The Zennist, certainly no Dr. Strangelove

The Zennist, not intentionally, stands in sharp contrast to popular Buddhism and Zen.  This doesn’t mean that it lacks credibility.  For anyone who has bothered to read and think about what the Buddha taught in both the Nikayas and the Mahayana canon The Zennist doesn’t come as a shock.  Mainly, it helps to unpack much of what the Buddha really taught.  For this reason, the author of the blog is certainly no Dr. Strangelove.

There is a lot wrong with religion these days—Buddhism included.  Those who follow a particular religion, for the most part, don’t like to read what the founder of their religion actually taught and then have to think about it for any extended period of time.  They much prefer to attend a religious service or sit in zazen at their local Zen center, then call it a day.  This whole process is quite superficial.  It also finds the clergy often catering to some religious fantasy the pop religionists have conjured up about their religion which can’t be found in the canon.  

Eventually, the authentic notion of religion gets lost and buried in the glitz and glitter of being externalized to satisfy the common people (prithagjana).  Perish the thought that anyone dare tell these people that their religious practices and ideas are a dead-end.  In fact, they run counter to real religion if by religion we mean “an awareness of something outside and beyond nature” (Schleiermacher).  This awareness or better still, gnosis/jñâna, is not just a belief—say, a belief in God.  It is a direct, intuitive acquaintance with the absolute.  Certainly, it goes beyond even words and ideas, including feelings.

For now, let’s say The Zennist is on a mission to show the general Buddhist public that the Buddhism they practice isn’t really Buddhism at all, for example, secular Buddhism.  It is just a westernized adaptation of Buddhism leaving out its most essential elements, like nirvana because nirvana is about transcendence—an odious term for any secular materialist.

The Zennist will continue to show no mercy to pop Buddhism lest such mercy allow a wrong view of Buddhism to settle in where it does not rightfully belong.  And from what I can see, most of the commentators to The Zennist have a low tolerance for views which are not in the canon which is a good sign that a truly authentic Western Buddhism is emerging that fully understands in what direction real Buddhism is pointing as opposed to the wrong direction which pop Buddhism has elected to take.

 

Comments

[azanshi]

Arsen wrote: "Thanks for the persistent effort!!"

2nd that!

I will though continue kicking spoiled white boy one-thumb-in-mouth-other-on-blanket- weirdos, expecting to be served the same sweet cup of hot chocolate-buddhism as they are by their smooth talking "mommy" (read. buddhawannabe roshi) in the nearest feel good/don´t hurt my feelings zen center.

[Adarnay]

Pop-Buddhism might be uncomfortable by what you say here, but for me it was a tremendous relief to discover a voice that speaks to the core of Buddhism -- extremely difficult to find stated so simply, yet also supported by genuine scriptures, in the absolutely acres and acres and acres of other so-called Buddhist sites. Thanks for the persistent effort!!

[Bob Morris]

Kris Grey's criticisms notwithstanding, The Zennist has helped me a lot. I think that is the intended purpose of the blog.

[KGrey_Com]

"Pop Buddhism" (as you define it) does not deserve your mercy any more than it deserves you to treat it as 'canon' fodder.

Enlightenment, equanimity. and compassion are inseparable. In that light your style comes off as a sort of "tough love" approach (with an honest directness needed to be clear) - but without the love.

My only point of difference is that such labeling and contentious denigration essentially reflects the flip-side of same error you point out (superficiality/appearances), thus equally fail to apply the Buddha's teachings.

The shadow you cast over others' practices (as worthless/misguided as they may be) in the spirit of 'Dark Zen' (mystical/core/whatever term you like), this focus on what is not that, being based on appearances, also fails.

The Middle Path leaves no room to take sides.

[Bob Morris]

It's important to get high quality English translations of the large body of Buddhist literature from the various sects in place for the benefit of the next generations. English is already the de-facto standard language of business and science.