--- In [email protected], Neutral Milk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
...Neutral Milk's posting snipped. If you're interested you can see
it in the previous message of this thread...
>From my perspective this thread started as a discussion of the
relative merits of dharma study and zazen. It has degenerated into
a crass debate about the importance of words and their applicability
to zen. In your last posting you warned me about wasting my time.
A discussion on these topics would not be a waste of my time.
Further participation in this type of debate would be.
We obviously have completely different perspectives on the value of
words, the importance of intellect and their applicability to zen
practice. I'm also certain we have a completely different
perspective not only on how to practice zen, but what zen is itself.
I assert that intellect is not an important feature in zen practice.
I assert that words and other cognitive features like logic,
reasoning, understanding, etc
, are not important features in zen
practice.
I assert that in fact an attachment to these items (which is very
easy to form) are a hindrance to zen practice.
I'm not saying these items are bad; or that they are of no use, even
in zen practice. I'm saying they are not items that should be
emphasized or relied upon and too often times they are. They are
because they are the easiest and most comfortable way for us to
approach zen intellectually. If we think we understand zen then
we feel we have accomplished something.
Understanding is not the key to zen. Dissolution of the self is the
key to zen. Zazen helps do that. Personally, I don't think reading
words help do that to any great extent. It doesn't for me. Maybe
it does for you.
This is the last posting I'll make on this thread unless you (or
anyone else) really want to discuss these assertions. Even then I
think that would be best done in another thread.
Bill!
Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi
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