Hi Bill, I agree with your description of the two practices. Yes, I do differentiate non-grasping and repressing or avoidance, although when I find myself avoiding something I will sometimes label it as such - "avoidance" - and then let go of that internal process.
I am new to the conceptual practices of Zen, so ideas such as "non-verbal transmission" are still above my head. Maybe some things Zen will always be "above my head." Thanks for your input. Sean ----- Original Message ---- From: Bill Smart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 5, 2008 10:53:17 PM Subject: [Zen] Re: zazen Sean, Sorry for the tardy reply, but I did not get your posting via email as I normally do. I logged into the site today and saw your post. I am not an expert in Vipassana, but I do live in Thailand where Vipassana is widely practiced and have spent a short time at a Vipassana training center and believe I do have some knowledge of it and its teachings. Your description of Vipassana meditation, '...sitting and not grasping any thoughts, emotions, experience, etc,...', is also completely applicable to zazen. I think it is important, however, to emphasis that 'not grasping' does not mean 'rejecting' or 'avoiding'. 'Not grasping' means 'not holding onto', or 'not forming attachments to' thoughts, emotions, experience, etc... >From my experiences and observations the major differences between Vispanna and zen are in the rites and rituals, rather than the meditation. Also, as far as I can tell Vipassana does not recognize mind-to-mind (non-verbal) transmission which goes to the core of zen teaching. Hope this helps. Let me know what you thnk. ...Bill!
