ama

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 saying that your lineage has moved away from Zen and if not, how would you respond to being challenged concerning it?

I'm interested in what certain Masters say. Like:

• Sengcan
• Foyan
• Sheng Yen
• Pomnyun Sunim
• Thich Nhat Hanh

The matter of "has X person/school moved away from Zen?" is one that doesn't interest me particularly.

My interest in Zen evolved from a scholar and historical one ("What is Zen? What is its origin? What characterizes it? Which lineages are authentic and why?") into a more practical one ("How do I apply these teachings I'm interested in? What criteria shall I use to detect bullshit? How can I steer clear from fanaticism? How can I probe my own blindspots?").

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?

No understanding.

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, sit, or post on r/zen?

Be aware!

Submitted January 07, 2019 at 10:35PM by hookdump http://bit.ly/2scYXRI