Dear All,
Hope you'll forgive my presumption in asking for help after chronically lurking for so long. (Weirdly, I've felt a bit shy about talking about Zen teachings.) I'm trying to think of a name for a little Blog and journal I want to start on my travels in Zen and other things (stoicism), along the lines of 'growing pains of a dharma farmer.'
In coming years, I want to use the Blog for several things. I want to explore the Pali Canon and old Buddhist stories like the Jataka tales. Given once upon a time Chinese monks had to walk for years through bandit-infested mountain ranges accompanied by pig and monkey spirits, it's amazing cool we can just download the scriptures. Then there's the Shobogenzo, of course. Finally, I want to track where teachings like Stoicism and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy collide with Buddhism.
There's always a danger of getting trapped in thoughts and the academic game. But academic study is a valid part of the path, as long as we don't get caught up in it or forget to just sit, avoid harm, divisive speech etc.
"I don't recommend any imagery of rains, moons, winds, waves or misty Chinese mountain tops," said one elderly Zen teacher, "they've all been done. In the '70s." Indeed, my first thoughts were names like 'Dharma Rain' (done), 'Broken Moon' (done), Untangled Vines (done.). My next thought was 'Dogen's Bogan' - Bogan being a kind of irreverent term for Australian white trash with no taste, often used affectionately between friends (you're such a Bogan in those 80s acid-wash jeans, Jundo.)
So here's the shortlist:
Chasing Tumbleweed. Some Christians have beaten me to it, but they seem to be a forgiving lot. http://community.church/chasing-tumbleweeds-tumbleweed/
Arrowroot and Wisteria. This is a line from the Shobogenzo (I think), which many here will know. It sprang from 'Untangled Vines', the idea being that we're hoping to untangle the infernal Arrowroot and Wisteria of Dhukka.
Slouching Towards Mu. We don't seem to be so big on Mu at Treeleaf (for Vegans throw in moo too), but the name captures imperfect and stumbling efforts to get there and sneaks in a Yeats reference.
My current favorite:
Fragments and Mud. We're looking for fragments in the mud which we then try to piece together. With our imperfect understandings and habitual states of mind, the teachings are only fragments in the mud until we put them together like a jigsaw puzzle.
But is mud too icky an image?
Thoughts and votes much welcomed.
Tom
Hope you'll forgive my presumption in asking for help after chronically lurking for so long. (Weirdly, I've felt a bit shy about talking about Zen teachings.) I'm trying to think of a name for a little Blog and journal I want to start on my travels in Zen and other things (stoicism), along the lines of 'growing pains of a dharma farmer.'
In coming years, I want to use the Blog for several things. I want to explore the Pali Canon and old Buddhist stories like the Jataka tales. Given once upon a time Chinese monks had to walk for years through bandit-infested mountain ranges accompanied by pig and monkey spirits, it's amazing cool we can just download the scriptures. Then there's the Shobogenzo, of course. Finally, I want to track where teachings like Stoicism and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy collide with Buddhism.
There's always a danger of getting trapped in thoughts and the academic game. But academic study is a valid part of the path, as long as we don't get caught up in it or forget to just sit, avoid harm, divisive speech etc.
"I don't recommend any imagery of rains, moons, winds, waves or misty Chinese mountain tops," said one elderly Zen teacher, "they've all been done. In the '70s." Indeed, my first thoughts were names like 'Dharma Rain' (done), 'Broken Moon' (done), Untangled Vines (done.). My next thought was 'Dogen's Bogan' - Bogan being a kind of irreverent term for Australian white trash with no taste, often used affectionately between friends (you're such a Bogan in those 80s acid-wash jeans, Jundo.)
So here's the shortlist:
Chasing Tumbleweed. Some Christians have beaten me to it, but they seem to be a forgiving lot. http://community.church/chasing-tumbleweeds-tumbleweed/
Arrowroot and Wisteria. This is a line from the Shobogenzo (I think), which many here will know. It sprang from 'Untangled Vines', the idea being that we're hoping to untangle the infernal Arrowroot and Wisteria of Dhukka.
Slouching Towards Mu. We don't seem to be so big on Mu at Treeleaf (for Vegans throw in moo too), but the name captures imperfect and stumbling efforts to get there and sneaks in a Yeats reference.
My current favorite:
Fragments and Mud. We're looking for fragments in the mud which we then try to piece together. With our imperfect understandings and habitual states of mind, the teachings are only fragments in the mud until we put them together like a jigsaw puzzle.
But is mud too icky an image?
Thoughts and votes much welcomed.
Tom
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