-
Hello, all. I'm new to the list, this is a first posting, and I'll
take a crack at the big question, "What is Zen". I can just
answer from my own experience of practice, not from any academic
or professionally religious standpoint, or any great accomplishment
either. But here goes.
Basically, Zen and Zen awakening have do to with penetrating the
ignorance (avidya) of dualistic thinking. Enlightenment means waking
up to the non-dual nature of reality. It's as simple as that - but
of course a huge struggle is involved. The whole Dharma is involved
in breaking through the ingrained habit of seeing the world in terms
of self and other ("other" = an imaginary world of mental and
physical objects, and self as substantial). So it's a breakthrough
to anatta and the realization of emptiness.
Also, I think Zen avoids teaching the Noble Truths and Dependent
Origination in a discursive, classical way (as in Theravada) but
even so, all of the fundamental truths do seem to be there. The
teaching is mainly experiential, oriented toward bringing you
mentally and emotionally to the end of your rope, so that you see
for yourself the empty shell of self and the emptiness/wholeness
of things.
I agree with what ryhorikawa has written here earlier:
> "Zen is a "state" where the boundaries between the phenomenal
> and the transcendent have been erased (or, where the realm of
> the sacred and the realm of the "profane" are identical or
> co-terminus) AND where every "act"/action resonates with
> unconditional compassion towards the suffering of all sentient/
> non-sentient beings....
Bows,
~ Frank
.
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Click here to rescue a little child from a life of poverty.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/rAWabB/gYnLAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi
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/
