AMA

1) Not Zen? 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?

OK.

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

Monk: "Has the dog the Buddha nature or not?"

Xingshan: "Yes,"

Monk: "Have you it or not?"

Xingshan: "I have not."

Monk: "All existent creatures have the Buddha-Natures; how is it that you have not?"

Xingshan: "I don't belong to all existent creatures."

Monk: "You say you don't belong to all existent creatures. This "You," is it a Buddha or not?"

Xingshan: "It is not a Buddha."

Monk: "What sort of thing, in the last resort, is this ‘You’?”

Xingshan: "It is not a thing."

Monk: "Can it be perceived or thought of?"

Xingshan: "Thought cannot attain to it; it cannot be fathomed. For this reason, it is said to be a mystery.”

3) Dharma low tides? 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?

No advice for an imaginary student.

Submitted September 28, 2020 at 10:33PM by GhostC1pher https://ift.tt/36dvDjj