My impression these many years, studying Chinese and Japanese Buddhism and culture, is that generally the Chinese and Japanese are more accepting and loving of life. Thus, no, there is not generally a tendency in Zen Buddhism that this life is totally beyond redemption, and our goal is to totally turn out backs on the world, hopefully never having to be born in it again. Rather, the tendency in Zen is to be totally free of
samsara (this ordinary and often difficult world of division) while yet up to our necks in
samsara, and I am personally in such camp too.
By the way, modern Western "insight" meditation and Vipassana also seems much more life embracing than traditional Theravada Buddhism from South Asia.
Dukkha (the sticky wheel of friction and resistance) does Suck-a, but Sukkha (the wheel that spins freely) no Suck-a.
Our "trick" in Zen, if ya ask me, is to see through Dukkka ... to the wholeness and flowing reality without division in which no friction and resistance is possible ... even while and as we are still caught in life's ordinary Dukkha with its natural frictions, divisions and resistance. Cake and eat it too. (Or, as our Mexican friend Yaxkin phrased it with me during our Zazenkai yesterday, "Two sides of the no sided Tortilla that rolls up as the Whole Enchilada"
).
We experience that wholeness so whole and undivided that even the terms and comparison of "Dukkha vs. Sukkha" (Suck-a vs. No Suck-a
) are dropped away, thus leaving a kind of
Super Sukkha! (need to copyright that)
In the meantime, while here in Samsara, we do as Kyoshin says and try to be moderate, not getting too trapped in the dangers of Samsara. We experience Dukkha, avoid the excesses of Dukkha, try to change what we can while accepting the parts of life we cannot change, AND see right through "Dukkha/No Dukkha" all at once!
Gassho, J
STLah
Gassho, J
STLah