Don't expect too much of Zen. Expect everything from Zen!

[disastermouse]

Hey all,

Zen is the oddest religion and the most 'normal' religion - at the same time! I think people get down when they realize that their teachers and sanghas are just human like everyone else. We all want to look good in the eyes of others. People become jealous, hurt - petty rivalries ensue. People are people. And yet also caring, truth-seeking, and kind. Today's sanghas are not different than others throughout Buddhist history in this way, I think.

But these splinters in our social interactions are also practice, I think.

Chet

[Myoku]

... I absolutely share your view,
_()_
Myoku

[Hans]

Hello,

thank you for your post. Just my confused Unsui-two-cents coming up

I always consider it a blessing that our ancestors down to the Buddha where all humans with warts, bad breath and a temper. Otherwise how could their examples and teachings ever become meaningful to my life as actual practise? If we make all those countless teachers into infallible Gods and Godesses, we might just as well embrace a theist religion instead.


Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Myozan Kodo]

Yes. And humans can manifest actions that are lowly or noble?
Gassho
Myozan

[Kyonin]

No gods, no epic heroes nor clouded view of the world.

Reality is what we must learn to see, even if it's hurtful and at the same time beautiful.

That's why I am in Zen.

[gilles]

thX
i'll sit on that

gassho
gilles

[Kaishin]

Someone recently used the metaphor of a rock tumbler (maybe it was you?). I rather like that notion. We're a bunch of jagged shards slamming into each other, bit by bit, slowly but surely, rounded out and smoothing some of those sharp edges. But even a lifetime in the tumbler won't make us perfectly round and shiny!

_/_

[pinoybuddhist]

But these splinters in our social interactions are also practice, I think.

Chet

_/|_