Dr. Wu. Yeah, I second the post -- I flagged it to be sure someone thanked you for the input, as well as thank you for being here (new? or just a lurker?).
Fudo, et. al. -- well that's the interesting (not worrying about dying Zen in favor of feeding alive Zen). I don't know if y'all laugh or cry at me trying to pull the rug out from 'neath the dying Zen so it moves onto real Zen. For me, it was finally logic that killed the logic -- that (through a LOT of rigorousness) cut off every path I had until almost by accident when I drew a single stupid conclusion: "I don't 'know' how to breathe" I remembered knowledge is a tool, not an end. In fact, the more I try and 'know' the breathing the more i fuck it up! Then rapidly and quite laughably, I realized there was a different 'seat' on which to sit other than logic -- and good thing to, since the logic one was working itself out of a job (everywhere it brought me I said, "this also is not my home. What else?" Thus I have to wonder if someone could have killed my 'dying' understanding of metaphysics/Zen. I have used it successfully recently to help a couple other close friends who perhaps it was ME who led them down the wrong path in the first place (yikes). (and by successfully, I don't mean I am able to point the way (or describe an effective practice), but rather the way that it is not -- So I konw that the 1st step is always taken by the individual as an 'only alternative' to the wrong steps. What a miracle that with no way left for me to 'understand' I took my first baby step, and ahh, the world doesn't collapse, but actually expanded a bit. Anyway -- (after saying where I come from a little) -- see how I might value the method of killing off the sick understanding? I suppose if I had seen (or get to see) the method of fueling live Zen work for me (and better yet FROM me), then I would prefer to help that way also. However, I know buptkiss (sp?) about how to lead another towards what I myself am figuring out after just falling into it, and so my only offering to others is several thorough decades knowledge about what doesn't work! (Helping other fools to walk backwards more quickly till they run out of runway) It seems that getting caught up dismantling the BS is ignoring the warning: "Battle not with monsters lest ye become one -- for beware, as you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." (I love that one, so forgive the shameless plug :) But isn't battling monsters indeed jumping into the pit with the cow. However unskillfully. I climb one step out of the pit, only to eagerly dive back in to look for others... And yet better to take one step inwards than ten outwards. And removing my own mote from the eye, etc. And a Tibetian (I think) approach of reaching enlightenment first (for other beings) so that I can only THEN be of assistance. See what I mean? (this is of course an open invitation to any of my critics to tell me to shut the f*** up ;) but I hope they know I'll likely laugh when people throw popcorn at me. Thanks, Rod Scholl -----Original Message----- From: Rev. Fudo Michael Koppang [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 10:59 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Zen] to read or not to read Well Said. Much Of What Passes For Zen In The West Arrives Stillborn Or Severly Ill. I Have Pretty Much Given Up Worrying About All The Dead And Dying Zen, And Concentrate On Keeping What I Was Passed Alive And Healthy. Be Well, Fudo --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thanks for the last few postings that put into perspective the sutra reading. Zen is life and it is Buddhism. There is a context that the sutras (in part ) offer but it needs to connect into life. As a teacher of Buddhism at University and a resident of Asia for many years I can say that the Sutras are a part of practice but reliance on them as the primary element of Buddhism has killed Buddhism. Nothing is sadder than seeing the heartfelt questions and struggles of young people in Buddhist lands dismissed by arrogant scholar monks "when you pass grade 9 in pali studies then you know the answer." The alternative is not mushy New Agism but teachings that are intergrated into life experience both on the part of the teacher and yes by us the students. Without a mature practice (applying mindfulness in daily life) most sutra reading is prajna (wisdom) killing, an evasion of activating intelligence in favor of becoming a know-it-all authority. All great revivals in Buddhism while not rejecting sutras spoke from non-conceptual wisdom and challenged student to do the same. Sadly american buddhism is already half dead because it is the word game of an over educated elite (I include myself) that has made an ego business of it. Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------ Rev. Fudo Michael Koppang -------------------- This message was sent from a PCS Phone from Sprint. Get a free PCS Mail account! Sign up via the Web Browser on your Sprint Phone or at http://www.sprintpcs.com. Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/hjtSRD/3MnJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> 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/
