Mike,
I did at one time study Zen Buddhism. I was a formal student (every day)
starting in the late 1960's for about 5 years, a part-time student (a couple
times a week) for about 5 more and a remote student (corresponded and visited a
couple times a year)until the mid 1990's.
Although we were given some instruction in Buddhism proper the focus was zen,
and in my case koan study and shikantaza.
My first zen master was a lay zen master, which means he was not a Buddhist
priest. He purposely chose not to be a priest because he thought the then
Japanese Zen Buddhist priesthood was corrupt. Once when it the time for the
periodic Jukai ceremony (ordination to become a Buddhist) I told him I could
not be in town then and asked him if it was necessary for me to become a
Buddhist to continue my koan study with him. He told me it was not necessary
and that I should only take the precepts if I felt compelled to do so. I
didn't go through Jukai then and never have. We never mentioned it again,
although when he returned to Japan (he was very old) and I was passed onto to
his dharma-successor I think he must have briefed him on this because this 2nd
zen master never asked me about Jukai.
...Bill!
--- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, uerusuboyo@... wrote:
>
> Bill!,<br/><br/>What happened in your past? A Buddhist monk steal your
> girlfriend from you or something?? You're so way off understanding what
> Buddhism is. Can you honestly say you've studied Buddhism or are you just
> going by what you see lay followers in Thailand do? Do you really think John
> in accounts, who does a Zen sit once a week and has passed Mu, is more awake
> than the Dalai Lama or the monks who practice in the forests of Thailand or
> the mountains in Tibet?<br/><br/>Mike <br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail
> for iPad
>
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