Zen, the anti-religion
There is no question that Zen is aggressively anti-Buddhist:
Huangbo: As to performing the six paramitas and vast numbers of similar practices, or gaining merits as countless as the sands of the Ganges, since you are fundamentally complete in every respect, you should not try to supplement that perfection by such meaningless practices.
The people drawn to Western Buddhism were from Christian churches. They believed in all the same things that Buddhism offered... karma aka original sin... a messiah aka Buddha-Jesus... and a method of attaining deliverance, 8FP-FNT-10 Commandments.
Many of these people were drawn to Zazen Buddhism in particular, a method which has since been debunked. But like Zazen Buddhism, all Buddhists want a promise of attainment through obedience to church method.
No Zen Masters, but lots of practice(s)
Western Buddhists, like their Christian forbearers, believe they are incomplete, and must practice to attain.
Huangbo: Because he still indulged in conceptual thought-in a dharma of activity. To him as you practice, so shall you attain was a reality.
Aside from the fact that misreading the texts isn't sustainable, and there are no Zen Masters talking about how hard they practice because Zen enlightenment is sudden and permanent rather than based on virtue, no modern Buddhist religion has produced any enlightened beings and no unaffiliated gurus have come forward to "prove" any method or practice.
This is really hard for Buddhists and New Agers to take... they have no champions to defend their beliefs in modern times. They hide behind church websites, they refuse to answer questions publicly, they stalk social media with an ever revolving set of temp accounts... they delete and run once they are brought out into the open by any community.
What they claim works hasn't worked for anybody.
Sudden and Public, or less than nothing
Huangbo: Those who seek the Way must enter it with the suddenness of a knife-thrust. Full understanding of this must come before they can enter.
and
Huangbo: Whoever has an instant understanding of this truth suddenly transcends the whole hierarchy of saints and adepts belonging to any of the Three Vehicles. You have always been one with the Buddha, so do not pretend you can attain to this oneness by various practices.
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Yo͞ok Welcome! Meet me My comment:
Zen is the Show Me School
People can make claims all day long in church and on social media... but where are the people who can do AMAs? Where are the people who aren't hiding behind multiple accounts, misstatements, and prayer-meditation cushions?
Where are those who enter suddenly or not at all?
If you can't even admit what you believe? You aren't one of them.
Submitted May 06, 2023 at 12:05PM by ewk https://ift.tt/kpmGxly
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