Zen Blocking Not Zen?

...studying writings and confirming the statements of Buddhas and Patriarchs is not necessarily considered being a devotee of doctrine, and ignorance of writings is not called Zen transmitted separately outside doctrine without establishing writings.

-Bassui

So, people on r/Zen have taken up the practice of blocking others ritualistically, in the hopes of attaining a better subreddit. Is this Zen or not?

Baizhang said:

Greed, anger, folly, and the like, are poisons; the Buddhist teachings are medicine. When the poison is not yet dispersed, the medicine should be removed. If you take medicine when you have no illness, the medicine turns into illness. When the disease is gone but the medicine is not dissipated, ‘unborn and imperishable’ then has the meaning of impermanence.

Maybe, block as you need to, don't block when you don't? It seems strange to avoid that which causes no trouble, which is another example of making trouble where there is none. But to avoid blocking when one is inundated by disease, is equally strange.

Submitted March 21, 2022 at 08:30AM by surupamaerl2 https://ift.tt/8EwS0hF