joe i beg to differ..in some circles there were no chiefs..but gathering of elders..women and men...merle Merle,
It's ancient. Every old community in cave-man/cave-woman _homo-sapiens_ time (NOT Neanderthal!) had Chiefs. The Chiefs passed down the wisdom and experience of the *community* (sangha) to each generation in turn, before their death(s), via something called "transmission". This is still done today, in Zen circles. It is quite a responsibility to receive -- and hence to carry -- the transmission. You must find a new repository for it: a youngster. Or, at least, someone who will live longer than YOU do, so the vessel's all-important contents are not lost. But, I speak too plainly. Don't repeat this! --Joe > Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > > hey joe... > > if you don't mind me butting in... > > who was the very first person to embrace zen?... > > or let's put it this way..the originator?.. > > surely it's not something startlingly new?... > > surely even in the cave era..( early man) there would have been a few zen > folk amongst the midst.. > > tis it not a way to view the world.... or interact with the world.. > > .and i was under the impression zen went to the nitty gritty.. > > the heart of the matter with out all the" fluff, bubble and endless reams of > "homework" as you put it... > > you dive into the cold salty pool head first so to speak.... > > your thoughts?.. > > merle
