The Zennist

Psychopathy at its worst

No rational person believes such nonsense as "When you're dead you're dead."  It might be the fact, and personally evident, that I am greater than the sum of my anatomy and its finitude.  In a Nietzschean sense, it is a will to power to believe that when you're dead you're dead.  Such people are looking for any excuse to destroy all that stands for the spiritual side of man.  It is psychopathy at its worst.

Buddhism understands that what gives life and animates us is always outside of the animated psychophysical body including its death.  It it also outside of thought and imagination; even our private internal dialogue.  But more importantly, Buddhism teaches us that we can awaken to this beyond.  

However, the worldly person (prithagjana) doesn't wish to recognize this because such a person is not noble (aryan).  Unlike the noble, the worldly person doesn't care about ultimate truth.  They are hopelessly caught up in the animated.  It is like drinking Lethe  such that the more one drinks the more they forget what is immortal—even how to reason.

 

A huge chasm

In Buddhism, sooner than later, one makes the discovery that what characterizes 'philosophy', to put it bluntly, is giving thought to what is essentially unthinkable, which is the very substance of thought. From this we could say that all philosophical thinking is very much like scaffolding set against a building.  Even though such thinking seems to be connected with what the scaffolding is against—it really isn’t.

Here we come to the part that separates the mystic that is, the genuine Buddhist practitioner, from the philosopher.  This is the part that cannot be studied in our universities except to study the history of mysticism which is rather deceptive if one expects to become a mystic for doing so.  There exists a huge chasm between the study of ‘philosophies’ and the complete realization of the very substance of thought.

One final thought.  Buddhist clergy are no better than the philosopher who won’t give up thinking about the substance of thought.  They are caught up in the ritualization of Buddhism so as to suggest that by practicing rituals, such as the fetish of sitting, one actually advances into mysterious world of substance (tathata).

 

Substance and attribute

Many Buddhists, almost as a matter of habit, preach that the Buddha denied a self or atman apart from the Five Aggregates.  However, it is actually impossible to find in the Buddha’s discourses where he says this, unambiguously.  Often he simply says that each of the Five Aggregates such as material shape or feeling, are not the self (anattâ).  Self, therefore, in this respect, is neither material shape, feeling, perception or any of the other aggregates such as habitual tendencies and, even, consciousness.  This is somewht akin to Aristotle’s distinction between attributes and substance.  An attribute might be hardness or shape, such as the form of a lion cast from gold.  In this regard, the shape of the lion belongs to the substance of gold—the substance, on the other hand, never belongs to the attribute.  Attributes can change and suffer but the substance or self cannot.

 

 

We have to change

Buddhism offers no quick fixes for solving the problems of persistent high unemployment, low paying jobs, or a corrupt political structure.  Buddhism can't reshape predatory capitalism into compassionate capitalism.  Buddhism can't stop violence and wars. Buddhism has little or no ability to turn stupid, selfish, mean spirited human beings into Bodhisattvas.  

It takes good, courageous human beings to make the world a better place to live in.  On the same track, it takes a heaven soaring spirit to rise above the darkness that consumes the world; that keeps sentient beings on the wheel of samsara.

Today we are in short supply of both.  It is much easier to be a stupid, selfish, mean spirited human being and take the blue pill.  It is almost impossible to be a good person who has the courage to right what everyone knows in their heart of hearts is wrong.  As for the heaven soaring spirit, too many lack what it takes to penetrate through the phenomenal veil of illusion and see pure Mind.  It is much easier to be a materialist.  Yes, we have plenty of institutions that are dedicated to helping us conform to  materialism.  

Let’s be frank, if we are going to make any profound changes in the present state of things we have to change our old ways of doing things.  We can’t, for example, be conformists when we know that by doing so we harm not only ourselves but others.  It becomes a huge moral hazard, in fact.  

 

Above all gods

I am going out on a limb by saying this, but the religions of Abraham don’t have anything close to resembling Buddhist ‘nirvana’ in the sense of a necessary attainment or awakening.  In this regard, the offspring of Abraham don’t attain anything.  A follower only has to believe and to follow—to be one of the mindless flock.  Eventually, God and his prophets will make everything turn out right—but this never happens.     

This is not religion.  The whole thing stinks.  The religions of Abraham smother spirit in a concerted effort to destroy it.  They put in its place a ridiculous mythology—a tall tale—made for the weakest of minds who are overly attached to the flesh; who wallow in materialism.

What a child of Abraham doesn’t want to hear is that every creature is animated by what is eternal and immortal.  More to the point, each of us is the immediacy of this animative spirit.  But we are unable to see or sense it because we are deeply bound by the animated—bewitched by it.  In our foolishness we give it a name.  We call it “Zeus” or “God” which further kills spirit.  We become even more blind.

When the Buddha began to teach sentient beings, the essence of his message was simple:  Mind, as pure spirit, must turn away from the flesh in order for it to realize itself.  This is nirvana.  Said again, nirvana is Mind or spirit beholding itself having completely penetrated through its illusory creations (samskrita).  Spirit finally awakens (buddha) to its sovereignty.  It is above all name and form; above all gods.

 

The lost children of the Buddha

Okay, time for a brain break.  I just came across this nice documentry film, Buddha’s Lost Children (2006) by Dutch director Mark Verkerk.  I really enjoyed this film.  This is a blub from the offical site.

In the borderlands of Thailand's Golden Triangle, a rugged region known for its drug smuggling and impoverished hill tribes, one man devotes himself to the welfare of the region's children. A former Thai boxer, turned Buddhist monk, Phra Khru Bah Neua Chai Kositto travels widely on horseback, fearlessly dispensing prayers and tough-love. With his Golden Horse Temple he's built an orphanage, school and clinic - a haven for the children of the region, who see him as a shaman, father figure and coach.

 

Let me say that Phra (monk) had an extraordinary spiritual experience that seemed to empower him and guide him on this special path.

The moment I became a monk, my heart and mind changed...I felt a great calm that I just couldn't explain...I ended up sitting on a rock for 15 days and 15 nights. 

I felt such a peace...and then a swarm of bees...built a nest around me and I couldn't move.

It was like a dream in which...the forest was filled with wise men...who taught me their Buddhist ways...When I finally awoke after the 15 days...the sun was bright and the bees were gone. 

 

The Confucian side of Zen

That the Western Dharma center or Zen center structure still contain somewhat of a Confucian underpinning in which the family model is central is not hard to see for anyone who have been involved with a Dharma center.  

Important in Confucianism are the Five Relationships.  Not quite five, nevertheless, Confucian style relationships are important in the Dharma or Zen center.  There is the teacher or Roshi's relationship with the members of the Dharma center.  In addition, there is a relationship with his or her most senior students as well as a relationship of senior students with beginners, and a beginner's relationship with other beginners.  Each relationship is hierarchical and yet reciprocal.  Each side has certain obligations and responsibilities to the other.

In Confucianism, rituals or observances constitute the mechanism by which these relationships are maintained.  Jiyu Kennett’s book, Selling Water by the River, is a good example of this mechanism as it is found, more or less, in Western Zen centers.  It is also a compendium of Zen rituals which even includes a funeral ceremony for a Zen priest including the proper layout such as where flowers are to be placed, including the memorial tablet, the candle, etc.  None of this, by the way, is found in the Buddhist canon—it is Confucianist in orientation.

The second part of Kennett’s book opens up with “How Junior Priests Must Behave in the Presence of Senior Priests.”  One observance (number five) instructs the junior Priest as follows:  “Do not laugh loudly, suddenly or with disrespect in the presence of a senior.”  In all, Kennett lists sixty-two observances.  

Turning abruptly to the subject of the realization of Buddha Mind and how Zen's underlying Confucian structure handles this most important part of Buddhism, this quote from Weiming Tu's book, Confucian Thought, might be helpful.

"The emphasis is on the concrete path by which one learns to be human rather than on the final goal of self-realization.  The idea of the Analects that filiality and brotherliness are the bases of humanity, properly interpreted, means that being filial and brotherly is the initial step towards realizing one's humanity" (p. 123).

In other words, so-called ‘enlightened conduct’ seems to be pivotal here—not the genuine realization of Buddha Mind, itself, which can happen outside of the Zen Confucian-like family.  When it comes to the Zen transmission it is really the transmission of the father's legacy to the son in a Confucian sense.  This transmission is supposed to help enlarge the influence of the particular Zen family.

Western Zennists, for the most part, are not following real Buddhism but unknowingly have entered into the Confucian matrix.  If Westerners are looking for Zen sans Confucianism they have to look at the life of the Indian anchorite (P., ishi; S., rishi) who purposely withdraws from the human world to focus, instead, on discovering its substance (tathata) which is transcendent.

 

So far we only see the problem

That we see only phenomena and not the noumenon or substance (tathata) from which they (phenomena) are composed (samskrita) demands some elaboration. Let me start by asking the reader of this blog, first of all, to imagine they are standing in a beautiful forest.  How about Yosemite valley? (Okay, make it any place you wish.)  What you are seeing is only phenomena—not for a split second the substance or tathata.  

Now imagine that you are doing zazen in a place free of large black or red ants, in this beautiful forest.  Do you really believe the minute that you sit in zazen you will suddenly behold the true substance of reality from which phenomena are fashioned?  Of course you won’t.  Whether you sit or stand, you are thoroughly bound up with phenomena by habit and ignorance (avidya). It takes an extraordinary amount of spiritual work to uncover the true substance of reality.  Sorry, but sitting in zazen might be relaxing and might even help you to get through the day, but it will not open the proper door to wisdom.  Back to our forest.

Everything that you see in this beautiful forest is a composition of a mysterious substance which you cannot yet see.  Yes, a Buddha and an advanced Bodhisattva can see it—but you can’t.  You’re still too intoxicated by phenomena.

“A man accustomed to pungent and bitter flavors all his life cannot think of, or assess, or believe in the sweet taste of honey or sugar” (Sandhinirmochana Sutra).

How one goes about seeing this substance (their true nature) is rather difficult to explain.  Suffice it to say, no one can see it by going the way of phenomena; being counseled by the senses.  Nor is there a phenomenal practice such as practicing zazen, for example, that can lead us to the noumenon.  By such a physical practice we will only arrive at where we are right now—again and again—where there is no enlightenment.  

“If ultimate truth and practices had no difference at all, everyone would already see the truth, and everyone would already have attained the highest expedient, tranquil nirvana, or they would have already attained supreme perfect enlightenment” (Sandhinirmochana Sutra). 

 

Our barren world is not Suchness

Our phenomenal world is barren of true reality which ever remains unborn, not-become, not-made, and not-compounded.  If our phenomenal world and true reality were exactly the same, then just by looking at any thing a being would become a Buddha instantly!  This is why the Samdhinirmocana Sutra says that “the character of the ultimate is not included in the character of the afflicted” which is all of phenomenal reality. 

We might also call true reality tathata or Suchness which I sometimes translate as ‘substance’ which means “essential nature.”  

To help provide a clearer picture of tathata here are some examples of how it is used in the Lankavatara Sutra. 

When the external world is not grasped [as real] there is neither causation nor reality; there is the essence of suchness (tathata), which is the [spiritual] realm of the wise.

Suchness (tathata), emptiness, realm of truth (dharmadhatu), the various forms of the will-body— these I call Mind-only.

[Relative] knowledge (vijnana) takes place where there is something resembling an external world; [transcendental] knowledge (jñâna)1 belongs to the realm of Suchness. When a turning-back (paravritta) takes place, there is a state of imagelessness, which is the realm of the wise.

When relative knowledge is purified by keeping itself aloof from discrimination, and detached from imagination, there is a turning-back to the abode of suchness.

When the [Yogin] enters upon Mind-only7, he will cease discriminating an external world; establishing himself where suchness has its asylum he will pass on to Mind-only.

What is established by a proposition (samaropa) is a proposition; suchness is theessence of mind; when this is clearly perceived, the Yogin attains the knowledge of Mind-only.

In Fa-tsang’s treatise, Wu-chiao-chang (T. 45, no. 1866), he describes tathata this way.

“Tathatâ [i.e., the absolute, Vairocana] has the meaning of existence, because it is the basis of error and enlightenment.  Also it means nonempty, because it is indestructible. . . .Also, tathatâ means emptiness, because it is divorced from characteristics, because it obeys conditions, and because it is opposed to impurity. . . .Also, tathatâ both exists and does not exist [i.e., is empty], because it is endowed with [both] qualities [of existence and emptiness]” (trans. F.H. Cook).

 

Look at the data stupid

Making up our own mind by looking at the data, in this case, the words of the Buddha, is a much better path of awakening than listening to a Zen teacher who claims to have the authority of the Buddha but whose real job is to teach his flock to follow what the Buddha never said or taught.

If we use the Dhammapada (ca. 300 B.C.) as our data base, we can certainly punch holes in the standard Zen belief that zazen (坐禅), or sitting meditation, is the crown jewel of the Buddha’s teaching.  Nowhere in the Dhammapada is the importance of ‘sitting meditation’ mentioned.  Instead, we find phrases like, “Those, who meditating (jhâyino) entered upon this path, will be released from the bond of Mara the Evil One” (276) or “There is no meditation (natthi jhânam) for the ignorant” (372).  The importance of sitting, in other words is never mentioned.

Understanding that Zen, which is jhâna in Pali, has nothing to do with sitting on one’s ass, the modern practice of the sesshin (lit. collecting mind) is not found in early Buddhism.  The sesshin generally  consists of doing zazen from one to seven days or even longer with breaks between sitting which include breaks for interviews, meals, chanting, work, etc. 

Ironically, the sesshin has nothing to do with bringing the Zen adept to an actual realization of pure Mind or Suchness (tathata).  This is because more is involved in such a difficult undertaking.  Zazen cannot reach Mind because Mind is transcendent even though it animates all sentient beings even when they are doing a sesshin!  Unfortunately, zazen and the sesshin serve more to hide what Buddhism is really about which is seeing Mind thus attaining liberation.

The importance of realizing Mind cannot be overstated in Buddhism and in the literature of traditional Zen.  In the Dhammapada we read:

“Mind to immateriality has gone (vi-sankhara-gatam cittam), desire’s end is accomplished” (157). 

And,

“Those who can master (samyamissanti) the mind (cittam), which strays, wandering alone, incorporeal, living enclosed (guhâsayam)—they will be liberated (mokkhanti) from the bond of Mara” (37). 

From the traditional literature of Zen we read what Zen master Huang-po says about Mind.

“This Mind is always intrinsically round and bright, illuminating everywhere.  People of the world don’t know it, and just recognize perception and cognition as Mind.”