Zen

[The Sonar Chicken]

Does anyone know what exactly is Zen? I know it is one of the schools of Buddhism but where can I read up more about it? Any good online sources would be appreciated.

I've been needing to get my life more ordered because I have been assessing myself and found myself greatly lacking in self-control, have emotional attachment issues, don't fear punishment or repercussions in certain issues so I can be wildly chaotic, insensitive, cruel, malicious and even hurt others(and also myself) by mistake, etc. Also, even though I'm less chaotic now and more in control of myself, I still don't want to do something by mistake and hurt someone majorly. It's also why I don't get to keep many friends in real life because I end up attaching to them in a very unhealthy manner and often, hurt people and also myself when I start rejecting or abandoning them. In short, my life is in chaos and I have to control it or it will become worse.

So, I think that meditation will help in at least some of these areas.

[Elliot Kane]

The main point of Zen, as I understand it, is realising that you are a small part of the far greater whole that is everything and accepting your place within the universe - which is to say that it's all a part of you and you are a part of all of it, so 'why worry, be happy' as it were.

After all, you're already a part of everything that is. And that's pretty darn cool, right? Fully accepting that will bring you peace.

Hard, that last... ;D

[Dark Phoenix Rising]

The Wikipedia article about zen

[ss]

Well, I do not know all that much about Zen, but concerning the whole philosophy of Buddaism, I don't think all that much of it.

Concerning the rest of your post, meditation and self reflection is not a bad thing to do from time to time..that is what "counseling" is all about most of the time..

My biggest question about the issue would be on what do you base your outcome of decision making?

Or should I ask the the question that Pontus Pilot asked Jesus..

What is Truth?

If one has no absolutes on which to base their philosophies, such as how one should treat each other, then how do you know how one should think and act??

concerning Buddahism..


This is from Wiki…
“The origins of Zen Buddhism are ascribed to the Flower Sermon, the earliest source for which comes from the 14th century. It is said that Gautama Buddha gathered his disciples one day for a dharma talk. When they gathered together, the Buddha was completely silent and some speculated that perhaps the Buddha was tired or ill. The Buddha silently held up and twirled a flower and twinkled his eyes; several of his disciples tried to interpret what this meant, though none of them were correct. One of the Buddha's disciples, Mahâkâúyapa, silently gazed at the flower and broke into a broad smile. The Buddha then acknowledged Mahâkâúyapa's insight by saying the following:

I possess the true Dharma eye, the marvelous mind of Nirvana, the true form of the formless, the subtle dharma gate that does not rest on words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the scriptures.

This I entrust to Mahâkâúyapa.
Thus, through Zen there developed a way which concentrated on direct experience rather than on rational creeds or revealed scriptures. Wisdom was passed, not through words, but through a lineage of one-to-one direct transmission of thought from teacher to student. It is commonly taught that such lineage continued all the way from the Buddha's time to the present. Historically, this claim is disputed, due to lack of evidence to support it”

Pefect example of Gnosticism if ever I saw it…where is Kilgore when you need him… ;D

The Buddah says---

Do not accept anything by mere tradition ... Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures ... Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions ... But when you know for yourselves – these things are moral, these things are blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness – then do you live acting accordingly.
(Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya III.65)

perfect example of situation ethics if ever I saw it…

From Wiki…
“Examples of religions and philosophies which embrace the concept of the Absolute in one form or another include Hinduism, Jainism, Taoism, Islam, some forms of Jewish philosophy, and existential or metaphysical forms of Christianity. Terms which serve to identify The Absolute among such beliefs include the Tao (the Way), Brahman, Parabrah, man, God, the Divine and numerous other appellations.”
The Buddha criticized the Brahmins' theories of an Absolute as yet another reification, instead giving a path to self-perfection as a means of transcending the world of name and form”

So, The Buddah did not believe in any absolute….at all…

And again…
“The word dharma translates as that which upholds or supports, and is generally translated into English as law.
According to the various Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, beings that live in accordance with Dharma proceed more quickly toward dharma yukam, moksha or nirvana (personal liberation). The antonym of dharma is adharma meaning unnatural or immoral."

So, if I understand it at all, it teaches situation ethics, special knowledge above and beyond what anybody else can grasp, and if you work hard enough and follow the path he laid out you will be free.....(nirvana) free from rebirth....

It offers me nothing I could not get just by being a regular human, as they all are doing it now...and getting nowhere...

But......that's just me....

[Dark Phoenix Rising]

Think of it like courses on anger management, impulse control, appreciation of life and nature, and more all rolled into 1.

also how many times in the past has "received wisdom" been completely wrong? Or taught ethics been evil? Just because people have done something for x hundred years doesn't mean it's right (doesn't mean it was wrong when it started too). However if we don't keep re-evaluating what we believe to be right, then what was good can turn into evil (e.g. look at the punishments laid down in the bible for many of the transgressions).

[Elliot Kane]

DPR has it, I think.

Point is, the world as we are taught to see it is an illusion - so to break free of that illusion you have to first question what everyone else sees as truth and then see past it to what is truly real.

Where people see division there is nothing of the kind. There is only one huge whole, because all things are a part of everything else (This has the incidental advantage of being true).

[The Sonar Chicken]

Well in Asia, where there are a lot of teachings about ethics, heavy emphasis on "rights" and "wrongs", "dos and do nots". People often remark that there is a lot less criminal behaviour here and seem to think that less criminals are born in this region but I don't think so anymore. I think it's because you learn how to control your impulses and to emulate society, that's why there is less criminal behaviour(yes, this includes psychopaths or sociopaths). I used to think very badly of people who tried to teach and explain to me about morals, consequences, ethics, etc. but I'm starting to see things a bit differently.

Had I been allowed to run free as a child without any impulse control or anything, I would have ended in a lot of trouble and people who have impulsive tendencies with poor judgement and decision-making abilities often turn out very badly: financial issues, relationship issues or even possible criminal activities.

Hence my interest in meditative issues.

[Elliot Kane]

Stronger social feedback system, too, Luci. Asian societies tend to show strong social approval or disapproval, which helps keep individuals in line as humans are very social and don't really like it when their peers look down on them.

Most are still cohesive culturally, too, which really helps.