tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756920.post8205035789068097332..comments2024-01-08T06:21:35.864-08:00Comments on Notes in Samsara: More about zazen and "brainwashing"Mumon Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01116967568502451788noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756920.post-1908509827213688062010-03-17T13:05:40.032-07:002010-03-17T13:05:40.032-07:00Barry,
I agree with a lot of what you wrote here, ...Barry,<br />I agree with a lot of what you wrote here, especially your view that meditation is detached from the rest of one's life practice.<br /><br />However, I do think there is a merit in Brad talking about a role as guitar teacher; but also as "coach," but not in the football coach mode, but more (but not entirely) in the mode of the stereotypically cheesy martial arts movie. Only regarding "coaching" or "training" meant for the goals of Buddhist practice.<br /><br /><br />Where Brad says:<br /><br /><i>"Good Zen teachers shouldn't try to unify what they teach any more than poets should try to make their poems all sound the same or novelists should try to write the same book. That would be counter to their art."</i><br /><br />I think they should refine or constantly try to improve their teaching the way you indicate great teachers do. <br /><br />I'm not sure that's "unified," in any sense as either you or Warner mean.<br /><br />Thanks!Mumon Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01116967568502451788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756920.post-25665766227113909132010-03-17T12:06:34.478-07:002010-03-17T12:06:34.478-07:00I rarely follow or comment on the various controve...I rarely follow or comment on the various controversies that swirl around the Buddhist online community, as most of them seem to me self-inflicted.<br /><br />However, I did see the recent post by Brad Warner. Since Warner Roshi has made it clear that he doesn't concern himself with comments on his blog, it seemed pointless to comment there...so I'll inflict my thoughts on you!<br /><br />I responded to his post rather differently than you (or, more precisely, to different parts of his post).<br /><br />To draw an analogy with the role of the Zen teacher, Warner wrote, "...I could teach someone the basics of the instrument [guitar]...once I have instructed you, how you use that knowledge isn't really my business."<br /><br />This suggests that Warner thinks of meditation as something rather clinical and detached from the world at large. Every important Zen master, dating back to Bodhidharma, has concerned themselves with how their students use the teaching. Modern teachers, such as Aitken Roshi, have written book about how dharma teaching and studying come alive through engaged living. Ancient teachers, such as Pai Chang, developed codes of conduct to govern how students interact with the world.<br /><br />I just can't imagine a genuine teacher who isn't concerned with how students live in the world. (I mean, isn't that the point of the Bodhisattva Way?)<br /><br />Warner also writes, "Good Zen teachers shouldn't try to unify what they teach any more than poets should try to make their poems all sound the same or novelists should try to write the same book. That would be counter to their art."<br /><br />This viewpoint would probably come as news to the great teacher in the Zen tradition. The ancient teachers - Bodhidharma, Matsu, Linchi, Dongshan, and Dogen, just to name a few - worked tirelessly to organize and systematize their teachings.<br /><br />Many modern teachers, including Zen Master Seung Sahn, Suzuki Roshi, Aitken Roshi and Tarrant Roshi have also "unified" their teaching in ways that are important and profound.<br /><br />Perhaps Warner has something deeper in mind than he conveyed in his short comment. But the burden is on him to express himself with clarity and accuracy.<br /><br />Okay, now I've put my foot in it. Better go take a shower...Barryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09412033978642026623noreply@blogger.com