...but most people who do this remain under the illusion that they are separate entities doing zazen because it will give them something. The most serious ones begin to feel a certain amount of pride in doing what they call "hard sitting." A key question is "Why do so few of these people wake up?" I would suggest that it's because they practice with expectations and ideas about what it's going to give them. This is the split-mind practicing that E. refers to. We could also call it spinning.
I suspect, although I don;t think anyone has taken a poll about this, that Tony Parson's approach, which denies personal doership, is more effective at waking people up than all of the teachers who suggest the use of practices. Maybe we'll get a clearer picture of this in the near future as more and more folks wake up.
I can only tell you that I'm glad I don't have to sit in meditation several hours per day in order to know what I am or because "Practice is enlightenment and enlightenment is practice." That was true for Dogen, but it doesn't have to be true for anyone else. I prefer, "Going about my daily activities is enlightenment and enlightenment is going about my daily activities." Ha ha. Life is such a trip! (I wonder if Dogen had a good sense of humor?)
I suspect, although I don;t think anyone has taken a poll about this, that Tony Parson's approach, which denies personal doership, is more effective at waking people up than all of the teachers who suggest the use of practices. Maybe we'll get a clearer picture of this in the near future as more and more folks wake up.
I can only tell you that I'm glad I don't have to sit in meditation several hours per day in order to know what I am or because "Practice is enlightenment and enlightenment is practice." That was true for Dogen, but it doesn't have to be true for anyone else. I prefer, "Going about my daily activities is enlightenment and enlightenment is going about my daily activities." Ha ha. Life is such a trip! (I wonder if Dogen had a good sense of humor?)
