![]() This is the sort of mental absorption that the Blessed One did not praise.” Making that uncertainty the focal point, he absorbs himself with it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it. He does not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from uncertainty once it has arisen. “He dwells with his awareness overcome by uncertainty, seized with uncertainty. “He dwells with his awareness overcome by restlessness & anxiety …. “He dwells with his awareness overcome by sloth & drowsiness …. “He dwells with his awareness overcome by ill will …. Making that sensual passion the focal point, he absorbs himself with it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it. He does not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from sensual passion once it has arisen. And what sort of mental absorption did he not praise? There is the case where a certain person dwells with his awareness overcome by sensual passion, seized with sensual passion. “It wasn’t the case, brahman, that the Blessed One praised mental absorption of every sort, nor did he criticize mental absorption of every sort. The Gopaka Moggallana Sutta does contain a passage to the effect that not all meditation / jhana was praised by the Buddha. The Pali Canon contains no teaching to the effect that the self is identical with others, or that the purpose of meditation is to realize such an identity. I was struck by the line: “The very essence of Buddhist meditation is to promote, or better said, to realize the identity of self and others, all ‘others.'” I asked Thai forest monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu where in the Pali Canon this idea was expressed. ![]() Leave aside for now the idea that Mahayana practices that do not map to the words of the historical Buddha are errors, or misunderstandings. The question is whether Mahayana adherents, most especially in the Zen school, will admit their error and embrace this teaching? Fortunately, this danger is recognized in the Theravada tradition and is furthermore entirely consistent with Buddha Sakyamuni’s fundamental teachings of compassion and nonviolence. The very essence of Buddhist meditation is to promote, or better said, to realize the identity of self and others, all “others.” How then, could one, having genuinely had that recognition/experience, either engage in or promote warfare that seeks to destroy others? To be unaware of this truth is a singular and manifestly dangerous misunderstanding of the Buddha-dharma. My research leads me to conclude that the Zen school failed many centuries ago to recognize that Buddhist meditation is not “value-neutral” in the sense that Buddha Sakyamuni did not recognize every form of meditation as an expression of the Buddha-dharma. That is to say, when Zen meditation is regarded as completely value-neutral (as it typically has been in Zen history) it is NOT Buddhist meditation!” He continues: Suzuki. Discussing the claim that Zen meditation is “value-neutral,” Victoria writes, “Controversially to be sure, I assert that while Sato (and Suzuki) are quite correct about the value-neutral nature of Zen meditation, this is actually the crux of the problem. In a recent edition of The Eastern Buddhist, Professor Brian Victoria continues his criticism of the writings of D.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |