Words

[RichardH]

Daizan, Taigu spoke about a chapter you are invited to read, digest, spit and play with: Painted rice cakes, Gabyo Shobogenzo.

And of course it is not about painting...

As to heaven and earth, let's leave them alone. They do pretty well by themselves.

illetarate and clumsy with brushes, Taigu

Hello Taigu.

I will read, digest, spit and play with: Painted rice cakes. Thank you for the invitation.

As to heaven and earth, let's leave them alone. They do pretty well by themselves

Thank you.



Gassho. Daizan

[Jundo]

Sometimes Zen Teachers say things that sound strange and mysterious because the Buddha's Way of encountering life is not our ordinary way of thinking about it. In Zen, sometimes a river is a mountain. Sometimes a poem or a gesture or a scream is needed to remind us to get past ourselves and the "ordinary way of thinking". A Koan.

But sometimes a lot of Zen Wisdom can actually be written in clear and simple prose that people can understand with the ordinary mind. Not every darn thing that is said about Zen Practice has always to be "strange and mysterious". Some of it actually "makes sense" even to our usual way of understanding. Even some of the stuff beyond our "normal way of thinking" can be explained directly in ways which make sense to our "normal way of thinking". Yet, some folks think that ... if they can clearly and fully understand what is being said, and it does not sound like an exotic and somewhat off the wall-ish Koan, then it "can't be real Zen" because it is as simple and understandable as a recipe for tomato soup! But some of this Way -is- as simple as soup. I call such direct, helpful & simple prose statements "Koan-swers".

Sometimes supposed Zen Teachers and Practitioners say things that sound strange and mysterious because they are themselves not so clear in their own heart-mind on the Clear. They are sincere, but think that any strange and mysterious thing that rolls out of their mouth, stream of consciousnessly, is Zen Wisdom simply because it sounds strange and mysterious. They are just confused. Such folks are all over the internet babbling Koan-ish nonsense ... I call these babbles "groaning Gro-ans" and "No-ans". Some others just throw onto their Buddhist blogs whatever silly or half baked thing they seem to pull out of their Buddha-butt. I call such silly and crazy things ... "Come-ans!" These are -not- the same as the strange and mysterious ... yet insightful ... ways described in the first Paragraph above.

Even worse, sometimes supposed Zen Teachers know somewhere in their hearts that they are not so clear and don't really have a clue, but try to intentionally obfuscate that fact by babbling all kinds of strange and mysterious sounding non-sequiturs just to sound like they are saying something wise, maybe just to amaze their "students" or sell a book. I call these "Koan-cons" or "Put-ans". It is very hard for poor students, especially new comers, to tell the difference (even sometimes old comers around these people can be fooled for decades!). For example, there is one Zen Teacher on another internet forum who regularly says things like this. I just scratch my head and go sit ...

It is so hard for you poor Zen Practitioners to try to discern what is Buddha and what just Bull.

Gassho, J