The thing about Zen is that it pushes contradictions to their ultimate limit, where one has to choose between madness and innocence. And Zen suggests that we may be driving toward one or the other on a cosmic scale. Driving toward them because, one way or another, as madmen or innocents, we are already there.
It might be good to open our eyes and see.
—Thomas Merton
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
To Be or to Seem to Be?
Strictly speaking, most of us don't have much experience of human being—
just a lot of human seeming.
—from the Book of Chazz
just a lot of human seeming.
—from the Book of Chazz
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Who is our teacher?
Whatever teachings there are in Zen, they come out of one's own mind. We teach ourselves; Zen merely points the way.
— D.T. Suzuki
— D.T. Suzuki
Friday, January 21, 2011
Freedom?
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
— from the preamble to the U.S. Declaration of Independence
OK. So we’re created equal. After our birth into this world, what then? Some of us choose to become wise, some fools. And what is wisdom? What is foolishness? How do these qualities manifest in terms of attitude and behavior? Who is the arbiter over such matters? Don’t we, the people, kind of need to agree? How do we come to agreement?
— from the preamble to the U.S. Declaration of Independence
OK. So we’re created equal. After our birth into this world, what then? Some of us choose to become wise, some fools. And what is wisdom? What is foolishness? How do these qualities manifest in terms of attitude and behavior? Who is the arbiter over such matters? Don’t we, the people, kind of need to agree? How do we come to agreement?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Now, Where Did I Put My Screwdriver?
Humans are “capable of inventing wonders and still capable of forgetting what we’ve done and blundering stupidly on...Our poor cognitive tool kits are always missing a screwdriver when we need it.”
— classicist James O’Donnell of Georgetown University
— classicist James O’Donnell of Georgetown University
Monday, January 17, 2011
Interesting parallel between Jesus and the Buddha #3
If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.
— Jesus, Luke 6:29
If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick or a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words.
— Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), Majjhima Nikaya 21.6
Having been raised by and among fundamentalist Christians, I was steeped long in the oft-scalding waters of Christian tradition. I’ve pondered Jesus’ command to “turn the other cheek”, deeply and often.
What the heck does it mean?
The Buddhist phrasing of the principle speaks to me in terms I can begin to understand. I can relate to it as an exercise in letting go one’s desires (in this case, the desire for ego defense and revenge). I can relate to developing self-awareness and self-discipline by letting go of attachments to arbitrary, limiting notions of personal dignity, identity, pride and possessions.
At this point I can’t imagine that I will ever be willing to master this principle, as did Jesus and Gautama Buddha. Some desires and notions I remain unwilling to abandon. For example, I am not willing to abandon my notions of what is enough money and what is not (though I’m satisfied with less now than I used to be). If someone threatened the health or life of a family member or friend, I would not hesitate to protect them by any means necessary. And I am not willing to martyr myself to serve as an example to benighted masses.
That said, I’ve experienced a tremendous sense of liberation by practicing the discipline of “turn the other cheek” with regard to common daily assaults on arbitrary notions of personal dignity, identity, pride and possessions. I will most certainly continue practicing. And if, over time, I develop a still deeper appreciation for the principle of “turn the other cheek,” so be it.
I am grateful for where I am with all of this. I will be grateful for any deeper understanding that may come.
— Jesus, Luke 6:29
If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick or a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words.
— Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), Majjhima Nikaya 21.6
Having been raised by and among fundamentalist Christians, I was steeped long in the oft-scalding waters of Christian tradition. I’ve pondered Jesus’ command to “turn the other cheek”, deeply and often.
What the heck does it mean?
The Buddhist phrasing of the principle speaks to me in terms I can begin to understand. I can relate to it as an exercise in letting go one’s desires (in this case, the desire for ego defense and revenge). I can relate to developing self-awareness and self-discipline by letting go of attachments to arbitrary, limiting notions of personal dignity, identity, pride and possessions.
At this point I can’t imagine that I will ever be willing to master this principle, as did Jesus and Gautama Buddha. Some desires and notions I remain unwilling to abandon. For example, I am not willing to abandon my notions of what is enough money and what is not (though I’m satisfied with less now than I used to be). If someone threatened the health or life of a family member or friend, I would not hesitate to protect them by any means necessary. And I am not willing to martyr myself to serve as an example to benighted masses.
That said, I’ve experienced a tremendous sense of liberation by practicing the discipline of “turn the other cheek” with regard to common daily assaults on arbitrary notions of personal dignity, identity, pride and possessions. I will most certainly continue practicing. And if, over time, I develop a still deeper appreciation for the principle of “turn the other cheek,” so be it.
I am grateful for where I am with all of this. I will be grateful for any deeper understanding that may come.