Mike,
Yes, the way some people talk sometimes, you'd think Zen has nothing to do with
ANYTHING... which is not the case (I don't mean you, Mike!).
Some say that precepts have nothing to do with Zen; that would be a fair
judgement, if these people knew Zen intimately.
Precepts, however, have everything to do with Zen PRACTICE.
But Zen Practice is an endeavor or engagement that escapes through the cracks
in the mere-intellectual's mind who thinks he/she "knows" about Zen, and who,
hence, does not know it intimately (which is the only way to know it).
I'd say that for someone wishing to awaken for the first time, Precepts are a
good tool to keep close to, and _vice versa_. Just as Zazen is. And our many
other practices. And for someone wishing to remain awake, Precepts are just as
important. As we all find out!
In some schools, Precepts are practiced LAST, after a mature student has passed
through the entire Koan curriculum consisting of the koans of the Mumonkan,
Blue Cliff Record, Book of Serenity, AND the Nanto or "hard" koans; some also
add the Warrior koans.
Precepts are not trifling, nor to be trifled with, in general.
Precepts are tools for Awakening. No wonder some don't recognize them!
Precepts are simply the behavior of a Buddha.
We know that there are some poseurs who claim to have nothing to do with them
because the same poseurs in fact have nothing to do with Practice (!), and,
demonstrably, neither have they ever awakened (and time is shorter, now, all
the time...).
No skin off our teeth! But, we rail against the blatherings of such slackers
-- self-satisfied, merely intellectual ego-maniacs, slanderers, and
rumor-mongers -- here, for the damage they may do to practitioners who are
nowadays beginning, or hearing about "Precepts" for the first, second, or third
time, say, before beginning a formal or fundamental practice at home or
elsewhere, which is undertaken as more than a lark.
Recriminations such as this may not be popular; I think that's natural, and
good.
--Joe
> uerusuboyo@... wrote:
Edgar,
You're quite correct. Day visitors and temple sight-seers don't need to take
any precepts as long as they don't disturb the serious meditators ; )
Mike
Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone
> Edgar wrote:
More true believer orthodox crap from Joe! Zen has nothing to do with taking
any precepts.....
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