Either way, if it was a reliigon Buddhism would be the best religion in the world perhaps precisely because it lacks some of the key elements that make it a relgion (I'm speaking here of approaching it as a philosophy of life, rather than the codified and cemented bureacuracy that it has become in some quarters). Like practicing Jesus's true teaching about living without glopping on all the rules and constrictions that basically say "practice true goodness or else", Buddhism's core teachings are just totally freakin' awesome and are more a study of self than a giving up to a higher power.
Speaking of giving up to a higher power, this past week I've developed a healthy new habit that I wanted to share.
My new habit? I've been reading as much of Jonathan Mead's writing over at Illuminated Mind as possible. Check out Jonathan's story at "my story" on his about page for one of the most intimate descriptions I've ever read online about how he came to a path of compassionate personal transformation. As if on cue, Jonathan's article from yesterday The Death of Becoming Something is a perfect linke from a Buddhist blog. Admission: I kind of have a crush on Jonathan's brain and his writing.
Speaking of brain crushes, another brain crush that I've been wanting to share for a few months is on former monster movie maker, punk rocker, and ordained Zen Monk Brad Warner. Brad's book Hardcore Zen was the first thing I'd ever read that made me think "hey wait a minute this Buddhist business IS relevant to young freaks like me." Brad's second book Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye was just as awesome full of holy-crapifying ideas. I've had the pleasure of hearing Brad speak at the Interdependence Project twice now; one of those times actually makes it into a chunk of his new book Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate. I read the book while on a trip with my father in the Grand Canyon, totally disconnected from electricity, phones, internets, and television - and all other people save those on the trip with us.
His hilarious story about his relationship with a cat involving fellow IDP blogger Ellen and his shoutout to the Interdependence Project mid-way through the book (of his gigs in NYC he says "The best was definitely my talk at the Interdependence Project" and goes on to say a few very nice things about us and our communal practice) was really odd to read while isolated in the Grand Canyon with my father Cliff (himself a fantastic nature photographer) yet gave me this nice, unexpected sense of connection to things back home.
Brad's excruciatingly intimiate and honest description of how his Zen practice actually worked when his job, career, and family were disintegrating around him is funny, touching, and helpful to the max. If you want to hear the real deal of what it means to put practice into action when faced with big neon displays of impermanence, check out the book. In fact, I'd suggest reading all three of his books in order because you will literally see how his practice, and his thinking about and application of his practice, evolve before your eyes.
I quote at length here from Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate:
"The universe is yours, and all you want to do with it is write your name in spray paint on the wall. You're like a dog pissing on a fence. No one who sees the mark you left behind on the world could give a shit. You're just exactly like me.
But sit quietly, and even a piece of gibbon's dung like you can see it. There's no one in the universe but you. You spread all the way out past the farthest galaxies, and that's just the beginning. Your thoughts are all stupid. Your perceptions are completely wrong. There's nowhere you can be but here. There's nothing you can know that's worth knowing. You have no future or past, yet you'll always be here. And because of this you are God's eyes and ears on this world. You are God himself.
So pay a little attention, butt-wipe."
For another refreshingly honest look at meditation practice, check out Julia May Jones article HeyJhana HoJhana here at our blog. Hilarious awesome and full of insight as usual.
Finally a bit of self-promotion which I won't bother dignifying with the term "shameless". Over at my own site I've got a little piece called Five Reasons to Turn off the Internet that has been brewing around in my brain since my trip to the canyon.
My biggest brain/talent/body crush ever happens to be performing in NYC this weekend and lucky for me he is also my boyfriend. If you want to hear the kind of amazing music you might make if you lived with someone with a daily meditation practice, check out Tater's new project Allies (how's that for a clever way to work in more promotion?) Allies is dancey, fun, occassionally dark and always luxurious. He'll be DJ'ing Italo and Freestyle and making the debut Allies performance this Saturday night July 25 at The Hose so if you happen to be in East Village NYC check it out, I'll be there.
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Jerry,
i wasn't referring to a particular book that Brad Warner wrote. i haven't read Warner's books. i've read some sections of it though, as well as some reviews. however, i do read his blog and his articles on Suicide Girls. i also listen to his interviews on Buddhist Geeks.
when i said "juvenile" i'm expressing my opinion in general on how i perceive Warner's style of presenting the dharma. btw, the "juvenile" here is not relative to average people who are not familiar with the dharma. when i say "juvenile" my point of reference are the teachers (and Buddhist Scholars) i've mentioned above. compared to them, Warner has some growing up to do.
that said, i do enjoy reading Warner's articles. he makes me laugh. i appreciate his perspectives and his expressions of the dharma. however, i do find his tone and his style and language (though funny and cool) to be lacking in substance and depth (as compared to the teachers i've mentioned above).
for example: from what i've seen so far, Warner only presents the type of Buddhism that he knows (Soto Zen). but Buddhism is a big umbrella. no lineage of Buddhism has a monopoly on the dharma. maybe i've just missed it, but i have yet to see Warner display knowledge on the history, complexity, different schools, different approach to practice, different rituals, different take on enlightenment, of the big umbrella we call "Buddhism".
as a case in point: his unprovoked attack on Genpo Roshi displays his lack of understanding of the theoretical framework of Voice Dialogue method (from which the Big Mind process was derived). his critique was not really an intellectual critique, but more like a rant. it would've been better if he engaged Genpo Roshi in a dialogue/debate and expressed his concerns on the Big Mind process and its marketing approach. that would be a more "matured" (right speech or skillful) way of doing it.
having said that, i still appreciate Warner's expression of Buddhism. like i said, he makes me laugh. but if you're really looking for "hardcore" dharma, i suggest you also look for hybrid teachers who have a good grasp of the historical, theoretical, practical, scientific, and experiential aspects of the Buddhist path.
but don't take my word for it. compare Warner's insights with some of the teachers i've mentioned above, and then decide for yourself.
my two cents.
~C
Of possible interest, my inter view, done after reading his first book: http://bit.ly/8Mdvr
Jerry,
I too find Warner quite compelling, and I don't find him "juvenile" or "immature" in the least. I've read Buddha is the Center of Gravity (1974), which is not easy to find, and is Sasaki's only book. Apparently I have the "guts" for it, and I must say I find it no more "mature" than Warner at his best moments. Warner, incidentally, refers to Sasaki on pg. 124 of Sit Down and Shut Up. Sasaki is hardly a "hybrid" teacher, nor is Ingram for that matter. Not to mention, the latter's grasp of Buddhist history is dubious.
Thanks for the shoutout, Jerry. Great post.
Mu,
i agree. i don't consider Ingram or Sasaki Roshi to be hybrid teachers. Ingram's background/context/developmental model is mostly based Theravada. Joshu Sasaki Roshi is as an uber-traditional Rinzai Zen master.
i define "hybrid" teachers as those who have extensive practice in more than one Buddhist lineage (theravada, mahayana, vajrayana, etc...) *and* at the same time someone who is deeply rooted in the sciences. so i was actually referring to B. Alan Wallace and Shinzen Young when i said "hybrids".
here's an example of a "hybrid" teacher in action:
http://www.upaya.org/dharma/tag/science-meets-meditation/
~C
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