Mystics and Zen Masters by Thomas Merton
Gassho to all...
I have been reading Mystics and Zen Masters by Thomas Merton, who was a Trappist monk and lived through the first half of the 20th century (1915-1968). Even though I have given up on Christianity as a dogmatic faith, I still value much of what Christian authors have to say- especially when they are willing to apply what they believe to the wider human audience in a context of spirituality (in general.)
I have come across two quotes from this book that stuck with me, and wondered what you thought of them. The first is from a discussion of Taoism, which Merton links with Zen in his writings:
"The sage, then, accomplishes very much indeed because it is the Tao that acts in him and through him. He does not act of and by himself alone. His action is not a violent manipulation of exterior reality, an "attack" on the outside world, bending it to his conquering will: on the contrary, he respects external reality by yielding to it, and his yielding is at once an act of worship, a recognition of sacredness, and a perfect accomplishment of what is demanded by the precise situation. The world is a sacred vessel which must not be tampered with or grabbed after. To tamper with it is to spoil it, and to grasp it is to lose it."
The second refers also to the "sage" of Taoism, but more specifically to his character:
"The sage, or the man who has discovered the secret of the Tao, has not acquired any special esoteric knowledge that sets him apart from others and makes him smarter than they are. On the contrary, he is from a certain point of view more stupid and exteriorly less remarkable. He is dim and obscure. While everyone else exults over success as over a sacrificial ox, he alone is silent, 'like a babe who has not yet smiled.' Though he has in fact returned to the root, the Tao, he appears to be the only one who has no home to return to."
These quotes seem to me at once insightful and perhaps stretching the metaphor as he attempts to incorporate Zen ideas into his Catholic faith. This is why I have posted them: am I biased when I recognize the metaphors and connections he proposes, and doubt their legitimacy because of the "connection?" Or has Merton actually figured out how to draw from "faith" in general and connect disparate cultures and times in their search for truth? This is an important matter for me, because as any former Christian may know, to leave the Christian faith can be difficult and frightening- it is necessary to abandon a belief in eternal damnation, the existence of an eternal static afterlife of either bliss or pain. I was indoctrinated from about age 6, and was lucky to have fairly secular parents who couldn't "stick with it" at church. By the time I was a teenager, we didn't have any focus on Christianity in my house, which made it much easier for me to explore alternatives. I am, however, hounded by the possibility that Christian theology contains a nugget of truth. That's the nugget I want to find! Does anyone else think Merton was successful in shining a light on the "truth" shared between Christianity and Buddhism?
Mystics and Zen Masters by Thomas Merton
I believe that there are universal human truths expressed in various traditions that reflect the historical, cultural, and political contexts of those traditions. They serve as the basis for a narrative which gives identity to a particular group of people. Often in addition to the these universal truths (love, compassion, forgiveness, etc) statements are added given the particulars of a historical situation which serve to identify a group of believers as privileged or unique - often political purposes are served, as in the case of Constantine and the Nicean controversy and ensuing ecumenical councils, or the disputes between the western and eastern churches. Examples exist similarly in Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism, to name a few.
Even in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism there are alliances between religion and the state which accommodate the agendas of both - the challenge is to separate the wheat from the chaff - all the worlds traditions share commonality in the essential message of basic human qualities of love and fellowship. This gets lost in the struggles for power over the centuries. When religious figures exhort followers to kill or subjugate others it is usually political purposes that are being served. Selective readings of scripture usually support these positions.
My opinion only.
Monastic,, ascetic and solitary practices have common ground between many of the worlds traditions. Merton had a great dialogue with Asian practitioners and teachers. Zen and the Birds of Appetite discusses this, and his Asian Journals are important as well. Whether we are discussing Shikantaza, hesychasm, or salat/ijtihad, interfaith dialogue and exploration in this area can be very fruitful.
Deep bows
Yugen
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