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| Zen mind | ||
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Questions
It is common in Zen stories for the student to ask
a question such as, "What is the meaning of
life?" and the master to
reply, "A pint of milk costs 37p."
The master may seem very awkward and obtuse at first.
Consider it further.
The question was wildly speculative. The answer was not. Could any answer truly be considered an 'answer'?
Words
Reality is too immense to be rendered using
thought, words and concepts.
Seeing the limitations of language enables you to become aware of your own
conditioning.
Language is a convention; the way in which words are built, connected and
employed is an artificial construct.
The word for 'chair' will never be a chair; you cannot sit on the word or the
idea.
Answers
In the given example, the master gives an answer that is real:
"A pint of milk costs 37p."
Rather than engage in a potentially pointless debate, the master has made a
factual statement.
Opinion, conditioning, perspective, politics,
religion
have no bearing on his answer.
It was a pure statement of fact, untarnished by 'self'.
Seeing
The Zen answer actually tells you everything you need to
know.
It points the questioner directly to reality; to
substance, to the tangible.
You cannot understand reality by analysing its
parts.
We read the world wrong and say that it deceives us.
(Rabindranath Tagore)
Confusing Buddhism and Zen
Buddhists often love to engage in heated debates concerning their
religion.
This is fine if you like that sort of thing.
Zen refrains from that approach - rather than get caught up in chit-chat,
discussions or gossip - the practitioner keeps it factual.
Contemplative Taoism
Zen is a synthesis of Buddhism and
'contemplative' Taoism.
This branch of Taoism is concerned with 'the Science of the
Essence'...
seeing things as they
actually are.
There is no need for lengthy chats.
Contemplation entails working things through for
yourself.
Beyond words
Seeing the truth requires no
conversation. You just need to get out of your own way. The root of Zen is 'the flower sermon' - a lesson without words.
Stress
Much of the stress we encounter in our lives is caused by
worries, anxieties,
opinions, speculation... TV, politics, the news and gossip all fuel this.
The mind is not
settled and the emotions are
unbalanced.
Toxic habits
Alcohol, drugs, sugar, smoking etc hinder
mindfulness. e.g. alcohol
dulls the senses.
The original meaning of intoxication is "a
poisoning". The euphoria people experience from alcohol isn't
the outcome of being healthy and present. It is
the consequence of poisoning the brain.
You cannot be mindful and
clear if your brain is dulled. Drinking alcohol is the
polar opposite of mindfulness.
Resistance...
People may drink alcohol regularly, read this
information and then object... It can be worth
asking yourself why?
The answers are simple: habit, lifestyle
attachment, emotional investment,
peer pressure, self-image and even (potentially)
addiction. Common sense and reason are inconvenient.
Alternative ways...
Imagine that somebody approaches you with a view to engaging your interest in a
conversation about the latest media scandal.
If you join in, your mind is caught up.
Your heart rate goes up. You experience emotions.
Instead, you say "It is raining outside." Now what happens?
Freedom
Not engaging in speculation, debate or argument frees
your mind from the burden of faux caring.
It is none of your business.
What you think does not matter.
Will your opinions change anything? Do you honestly, truly care whether or not a TV celebrity is getting married,
divorced, is pregnant or has a tattoo?
Why do you think that your opinion matters? What makes
you so wise? Is your method best?
Prattle
People volunteer opinions about pretty much
everything.
They put the world to rights, all the while overweight,
unfit and unhappy.
It is easy to commit your
time to talk, for talk requires no action.
If people are so wise, how come they are
physically stiff, have various
health conditions, troubled relationships?
Finding peace
Zen proposes an end to chatter.
A quiet mind, unconcerned by the
orchestra of human prattle.
I threw my cup away
when I saw a child
drinking from his hands at the trough.
(Diogenes)
Page created
1 March 1996
Last updated
04 May 2023
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