Now that I’ve published several different posts here at Zero and Zen, I thought now would be a good time to do a little bit of an overview as to what I do — and don’t — want to cover here. There are some things I’m very excited to talk about, and others I have almost no desire whatsoever to talk about — and I’d like to use this post to discuss both.
Let’s begin with what I do plan on delving into:
1.) Personal Insight Experiences
When I say “personal” insight experiences, I don’t necessarily mean they’ll be just my experiences. I will cover other people’s experiences as well. Either way, since insight into the nature of reality is so central to the practice of zazen (sitting meditation), this will make up a major part of the content. How could it not, right? What else are we here for? In this sense, this blog will serve as a travelogue, of sorts. Perhaps we should call it a “dharma-log”?
2.) Current Events
I’m not interested in getting too caught up in the minutia of political discussion. So don’t expect to see too much of that (there’s plenty of that going on elsewhere, anyway). What I am interested in discussing is the hidden, unspoken assumptions that lie behind so much of the way our modern Western culture operates. These are the silent dictators that have so much sway.
3.) Zen in the West
While this won’t be a place to delve too deeply into all things Buddhism (again, there are plenty of other places on the Web to find that kind of discussion), I am interested in discussing the ongoing adaptation and evolution of Zen in the West. And, in case you haven’t already realized, when I say “Zen”, I kind of mean Zen Buddhism, but not exactly. In many ways I’m most often referring to an evolving phenomenon of post-Buddhist or trans-Buddhist Zen.
Now on to what you can almost certainly expect to NOT find here in the future:
1.) Comparing Various Buddhist Traditions and Schools
Once again, if this is your interest, there are plenty of places online to study this to your heart’s content — Wikipedia’s Buddhism page being one! Don’t expect that here, though. And not just because it’s not all that interesting to me (it is, actually, to a degree), but because I really want to focus on the direct insight that comes from the practice of zazen. The cat’s kind of already out of the bag on that one if you’ve read my first few posts.
2.) Opinions About What Ancient Buddhists Actually Meant
Because I’ve actually studied a lot of religious history, in original languages to boot, with cultural context thrown in for good measure, I certainly recognize the importance of this. However, that’s just not what I want the focus of this site to be. Again, I’m interested in discussing what’s arising — here and now, through direct insight. And if I touch on historical figures, it will likely only be in the context of that kind of reflection.
I think that’s a pretty good road map, for now. And maybe this will give you, dear reader, an opportunity to decide if you think this particular site is likely to tickle your fancy, as it were – or not.
One last point about human nature. One of the reasons why I don’t plan on getting into the minutia of the inner-workings of Buddhism, per se, (whether modern or ancient) is that, in my experience, the differences (read: the divisions) that tend to rise up within religious and spiritual and philosophical traditions have a lot more to do with human nature than they do with any particular religion, spirituality, or philosophy.
Truth be told, if I had a dime for every occasion when an inter-Buddhist debate about canon or reincarnation (pick your poison, literally!) left me with an all-too familiar (dis)taste of similar debates within Christianity, I’d be your proverbial rich man. These debates that rise up provide insight, more than anything else, into our common human fears and subsequent delusions. We, it seems, are constantly bargaining with the infinite. And that manifests in these inter-religious (as well as cross-religious, of course!) debates.
I’m not interested in the debates. I am, however, interested in the fears, delusions, and bargaining that lie behind them. So expect little of the former, plenty of the latter.
Lastly, if these matters interest you as well, then I hope you’ll join me in discussing them. I enjoy respectful dialog and discussion (both when we see eye to eye, and even when we don’t). So consider this an open invitation to your participation. To participate you can either leave a comment, or, if you’d prefer, write me through my contact page. I will do my best to respond to everyone who writes me.
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