Mike,
Actually, I think it's easy to talk about methods and about practice. It's
also important to be clear with ourselves, and clear with others about such
things, if we practice; so, if we practice, and are asked something about
practice or methods, we usually can spit it out.
Some of the things I find fascinating and which I respect in the Vipassana
tradition are the methods themselves and the very careful methodical way of
study.
I admit that, for me, this is too much like work, and I mean my actual
profession. Other scientists are drawn to Vipassana work, but I am not. Yet,
I can learn from it!
I like the radical -- VERY radical -- way of zen (practice). An old adage in
Zen tradition is: "Get at the root, don't worry about the branches." This is
the kind of assured and certain talk that I have always loved and which for
some reason my particular "weird" is amenable to. So I latched on early,
finding sweet water there, and have stayed with it for almost 40 years but
practicing formally only 33 years to date in the Ch'an tradition (Yoga- and
Sufi- sitting previously, polluted with my early readings in Zen).
Zen practice is a little dangerous, I'd say, because sometimes a lot of force
is used during special practice situations (sesshin; retreat). A teacher is
essential, to keep us out of danger, at least ultimately. And to roll us like
an unruly, recalcitrant, unbalanced stone toward an actual awakening, and not
to a false dawn. We really need that guidance and push, if we work in the Zen
way.
So, a teacher in zen is a necessity. I don't know if Vipassana people can be
as badly endangered or become scarred as deeply as zen people can, sometimes.
I suspect not, since in Vipassana work a lot of attention seems to be given to
"the branches", and there is not as obvious an all-out attack on the root such
as we undertake and undergo in Zen practice, with a teacher's very close help.
Anyway, practice keeps changing, no matter what. I don't feel in danger now,
but I have buried three zen teachers in the past 33 years and have no teacher
now. I don't feel alone. Sheng Yen continues to be something like a constant
companion, and I thank him. Sheng Yen also taught us to use the Sutras to test
ourselves if we have no teacher about: our experience or awakening should
accord with them, else, it is false or incomplete.
And folks I chat with here and there are generous and kind and keep giving me
gifts.
--Joe
> mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote:
>
> Joe,
>
> Thanks for indulging me and doing such a good job of putting into words [snip]
>
> There seems to be quite a few definite differences, yet one fundamental
> similarity, between Zen and vipassana. [snip]
>
> It is the differences in the path to liberation that interests me.
[snip]
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