@... > Blog: Six Flower Mom > > > > ________________________________ > From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 11:55 PM > Subject: [Zen] Re: Reading and Resources > > > Â > Amy, > > You're going to have your work cut out for you then because zen is the > ABSENCE of information; or perhpas more properly stated zen is BEFORE > information. There has always been a big problem in how to communicate zen. > Many of the historical zen masters chose not to use words because of the > problems with names and terms. > > Zen is the immediate EXPERIENCE of seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling and > tasting - BEFORE experience is censored, augmented, categorized, judged, > associated, named, etc..., and in general 'understood' or rationalized or > intellectualized. > > Where would I suggest anyone start with zen? I would suggest you start at > the beginning (and the ending) - zazen, specifically shikantaza. Zazen is > meditative technique that assists you in emptying you mind of thoughts so you > can just experience. When you mind is emptied of thoughts that state is > called called 'shikantaza' in Japanese and can literaly translated as 'just > sit', or can described as 'empty mind' or 'clear mind'. > > There are other techinques used by various Zen Buddhist sects to help you > reach this 'empty mind' state such as the use of koans, chanting, bowing, > work assignments, etc...; but they all are geared to help you do one thing - > empty your mind. > > When your mind is emptied you will experience Buddha Nature - which is > awareness of direct, unadulterated, raw sensory experience and which I call > 'Just THIS!'. > > This is my experience, understanding and my attempt to communicate it to you > in written words. I do not pretend to try to speak for all who practice zen, > and especially do not present myself as representing traditional Zen Buddhism. > > I practice zen, not Buddhism. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Amy Lemmon <amylemmon@> wrote: > > > > Thanks Bill, I agree but what I am looking for is more information on Zen > > Buddhism ... my family is information hounds so if someone came to you and > > said "I am interested in Zen Buddhism" what would you suggest that they > > start with? > > > > Thanks kindly! > > > > ÃÂ > > With peace, love and kindness, > > Amy Lemmon > > amylemmon@ > > Blog: Six Flower Mom > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 8:43 PM > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Reading and Resources > > > > > > ÃÂ > > Amy, > > > > No reading is necessary. When you are with your family just be totally > > with them. That's all you need to do...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], Amy Lemmon <amylemmon@> wrote: > > > > > > I am wondering if anyone has any great suggestions for reading and > > > resources for a family (multi-age) learning about Zen Buddhism? Thanks > > > kindly! > > > > > > ÃÂ > > > With peace, love and kindness, > > > Amy Lemmon > > > amylemmon@ > > > Blog: Six Flower Mom > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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