Zen vs Rock n Roll

Rock 'n Complain

The Beach Boys wrote California Girls. The Beatles responded with Back in the USSR. The Beatles wrote Let it Be, and the Rolling Stones responded with Let it Bleed.

Art, as the peak of pop culture, is driven by tradition; against it or for it.

To what degree is Zen driven? Surely over 1,000 years of the Zen historical record, we could find some evidence either way?

How about with masters and their heirs?

Roll over Mazu

Mazu taught not mind, not buddha, not things.

Nanquan comes along and gives us this:

Venerable Nanquan: Because a monk’s question said, "Still, is there a fundamental Dharma that has not been given to people by speaking?”

Quan said, "There is."

The monk said, "So what is the fundamental Dharma that has not been given to people by speaking?”

Nanquan said, "Not this heart-mind; not this Buddha; not these things."

Sexy Maharishi, you made a fool

Did Tianlong intend to teach One Finger Zen? Did Juzhi intend to pass it on? Everybody talks about that it was taught, but nobody reacted to it.

Here's Wumen's Poem:

Judi makes a dunce of old Tianlong;

The sharp blade held up alone tests the little boy.

The great spirit lifted its hands, without much ado,

And split apart the millions of layers of Flower Mountain.

Tie a yellow ribbon round that old oak tree

This is a famous Case that deserves a bit more acknowledgement:

Chan Master Huijiao [Guizhong Cezhen] went to [Fayan Wenyi's] place; Fayan asked "Where have you recently come from?"

Huijiao said, "Zhaozhou."

Fayan said, "I hear Zhaozhou has a saying, 'The cypress tree in the yard'--is it so?"

Huijiao said, "No."

Fayan said, "Everyone who's been around says a monk asked him about the meaning of Chan and Zhaozhou said, 'The cypress tree in the yard'--how can you say no?"

Huijiao said, "The late master really didn't say this; please don't slander him."

How is it slander to quote someone?

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^Yo͞ok  Welcome! ^{Meet me}  *My comment: Is rock and roll about rebuttal of tradition, and then it becomes the tradition it rebuts?

Is that happening with Zen Masters? Can there be rebuttal without counter argument? What are the mechanisms that are working here?

Submitted March 29, 2023 at 07:32AM by ewk https://ift.tt/j6dDs9U