If Zen Buddhism were Coca-Cola, Western Zen would be like the high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) type served in a plastic bottle. The real Zen, still found in some parts of China and Korea, would be like Mexican Coca-Cola made with cane sugar and served in a thick glass bottle that has a real old-fashioned metal cap on it.
Those, my age, who can still remember drinking Coca-Cola back in the good old days (before 1980) say Mexican Coca-Cola is the real deal; authentic to the last drop.
I find it interesting how we turn away, or are easily led away, from tradition, all for the greater profit and glory of the company or the institution, when it doesn’t have to be this way. In the case of Western Zen it turned away from the mystical side of Zen, that is, realizing our nature and becoming Buddha (C. chien-hsing ch'eng-fo) deciding, instead, to go the route of self-help psychology which, frankly, has nothing to do with the tradition (C., tsung) of Zen Buddhism.
I am sure not everyone will agree with me. There is a big market in self-help Zen which essentially teaches that zazen is a panacea for all of our worldly troubles. Just sit! But I prefer the old fashioned Zen of Tsung-mi and Huang-po, to mention just two names. Their Zen is spiritually more satisfying just like Mexican Coco-Cola is more satisfying than the HFCS kind in the plastic bottle.
K Grey, I know Dogen used Bodhidharma as a model for his sitting theory. But I don't think Dogen bothered to read the Chinese or the Sanskirit. Bodhidharma's bi-guan is literally wall-insight, insight/guan being a rendering of vipasyana.
Posted by: Kojizen | May 14, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Nice analogy, and I do prefer Mexican Coke.
I appreciate your knowledge and sincerity - and attempts to hold some feet to the fire when their Birkenstocks head down the new age paths.
Your focus on form though seems to me to be another form of the same preoccupation of those you deride.
True Zen, Original Zen...
Empty words for me. Zen itself, a word. How many even know the origins, what Ch'an means? I think I can assume you do, yet funny you question Dogen on sitting (based on his study of Bodhidharma's teaching if my limited overview of the history is right). Bodhidharma taught sitting, and thus Ch'an and later Zen got their names.
Enough of that, I don't need to get into Zen history and nomenclature with a Zennist.
Analysis and commentary has it's use, and yours make for good reads, but what are you really prescribing?
Is it really a crime of Westerners use different words, mix practices, sit or don't sit. Easterners have done this from the beginning, forming many branches and sects. Few East or West actually do what is suggested and far fewer wake their asses up. Let the rest play dress up.
Mexican Coke is still available to them should their thirst deepen. They can let the empties just sit...
Posted by: K Grey | May 14, 2011 at 02:27 AM