I am glad /\
zendervish --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > Zendervish, > > Thanks for this interesting synopsis. It helps put the book and your > thoughts on the book into perspective. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], "salik888" <novelidea8@> wrote: > > > > Joe and Bill > > > > I am reading the book, and I get where Mr Kim is coming from . . . > > contextually he is grounding Dogen in a particular period of decay > > comommonly referred to in texts as a third and final period of Dharma decay > > in both China and Japan, but mostly Japan. During this period folk > > practices, indigenous magic, Pure Land Buddhism, and Monastic fuedalism was > > rampant. What Mr Kim sets out do is position Dogen in both a spiritually > > relevant context as well as his own insight into > > the metaphysical status of phenomenon as primary rather than chasing after > > principles. It is about existential actualities, giving situations supreme > > importance -- phenomenon. He, Mr Kim, draws a picture of the darkness of > > Dogen's time. His usage, at least in my reading and gist of things, is > > along the lines of the reality, (Realist) that Dogen was dealing with while > > at the same time looking at the larger picture, the resurrection of a > > nearly lost and decaying tradition. How does he find this? Through his > > encounters with sitting, koans, and analyzing the inherent flaws in > > Buddhist practices of the time that was apocalyptic. It is a sort of > > mystical intuition that is evoked in the book through dissatisfaction with > > Rinzai and Pure Land Buddhism that leads Dogen to China and the first > > encounter with the cook. > > > > One thing that is part and parcel of the wide swath of mysticism as a word, > > as an expression of reality, encounters, teachers, mystics, etc . . . is > > the idea of Romance . . . we often see great Romance put forth by writers > > like Chesterton, Crowley, Jung, Mircea Eliade, Guenon, etc along the lines > > romance adventure. Tolkien comes to mind, Grail Legend, Saint Francis in > > the middle east, Ibn al Arabis journeys. > > > > Kim is creating a world of mystery and wonder . . . > > > > zd > > > ------------------------------------ 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/
