Tuesday, 12 May 2020

[Meta] R/Zen History: The More Things Change, the More They Stay The Same

[7 y/o post]

Sorry to contribute to the meta-/r/zen discussion.. but look, I've been around for a bit, as most of you have. I'm not seeing anything going on here that doesn't go on anytime something like zen is discussed on the internet.

Internet History begins with usenet, thanks to Google's Group archives. There's two groups about zen: alt.zen and alt.philosophy.zen, both with recorded history back to 1994. You can read all of the old posts. If you're tired of /r/zen, go read it. You'll find more gems and more bullshit. It all depends on what you find yourself looking for. There's always more not-zen to be found, if sought.

Take it for what it is. /r/zen isn't what you want it to be, it isn't what you believe it is. /r/zen is what it is. Am I Right? But, unlike Actual Zen, /r/zen isn't something meaningful, it isn't something you find at the end of your spiritual path.

/r/zen is just a bunch of people burning some time when they probably should be building true human connections, gaining true insights, off on true adventures or learning true knowledge. /r/zen is just here, because we're here, and we're here jerking around. There's nothing wrong with that.

Conceptualization of Zen has been going strong for a thousand years. Do you really think there's been a whole lot of new things said about it? Why are you still reading about it? Are you not entertained??

Email Chain from 1995

On Dec 31, 1995 06:50:52 in article <Re: The End>, 'dave...@aol.com (DaveOller)' wrote:

In article <4c25j6$j...@news1.usa.pipeline.com>, Fo...@usa.pipeline.com(Foot) writes:

If anyone tells you that they have a method that will sure fire get you there, they are saying that they have bottled it and have it available for you.

Calling it bottled is nothing more than a vain attempt to discredit.

I was just repeating what jn had said earlier.

It's like saying that by teaching you how to use a hammer, saw, chisel, plane, lathe, I have condemed you to building two bedroom condos on Padre Island. What you would really have is some skills and tools, with which, adding imagination and creativity, you have new opportunity to build something new and wonderful.

I have always held that Zazen is a way to manage yourself in the practical world. It just cannot be placed on that which is Clear already and then tell someone that Zazen Cleared it.

Zazen is no different.

Never said it was.

Only your concept of Zazen is like this.

I refuse to adopt a concept of Zazen.

Zazen expands the possibilities-

You expand Zazen.

-it never eliminates the opportunity to be original.

Never said it did.

Where do you get ideas like this--certainly not from practicing Zazen!

Absolutely.

 

Love it!

XD

Not only did 2013 OP say nothing new, but they seemed oblivious to the irony of their post ... nonetheless it's still a valuable gem!



Submitted May 12, 2020 at 08:18PM by ZEROGR33N https://ift.tt/3dIqu39

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