On 4/27/05, wjm_photo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > It would appear that you are missing the point of practicing Zen in > the first place. "If it feels good, do it" is not zen. It may be PC, > but it has nothing to do with Zen - period. > > People who are getting uptight because of the postings of Fudo and > others need to look at themselves, not those who are making the > so-called offensive posts. The fact of the matter is that if one is > getting offended, then they are the ones who are failing in their > practice. Zen is not huggy feely feel good crap like so many want to > pretend that it is. It is not about a bunch of smiling old bald guys > being nice to their students. It is not about being cordial and fake > to others just because someone's feelings may get unnecessarily > ruffled. It is about reality and dealing with things that we are > confronted with. > > Fudo's posts give everyone the opportunity to learn and to check how > well their own practice is going. If you find your gut getting > twisted in a ball because of something he wrote, it is you who needs > more practice or time on your Zafu. It certainly does not mean that > you should try and emulate him as everyone has a different way of > seeing and dealing with existence. His is more in your face and > others are more subdued. Neither is right or wrong and neither should > be muzzled because of someone's false sense of right and wrong. > > I certainly hope that Fudo has not been banned or chased off just > because a few people on here can't deal with reality and the fact that > everything is not all rosy in this world. The history and stories of > the old Zen masters are filled with gruff men who were quite > unpleasant and who were quite enlightened. Unless you simply wish to > erase these facts and ignore the reality of Zen, everyone needs to > lighten up a bit and accept that there are those who, while appearing > gruff, are sincere and honest practitioners who should also be > listened to. It is up to the listener to discern what is of value in > the message, but the message should certainly not be hidden under the > blanket or locked away like some unwanted stepchild. I know that I > certainly want nothing to do with a world filled with false smiles and > fake appearances. That is not Zen. That is an abomination. If you > want that perhaps one is better of going to a Tibetan monastery where > everyone is happily smiling away and no one dares speak the truth if > it has any unpleasant undertones. Zen is not apologetic of rude behavior. We cannot use Zen to sugar-coat our own ugly behavior, under the banner of 'absolute freedom from the tyranny of rational reasoning'.
If somebody is upset about certain conventions (such as political correctness, for example), they cannot legitimately use Zen as a bail out. Zen is hard work, it is a practice of self-cultivation. Instead of finding faults in others, us Zen practitioners are focused on finding our own faults and shortcomings, and working on subduing those. Finally, Zen does not confer a cart blanche on crass idiocy. If all a person can indiscriminately say to anyone is "I hate the droppings you are leaving on the carpet", than it is obvious that such person has serious, deeply disturbing mental problems and should get his act straight before rejoining the Zen sangha. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/WwRTUD/SOnJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi. New or used at: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1570622280/ref=ase_actionheroesc-20/002-4507763-9442460?v=glance&s=books> 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/
