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.”

 

Comments

[minx]

My master told me;

"Following the Buddha, aspiring with all your might and soul to become a Buddha, means, that on the long run, you can't loose because you join the ranks of non-returners, bodhisattvas and Buddhas. Following anything lesser, like me or similar apparitions, makes you into a mere parrot of little wisdom and no power to break the chains of samsara, which essentially makes you a spiritual looser on the long run."

[gkruz]

So where in the Dhammapada are koans mentioned?

[David Ashton]

OK I see what you are saying. But you don't see any benefit of shikantaza in nurturing the development of awareness of interpenetrating nonduality?

[Kojizen]

David Ashton, It is easy to reject the Buddha's teachings for a variety of reasons. On the other hand, is easy to accept the Buddha's teachings for a number of reasons and eventually come to the same gnosis that he did. Where I have the problem is with those who claim to be Buddhists but reject various elements of the Buddha's teaching the way Stephen Batchelor has done. Turning to Zen, koans might be more effective than zazen. Zazen, pretty much, is a waste of time as a means by which to enter the gateless gate.

[David Ashton]

So assuming I am an ordinary human, does this not mean that I should heed the Buddha's admonition and test the truth of the Dhammapada for myself, rather than use it as a collection of fundamental principles upon which to build logical arguments and draw conclusions?

If those who have yet to verify the Buddha's teachings for themselves are advised not to accept words at face value, they should not simply accept your reasoning or anyone else's.

On the question of Zen practice, is it not true that if awakening can be considered an "accident", then zazen and koan introspection tends to make us more "accident prone".

If not, is there a practice that you recommend as being more likely to be effective?