Edgar,
I think most zen practitioners are very active, but not active in doing
the things you and your co-conspirator Merle are looking for. I think
most zen practitioners are active changing the world from the bottom up
rather than the top down. That is changing ourselves first and then
radiating out, rather than starting at trying to change the government
or society first and expecting the change will then trickle down to the
individual.
These two courses of action are discussed in detail in Arthur Koestler's
excellent essay THE YOGI AND THE COMMISSAR
<http://www.amazon.com/Yogi-Commissar-Other-Essays-Danube/dp/0091531810>
.
...Bill!
--- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote:
>
> KG for one...
>
> What Bill! says as opposed to what he actually does for another...
> :-)
>
> Edgar
>
>
>
> On Oct 17, 2012, at 9:51 PM, Bill! wrote:
>
> > Edgar and Joe,
> >
> > Where did you get the idea that 'zen practitioners' are
predominately passive?
> >
> > ...Bill!
> >
> > --- In [email protected], "Joe" desert_woodworker@ wrote:
> > >
> > > Edgar,
> > >
> > > Welcome home!
> > >
> > > Right.
> > >
> > > And if you knew Aitken Roshi, you'd be exhausted by now even just
FOLLOWING the activism that he engaged in, much less participating in it
with him. ;-)
> > >
> > > But I don't know where the notion of passivity of/as Zen
practitioners comes from, which you mention. That may be the outsiders'
view, due to "media" lack of understanding, going just one half
millimeter deep; but it's not the view from the inside / our side. As
you know!
> > >
> > > Whatever's necessary is what GOES. Look out, passivists, and
paci-fists. Here come REAL Fists! We are the true kung-fu. ;-)
> > >
> > > Nihilism is knee-hilism: Not in MY "zen"! ;-)
> > >
> > > Zen-mind operates in a way opposite to "total passivity and
nihilism'; never heard of such baloney / bullshit before now, in all my
life. It is the Life-of-Life, instead; and not a sickly concept. Again,
you know.
> > >
> > > Just agreeing with you.
> > >
> > > --Joe
> > >
> > > > Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Merle,
> > > >
> > > > Absolutely admirable!
> > > >
> > > > In spite of what some would have us believe Zen does not require
total passivity and nihilism.
> > >
> >
> >
>
