Zen is a self study. Zennists do not awaken en masse. Only individuals awaken. The one who undertakes the study of Zen intends to plumb the depth of their being hopefully to reach the very core of reality.
In order to get to this core each person has to make certain decisions. Each decision will determine whether or not they make it. In other words bad decisions are very real. We can and do make bad decisions every day of our lives. Part of the general decision making process is cultural which of course relates to certain ideas and beliefs besides other things such as customs and social behavior.
Zen taken as a religion doesn’t connect all that well with the Western idea of religion. Zen is a cultural anomaly—an outsider. When looked at through the lens of the Chinese history of religion, Zen finds its place. But not so in the West. In this regard, the various decisions the individual Zennist will make are more than likely decisions that will cause them to fall short of Zen’s real goal in order to stay within their culture.
There comes a time when we have to make a huge decision: to immerse our self in seeking our true nature (real Zen) or stay, more or less, within our culture.
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