True, bluntness is integral to Zen. But it is not the
only way to teach, nor is it appropriate for every
single lesson. Alot of Zen teachings are object
lessons. Masters answering inquisitive students with
a shrug, or the famous "one finger zen."
While I'm in favor of blunt answers, we need to check
ourselves of bluntness devoid of compassion.
This reminds me of one of my favorite koans: the story
of a student who comes back from visiting various
temples, and tells only of the locations, weather,
blah, blah, blah. The master gets angry, then tells
him "I forgive you three score blows."
The next day, the student, all worked up, asks what
the blows were for. "You only know how to go from
temple to temple." Said the master, and the student
was enlightened.
The real zinger is, did he deserve the blows in the
first place?
Would it have been right for the Master to beat the
crap out of this guy? The answer is No. Because if
he had, the student would've learned nothing.
However, because the act of forgiving the blows lead
to the student's enlightenment, and were never
actually going to be administered, he ironically
deserved them. There's a lot to wrap your mind around
in this one. I could circle the logic for paragraphs,
but I think, like all things Zen, it's best when
self-explanatory.
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 12:35:12 -0500 (EST)
From: "carlos" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: flaming/ fighting / egos, etc.
Bluntness:
the quality of being direct and outspoken.
Arrogance:
overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner
toward inferiors.
Humble:
to be unpretentious
The dictionary
It is my belief that bluntness in zen is somehow
unavoidable and
that politeness without sacrificing what one believe
is desirable, I
think one should embrace bluntness until one is
comfortable with it.
I suppose one has to admit that we are egos talking to
each other
and because we all live in our Little private world
of our
creation, it is going to be some confrontation when we
try to unify
reality.
Bluntness is not arrogance.
To me to say "I am OK and you are not OK" is
arrogance, is believing
that what we think is important, is believing that we
are solid, is
believing that we are "I" and is not knowing real love
and not
knowing what is real compassion.
To be humble must be beautiful just because to be
arrogant is hell.
Metta
Carlos
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