Joe, Yeh, had dokusan with Bob Roshi. We get along really well. I think he respects that I've largely followed a slightly different path (Vipassana), but that we're not really that different in practice. I'm still working on Mu because I think he wants me to get into a Zen mindset (how ironic is that??) while I'm there. It's funny that my Zen brothers and sisters see Zen as something stripped down to the core and True because of/in its simplicity, especially compared to Therevada Buddhism. I completely disagree. Mahayana Buddhism is full of imagery, statues, chanting, wonderful stories, gods etc, whereas Vipassana is stripped right down to nothing but the breath and noting impermanence, lack of a substantial ego and hence dukha (the 3 characteristics leading toinsight wisdom). No images. No chanting. No gods and Bodhisattavas. No heavenly/hellish realms.
The real irony tho is that Buddhism died in its birthplace (India) because of the way it became speculative and metaphysical. Mahayana is much closer to this later development than the original Buddhism that Vipassana seems to be. What I really love about Zen tho (using a very clumsy woodworking analogy), is that whilst Vipassana uses insights as working 'tools' towards chiselling-out Liberation, Zen says that working with the tools and Liberation are the same. Anyway, they're both a workable synthesis for me without watering down any of either's teachings. I'll note what kind of kyosaku I see next week and report back to you! Whack! Mike --- In [email protected], "Joe" wrote: > > Mike, > > Good post, and it was not echoed in personal email, so I see it only on the > website. Total success, it seems. But, BTW, I don't think I got all the > duplicates that Merle did. > > I know of Bob Joyner Roshi and Ross Bolletor. Household names here, but I > never met them. I think one of them has one of the Australian Lacewood > sticks that I made (kyosaku); someone bought one of mine here a decade or so > ago after sesshin (Rohatsu, I recall) to return with, to Australia, to > present to the Roshi. Faint memory. > > Hope you had a fine day sitting. Chance to attend Dokusan while you were > there? BTW, have you begun koan practice with Bob Joyner? Or? But don't > tell of any Dokusan doings, of course. What happens in Dokusan stays in > Dokusan... unless the account of the encounter becomes a 21st Century koan > and influences all practitioners of the future for the better! Nah: secrets > are better. Especially when it comes to "MY" dokusan encounters. ;-) > > Cheers!, and wishes for Strong Practice, > > --Joe > > > "mike" wrote: > > > > Joe, > > > > I'm going to start posting directly from the homepage to see if this is > > better. I'm using an ipad and that seems to be the source of the trouble > > (rather than my usual desire/craving). > > > > Anyway, it's bloody 5.40am and I'm off to sit with the Adelaide Zen Group > > (Diamond Sangha). > > > > Joe, do you know Bob Joyner Roshi. He was given inka by Ross Bolletor? > > > > Mike > ------------------------------------ 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/
