Joe,
East or West, things are the way they are and are not the way they are not. It's all kosher. --ED --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote: > > Ed, > > Kidding aside, I trust you are a student, and that this is your opinion. > > I would add my voice to yours, though, and say that zen is definitely finding a home in the West, and that, yes, it is a madhouse. > > Thorough, deep, and continued Practice is our only medicine. > > Do you mean to say, though, that it sometimes seems as if the inmates are in charge of the asylum? > > Gee, even in the East, Ed, where likewise there is said to be no reliance on the scriptures, some of the zen itinerants hermits and pilgrims were called "Zen lunatics". It doesn't mean they are really off-kilter. It's people who are unawakened who made those charges, I think. Or, the appellation was skilfully created as a means to intrigue those of us who are perverse enough to take up practice. It comes 'round again, back to compassion. > > Funny, though, that for a tradition not reliant on scriptures and on writing, the zen tradition is the ONE Buddhist sect that has produced more writings than any other, more than in the entire Buddhist scriptural Canon, or its commentaries. > > I think it's that each generation must say -- in its own way -- and with its own metaphors, stories, aphorisms, and authentic voice, that, "Our tradition is one that has no reliance on words and letters." > > Compassion, again. Well, wisdom. > > Booksellers need never fear starvation. ;-) > > Some would say the pity is that those writings have survived. Well, I dunno. People need to follow traces to get on the path. > > --Joe > > "ED" seacrofter001@ wrote: > > > > K, the problem with zen is that, without reliance on scriptures, zen in > > the West appears to have become a madhouse of opinions of zen teachers > > and their students - not that I recommend any change. > ------------------------------------ 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! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
