Zen's Western home

Somethings hardly ever change or change at an infinitesimally small rate.  The American mind, when it comes to Zen, is slow to change, that is, give up its somewhat oddball view of Zen especially when we look at what is said about Zen on various Internet Buddhist forums.  Back in 1995, Gary Ray, editor and publisher, of the defunct Buddhist journal, CyberSangha, wrote the following editorial comment, Why Can't Zen Buddhism Find an Online Home?  I've chopped off three paragraphs in order to cut to the chase.

Even the best of these forums were falling prey to Zen drivel, so I realized the problem was not with the forum administration, it was in the general attitude of its participants. This lack of quality and insight seems to be caused by three particular problems, not necessarily unique to the online world of Zen. Attachment to emptiness, Zen without Buddhism and an inaccurate portrayal of Zen in popular culture all combine to undermine meaningful Zen dialogues.

Attachment to emptiness is so common that the term "Zen sickness" is often used to describe it. Sufferers of this malady run around telling you that "everything is empty" and nothing really exists. In discussions, when these people don't know the answer to a question or don't know how to pursue a meaningful dialogue, they often resort to their emptiness claim to stifle conversation, or worse, appear wise. A recent discussion in alt.zen was composed of a someone asking where the Zen was in the discussion group, since everyone seemed to be ranting and raving about new age teachers and Hindu philosophy. The response to his question was overwhelming, as many people slyly informed him of the "emptiness" of the conference. Heck, it doesn't have Zen because it's empty. True emptiness represents a lack of permanent form, pregnant with potential for unlimited growth and development. The emptiness discussed in these conferences is a growth impediment, since discussion immediately stops when the emptiness word is used. A response one of my Zen teachers often used when confronted by an emptiness spouter was: "Does emptiness feel pain?" This is especially effective when brandishing a big Zen stick (or listserv software).

Zen without Buddhism is the second problem that impedes discussions. In the vein of Toni Packer and Charlotte Beck, many discussion participants think that Zen is some separate "way," divorced from its roots in Buddhism. I visited Charlotte Beck's center several years ago and rather than a Buddha on the alter, there sat a rock. This is the world of Buddhism without the Buddha. What happens when Zen is removed from its context and its support in Buddhism? It becomes a technique—either for relaxation or for enhancement of the ego to protect oneself from reality.

Zen divorced from Buddhism is nothing. It lacks the moral foundations, the base, that is necessary for spiritual advancement. Meditation (which is the meaning of "Zen" after all) is only one of the Eightfold Paths or Six Paramitas. Steven Echard Roshi writes that "Such people think that you can extract the essence out of Zen Buddhism, dilute it to infinitesimal levels, and still possess the same thing." The result in online discussions is that there's very little left to talk about when Buddhism is removed from the picture. There's sitting, and then there's, well, sitting. Actually these people spend enormous amounts of time trying to explain "enlightenment experiences," the brass ring of the Zen student whose Buddhist foundation is removed.

The inappropriate portrayal of Zen in popular culture is really an extension of this second problem. In popular culture, Zen becomes divorced from its Buddhist context and worse, it even loses its inaccurate representation as a meditation technique. Zen becomes an expression for any event that somehow had a synchronistic effect on the speaker. Zen changes form from a noun to a verb, and gets used to describe the proper way for motorcycle maintenance, creative management, internet navigation, and a variety of unrelated topic. The word "Zen" in the title seems to illicit a popular response that increases market share. In online conferences this "popular understanding," or what Zen master Seung Sahn calls "Common People's Zen," is used as a springboard for discussing just about anything, but preferably something from Japan - since it sounds more romantic.

Most of these problems can be fixed with a simple remedy. Just refer to Zen as Zen Buddhism. Whenever you use the word Zen, put Buddhism after it. If it sounds funny, the word Zen is probably being used inappropriately. Try it: Zen Buddhism and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Gosh, the clouds were still and I had this experience of oneness with everything,; it was very Zen Buddhism. The problem of Zen divorced from Buddhism can be solved by placing meditation in context. Think of Zen as a link in the practice chain. If you sit in zazen, divorced from the rest of Buddhist practice, I'm afraid it's not Zen Buddhism.

I like what Gary said.  I would just add that the Buddhist notion of emptiness has been, to a large degree, mixed with Western nihilism in which emptiness is almost synonymous with meaninglessness.  One, in other words, sits in meditation and by sitting accepts that the world is without meaning.  There is just silence.  Such a view is certainly alien to Buddhism when one realizes the nature of pure Mind.

 

Comments

[Chris Ronning]

I'm glad qbrick made the comment about nihilism....... Nihilism is definitely an inherent aspect of the Western mind, just as much of a reaction against modern scientific thinking as Satanism was a direct reaction against Christianity. This purely materialistic/scientific worldview has snatched up the position of Truth from religious worldviews here, and it colors anything that comes to the consciousness of those in this culture.

[G Anomyous]

I think Zen exist regardless of my opinion on the matter.I have only studied meditation thru the martial arts for around 32 years now.during that time I have become separated from any thing religious just by the true nature of compiled mediation.At the same time my connection and realization that each speck of matter is connected thru a greater consciences has brought me a overwhelming feeling of everything's tremendous importance in the chain of all existence past present and future.To tie this to Christianity Buddhism McDonalds Judaism or Green Eggs and Ham would feel like an Anchor keeping me from the true nature of Zen for lack of any other word in our primitive society as it exist today.It is touching us allways. Be still quite your mind and you may feel it. Thank you for this excellent article

[Paul]

Okay, I hear you, but I need to give this more thought.

In the interim, I am absolutely on the same page as for the ‘E’ word -- enough said about that. Might I also mention that I try very hard to understand the concept of ‘emptiness’ as it is meant to be understood by undiluted Zen Buddhism.

Okay, now let me cut to the chase regarding my usage of the term Zen. I refer to myself as being a Zen Christian. Is it wrong to use that term? I fail to understand why Buddhism has an exclusive claim on the concept of Zen, especially, if as you state (and I absolutely agree), “Meditation (which is the meaning of "Zen" after all”.

To my way of thinking, one of the main objectives of any spiritual/meditative practice is to come to a realization of the true nature of self and the relationship of that self to everything else within the province of reality. I don’t think Buddhism has all of the answers, or can it provide the complete way to accomplish that objective *for me*, and neither can or does any other ‘ism’ or formal belief system. But when I think of myself as a Christian with Buddhist enhancements or influences practiced in a Zen modality, I feel like I am on the right track although some astute person(s) may insist that I have neither a complete and accurate understanding of Christianity nor Buddhism. And they may be right according ‘to the book’. Regardless, I can’t divorce myself from feeling or thinking or myself as being a Zen (more so than ‘Zen-like‘) person. If that’s a Zen Buddhist heresy, then I am guilty as charged, I suppose.

But I still need to give this more thought.

[qbrick]

Nihilism is inherent of the western culture, so while the ancient (or better phrased traditional) 'buddhist cultures' to the present day are full of divine beings, soul etc., westerners simply have a different starting point. From my experience, sitting transcends my nihilism, makes my nihilism complete, so my guess is, practice is experienced in a similar way by Asians. I like to say, no god survives zazen, but just in a way, that no word can be said about it, so that the matter is put to a rest.