Zen Precepts: No nest

What do you believe in? What do you value? Where do you build your nest?

I've been playing with the idea of creating a new set of precepts for Zen students based on the argument that Zen texts provide a context for the traditional precepts that churches ignore, allowing them to misrepresent Zen.

If such an argument can be made, then there is certainly an interesting discussion of what these precepts would look like given Zen teachings.

Further, I've been considering the criticism that the forum becomes "Zen referential" too quickly for people entirely new to both/either college level academics and the three books of instruction written by Zen Masters.

Long winded.

Zen Precept: No nest

Anyway, so No nest would be one of these Zen precepts. Before we get into the more advanced conversation of having a precept that says don't have precepts, we could discuss for new people (and Buddhists that came in by accident) what no nest is about.

"A clear-eyed person has no nest" Yuanwu, BCR 87

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"A monk asked “what is your 'family custom'?” The master said, “having nothing inside, seeking for nothing outside.” Zhaozhou

Dogen Buddhists and people who don't know they are Dogen Buddhists really struggle with this because it is so antithetical to religion and Dogen Buddhists like to tell themselves they aren't religious.

Having no nest is about not affirming supernatural metaphysical truths, not relying or depending on such supernatural metaphysical truths in establishing practices, judgments, systems of thought, attitudes, values, or "quotes you like".

"Therefore does the sutra say: 'Develop a mind which rests on no thing whatever.'" - Huangbo

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“‘When your mind is like unto a straight standing wall you may enter into the Path." - Bodhidharma, Pieh Chi

So, practically where does this get us?

. . .

Example

Nanquan's cat chopping (Gateless Gate 14) and Zhaozhou's dog (Gateless Gate 1) had no nature. People get very upset about Nanquan chopping up the cat because supernaturally metaphysical truths, animals have souls, animals suffer, life has value. People get very upset about Zhaozhou saying dogs are souless meat because dogs have souls, all life has value, dogs are our friends.

I don't think these two animals are referenced in these Cases coincidentally either.

People are right to get very upset because these Cases are nest destroying. You can study Zen or you can supernaturally metaphysically value life. You don't get to claim to study Zen "except for as it applies to pets".

That's bullshit.

Now, people who don't want to study Zen will say, "That's a paving stone on the road to nihilistic mother raping father stabbing hell". These people don't pause to consider that doing what you want is building a nest. They don't pause to consider that nihilism is a nest.

No nests.

So, if you want to study Zen, you take the Zen precepts, which would include "no nest".

Take the traditional precepts too if you like... but let's not pretend there aren't Zen precepts, or that you can claim to practice Zen without taking the Zen precepts.

Written on a cell phone - ewk

Submitted August 19, 2020 at 05:11AM by ewk https://ift.tt/3g3ASn6