Chris,
Further on your question, I would say, "No".
The first principle of Zen is good posture. ;-)
On your question, my teacher Sheng Yen also used to say, "Keep your feet warm
and your head cool".
The physical is stressed -- There *is* no mind.
I myself, personally, would say that it is not necessary to abandon ANYTHING.
When it comes to sitting practice, what is important is "simply" to give all
attention to the method of practice. Doing anything else -- like "abandoning"
-- is doing something else! Stay with the method of practice and don't pick up
other threads, whether positive threads or negative. Those other things will
then not arise.
Of course we have other practices besides the central practice of sitting.
Again, and there, to give all attention to the practice is the way to be true
to it.
And we all know these things, I know. ;-)
--Joe
> ChrisAustinLane <chris@...> wrote:
>
> Isn't the first principal of Zen to abandon hope and optimism?
[snip]
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