Notes on Contemporary Zen

Some interesting thoughts from Fred Rossini on learning Zen, including this:

"It is fortunate that Zen is not dependent on 'things' as our lives are already cluttered with things."

Tell me about it.

Zen Habits blog

First, I love Zen. I named one of my dogs Zen. I’ve read it, tried it, love its simple philosophy, love the meditation and love the aesthetics.

But I chose Zen Habits as the title of my blog because it describes the philosophy of the blog in a concise way.

This blog is really about setting and achieving goals, and the numerous goals that I want to achieve. But I believe that goals — especially ones that are worth reaching — are ultimately achieved through the building of good habits. Do I want to complete a marathon? Then I must cultivate the habit of running 4-5 times a week. I must cultivate the habit of positive thinking. It also helps to become an early riser, a healthy eater, and a non-smoker, as I’ve done.

These habits are not born overnight. You can’t tell yourself, “Hey, self, I am going to become an early riser, starting tomorrow morning!” Well, you can tell yourself that, but if you think that it’s going to happen so quickly, you are clearly delusional.

No, these habits must be cultivated through daily practice. It is my belief that you must practice a habit, as focused as possible, every day for a month. When I only do it for a week, it doesn’t take hold. But when I’ve done it for a month or longer, it does. And that doesn’t mean that I’m successful each and every day … but the important thing is that I try, and when I fail, I learn from those mistakes.

In addition to the habits, I hope to post Zen-related stuff now and then, just to give me a peaceful feeling and to justify the use of the cool blog name.

Oh, Woah We're Halfway There!

Brad Warner rants about enlightenment:

"Enlightenment is always just over the next hill, available if only you’d just do this one more thing, and do it sincerely, cuz if you don’t do it sincerely it won’t work, but if you have trouble doing it sincerely send me your credit card number and I’ll help you out. That’s the nature of Enlightenment, that it’s just around the next bend. Or maybe the one after that. Or maybe after those three and a bunch of hills. But it’s always off in the distance. Not here.

And it will always be off in the distance because there’s nowhere else it can be. The very definition of Enlightenment might as well be “off in the distance.”"

Harcore Zen: Om and Ego

Interesting post by Brad Warner about ego:

"it's not that we seek to destroy the ego, so much as to realize it's just a useful fiction. Shunryu Suzuki said that we have a personal self that appears and disappears. It's not a fixed thing. It exists in order that the universe might express itself, not in order that I can express my self."

More Zen marketing: Zen Zone | Spa | Things To Do in Walt Disney World

Good to know that Disney is promoting Zen. Or at least, the popular misconception that "Zen" means "expensive spa":

"Treat yourself and those you love with the gift of pure relaxation at this mecca of massage in Pleasure Island. Sample water massage chairs, beds, and other therapeutic accessories for the latest in luxury and comfort."

Confusion_is_the_Mother_of_Wisdom

I found this interesting, thinking of skin purely as one more sensory organ rather than the boundary between inside and outside:

"The people that you meet, the things that you do, arise within your experience. They are not outside of you. You might believe that your skin forms a kind of boundary between you and the world, but the skin is in fact simply another way of knowing the world. Do you feel the clothes on your back and on your legs? Do you feel the temperature of the room? This is what the skin does. It knows. It is aware and alive."

Zen and Culture

Interesting answer to a question about Zen and culture; here's a taste:

"Some people think that Japanese culture is the same as Zen and that Zen is a Japanese thing. These people understand nothing. Zen is originally Indian. It is also Chinese. And then it was practised in Japan when Dogen zenji opened Kannon-dori-in. There is also Korean Zen. Now Zen is in Canada, America, Europe. Zen is about the art of being human, not any culture. Mind and body have no culture. Zen has no place because all places, all lands, nations, mountains and rivers are in the Mind of the Buddhas and this Mind is Zen."

Zen Insight: Emptiness: The Cup is Empty, Long Live the Cup!

Interesting discussion of Emptiness, which includes this story:

"There was once a man who swept roads for a living. One morning he was sitting down with a friend and said 'You know I've had this broom for 17 years, this broom is my best and oldest companion'. The friend was amazed, '17 Years? That's a long time!'. The road sweeper explained, 'Yes it is! I've only changed the handle 8 times and the brush 5 times.'."

Also of interest is this somewhat academic discussion of what Inherent Existence means.

New book: "The Zen of Meeting Women"

Just when you thought the power of Zen had been applied to every task, great and small . . .

"The Zen of Meeting Women is a milestone in the genre, combining for the first time the fundamental principals of Zen with the age-old quest for the perfect mate."

Hardcore Zen: responses to email

Some interesting thoughts from the always interesting Brad Warner:

"In order to live among your fellow human beings you need to be conversant with and able to navigate your way through the consensus view of reality held by most members of the society of which you’re a part. The problem is that this consensus view of reality is utterly mistaken. Buddhist practice can help you see through the consensus view and get to the underlying reality. But you need to take this process very slowly."

Dharma Seed - Dharma Talks

Buddhist Dharma talks available for download (as MP3) or streaming. Includes "Quiet the Mind, Open the Heart", "Self & Society", and "Supporting and Deepening Daily Life Practice". Worth checking out.

What is Zazen?

Part of Zenguide.com's guide to meditation:

"'Zen' is not simply a device for centering and calming the mind but also embracing the wisdom of enlightenment."