The more I know the less I understand AMA

Every foothold I have on understanding something about Zen seems to slip away in time, so I just keep reading and let what sticks stick.

I've been reading the texts and sparsely participating in this forum for a few months now. I've had an interest in Zen for along time, but I had a misunderstanding of what it was (in that I thought I could explain it to people).

Think of this as an introduction to the community. I know enough to participate in discussion here, but I'm not as well read as many of the other students.

 

Standard Questions

 

Not Zen? (Repeat Question 1) Suppose a person denotes your lineage and your teacher as Buddhism unrelated to Zen, because there are several quotations from Zen patriarchs denouncing seated meditation. Would you be fine admitting that your lineage has moved away from Zen and if not, how would you respond?

If that were the case, I'd be fine admitting that, but I'd continue practising just calling it a different name. I'd study Zen somewhere else (meditation is good for mental control, I don't see why one would stop because it's not Zen).

 

What's your text? (Repeat Question 2) What text, personal experience, quote from a master, or story from zen lore best reflects your understanding of the essence of zen?

"When mortals are alive, they worry about death.
When they're full, they worry about hunger.
Theirs is the Great Uncertainty.
But sages don't consider the past.
And they don't worry about the future.
Nor do they cling to the present.
And from moment to moment they follow the Way."
-Bodhidharma

 

Dharma low tides? (Repeat Question 3) What do you suggest as a course of action for a student wading through a "dharma low-tide"? What do you do when it's like pulling teeth to read, bow, chant, or sit?

When it's hard to read, bow, chant, or sit, then breathe, drink some tea, and go play a game. Don't frustrate yourself, enjoy life, we don't have a lot of it.

 

Alright, let's get to it. Maybe this will be a nice intro to the community, maybe you'll learn about me, maybe I'll learn about me, and learn about you, and understand Zen differently afterwards. Or maybe I'l get lectured on cults, dogen and zazen, idk (who's to say I can't learn from that?).

AMA

Submitted July 12, 2017 at 04:35AM by HealthyHappyWholesom http://ift.tt/2ubMAaQ