10 July 2011

I'm Just a Buddhist

I sometimes am taken aback when I hear lines such as "X is important in other branches of Buddhism, but not in Zen," to be statements of principle rather than statements of mere fact.   To be sure, every branch of Buddhism brings to the table its own particular emphases, its own particular bag of upāya, and its own particular list of things to fret about.  But I would hesitate to follow that observation up with something like "And thus should it be."

The Dharma is one, of a continuous flavor throughout, and that flavor is liberation.

I may practice Zen, but, in the end, I'm just another Buddhist, doing his level best to live up to the reality of dukkha, its cause, its end and the path to its end.

2 comments:

  1. Why even name it?

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  2. This is where I start to get confused with the whole Buddhism thing... Isn't Zen a part of Buddhism regardless of what branch your in?

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