Okay, I am really getting tired of seeing the trade mark sign ™ starting to appear in Zen from Big Mind™ Zen to Mondo Zen™. So I have come up with Sfatto™ Zen! Yeah!
“Sfatto” which is an Italian word is very difficult to translate into English. It, more or less, can mean "unkept," "sloppy," "disheveled," "unmade," etc. Just imagine an unmade bed with the sheets every which way. This is sfatto.
If I had to define Sfatto™ Zen, it is everything that modern Zen is not. It is completely laid back and profound. There is no regimentation; no neat rows of zazen-ers trying to keep still or stop a fart. Everyone just sort of lays around in the Sfatto™ Zendo. Their only intention is to find pure Mind, that is, to have a genuine engagement with the absolute or Suchness (tathata).
The Sfatto™ Zen Roshi, if we can call him that, is a dude—a grand dude (or a grand dudette). His official robe is his bath robe. The grand dude or "GD" (it could also be GOD as in Grand Old Dude) has seen pure Mind who expresses its dynamism in his everyday conduct from cracking a fart, to gratuitously laughing. Such conduct might include eating a huge bowl of ramen noodles, making all kinds of sucking sounds.
The GD could be modeled after the legendary Hotei (10th century) who was one laid back eccentric Zen dude. He carried around a huge hemp beggars sack and laughed a lot (whoa, was that dude ever high!).
Other famous Sfatto™ Zennists might included Kanzan and Jittoku (7th century).
Although, I have the feeling that Sfatto™ Zen is not going to be popular because Western Zennists seem to enjoy the strict regimentation of Japanese Zen which presents a picture of being neat and formal, I believe there is a niche for Sfatto™ Zen where people can lay around and seriously discuss Buddhism for a change and, if they want, drink macchiatos or cappuccinos—or maybe have a little wine with some good cheese.
Today, I couldn't resist a humorous blog.
Who is hospitable, and friendly,
Liberal and unselfish,
Such a one to honour may attain.
Posted by: Dīgha Nikāya 3.273 | November 26, 2011 at 07:08 AM
Fuhgeddaboutit™Zen
Posted by: Me From Cali | November 25, 2011 at 10:00 PM
A Zennist creates images of Zen.
Posted by: KGrey_Com | November 25, 2011 at 07:13 PM
THE MYSTERY RELIGIONS
http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Religions-S-Angus/dp/0486231240
get it
Posted by: Java Junkie Island-dweller | November 25, 2011 at 02:23 AM
"It is because you allow certain people to lead you astray that you are forever SEEKING intuition and SEARCHING for understanding. Isn't this a case of disciples and teachers all falling into the same insoluble muddle?"
Posted by: Ōbaku Kiun | November 24, 2011 at 08:41 PM