Originally Posted by
cyril
Originally Posted by
Taylor
...
Ikkyu and Ryokan are my teachers long passed. Dogen shows me the way to sit, to hold myself, and the significance of this and that (granted, my reading is limited, but what isn't?). But Ikkyu and Ryokan show how beauty is found even in sorrow, peace among turmoil, humanity among the idealistic notions of teachers. I like to think that I'd speak with Dogen for questions on philosophy, but share a hut and some tea (or sake, really) with Ikkyu and Ryokan just to taste the taste.
Gassho
Taylor
Good perspective... I was thinking much more directly, but this is true as well. In a sense, the entire lineage of realized Zen practitioners could be said to be our teachers in Zen.
I must say, I get a little weary when I hear people talk about their teachers being writers. Yes, I understand the concept of transmission and lineage and all that jazz. However, they are simply writers and all you really know of them is a book. They are the equivalent of characters in a Stephen King novel, only Dogen had something to say worth reading... I learn every day from the books I read and love them dearly but to use the term teacher in this context I feel is a little wonky to say the least.
Example: I have read the Satanic Bible and honestly, I loved it. There are some parts of it that are seriously delusional and there are parts that are shear genius. I say again, I loved it and learned a lot from it. Anton LaVey is in no way a teacher of mine. But I am also not a Satanist so I guess maybe that is why...
Maybe I have no room for comparison to what my idea of a teacher is. I have never had a "spiritual teacher" of any sort. Agreed, probably a large part of my "spiritual problems." I continually see Jundo as more and more my "teacher" every day. Especially when we speak. I have the utmost respect for him and am growing into that student roll all the time. I think there will be a time very soon where we would most definitely accept each other in that student/teacher relationship. That sort of relationship be it online or face to face, can never equate to words in a book, in my opinion. Just my two cents, not sure if Mr. Gotama would consider this right and useful speech, figure I'd throw it out there anyhow.
Gassho,
Rob.