Feature credits:
Recoil color photo by Tracy Rasmussen
Black white by Arunas Kulikauskas
SZ: HOW DID YOU Crown Go TO ZEN PRACTICE? In the same way as WAS Episode AT THE TIME?
JR: I grew up in a crazy-making mess, and by the time I departed graduate school I was exquisite wacky and at become old suicidal. In confusion I started practicing contentment return meditation (from a New York Time Journal give details) and also found an humbling gestalt consultant. At what time a connect of years of medication I was deskbound one day in her department and meant "I don't plague to be this way, do I." She meant "No, you don't" and in that flash all my foolishness justified lifted, in front of formerly a gale disappears, sucked up appearing in the gas. Fwoom, gone, finished, justified in front of that.
It was after that that I visited the Cambridge Zen Center - in advance that I was way too wacky to dowel sphere-shaped with any group of tribe. How I dull up at CZC turned out to be a serendipitous keep under surveillance. I lived in central Cambridge and evenly walked by a subtle villa on a considerately groomed alight that was some prepare of Zen interior (I wise person many years next that it was Maureen Freedgood's place). On October 6, 1976, Yom Kippur, I couldn't do my establish hike-in-the-mountains-while-fasting fulfillment for instance of highly-flavored everyday jobs, so I determined that going to a Zen interior was a proper fulfillment. I looked up Cambridge Zen Center in the cellular phone book and discovered it was in Allston. Passable, I alleged, I presumption it stirred. So more readily of walking appearing in Maureen Freedgood's Japanese practice, I walked appearing in Zen Master Seung Sahn's Korean practice. In order to check Yom Kippur. Go evaluate.
I knocked on the insolence about 10 proceedings in advance practice and Engrave and Dyan Houghton were chasing each other sphere-shaped squirting each other with flowering shrub spritzers (they promise this never happened) and Peter Harrington and Paul Rosenbloom were washing porcelain in the kitchen. Paul asked if I had a meditation practice and I meant "as well as my breaths." Peter whirled sphere-shaped and meant "how many plague you counted?" I knew at that flash that I'd come to the proper place. A long time ago I heard the sunset sound chant, I knew that I'd come home.
I summit saw Zen Master Seung Sahn about a month next. He gave a dharma tell off and meant junk in front of "Is this a cup or is it not a cup?" and then drank from the cup and my protection was earsplitting in fury "he's not answering the question!" and by the end of his tell off I was hit really undisciplined with the fact that dynamism I knew was depletion worldly wise, that I didn't know a damn thing, that all my legerdemain and all the rewards for my legerdemain were sincerely failure. I was so freaked out and aimless that I couldn't even transform home. I called my friend Lucy and asked her to want me up. She came and walked me sphere-shaped the deception a few become old being I slashed my arms feathers the air saying "I don't know no matter what" director and director another time. A long time ago I'd calmed down she took me out for a corned animal protein sandwich, then took me back to my car, and I managed to get home.
I was still exquisite inconstant in my protection and a few days next I asked my Admission to Zen university at the CZC (who happened to be Jonny Kabat-Zinn, this was clear years in advance he came up with Mindfulness Based Call attention to Dimple) what to do and he meant to read Dogen. So I got a book of Dogen out of the library and read some pages and didn't understand a word but one way or another that calmed me down. Four months next I took 5 precepts. Less than than a blind date after that I was in Lawrence wherever a meditation group was starting (my consort jokes that he advertised for a Zen companion and I showed up). 9 months next Zen Master Seung Sahn performed our wedding at the Eldridge Cabin and the opportunity of our little meditation group was exquisite far-off sealed.
SZ: WHAT'S THE Aim OF ZEN PRACTICE?
JR: I'm not longed-for with "purpose." If you plague a purpose then you've put on blinders and can't see no matter what except what you're looking for. So let's not go hand over.
If you practice you find out why you practice. If you practice and then berth practicing, then you really find out.
At what time I'd been practicing about 15 years, formerly my son was 12 years old - too old to plague a babysitter being my consort and I ran off to the Zen interior, but too new to walk out on bewildered so far-off - I determined to berth going to the Zen interior for a being. Before too crave I'd bunged practicing at home. No real colloquy, I justified bunged. I bunged for about two years. Later one day I justified started another time.
I don't recommend this, but I'm cheery it happened. It makes me a lot less fault-finding about tribe who don't practice. I still don't understand what the not practicing was about. I roughly fix in practice - even formerly I wasn't practicing I roughly thought in it. In the same way as does it do? I really don't know. Hindrance that everything shifts formerly you practice. It justified shifts. Need formerly you're at the eye doctor and they move about the lens and junk come appearing in medium. Need that.
Not justified about perceptual eagerness, despite the fact that. It's what what Zen Master Seung Sahn wrote formerly See Hoy Liau (next to become the holy man and Zen master Su Bong Sunim) wrote him a area asking what the fast way to Zen was - that's prepare of the precise as your responsibility. Seung Sahn said: not for me. That's a very key point. Nonentity owns their life. Why do you eat every day? Why do you get out of bed? For whom do you be present your life? This is, not the purpose, but the point of Zen practice. That's the means that practice is pointing to, in front of formerly you get on I-70 in Lawrence KS and the arrows point: Topeka this way, Kansas Settlement that way.
SZ: In the same way as DO YOU Fabricate OF Individual OF THE Up to date SCANDALS TO Take HIT THE ZEN COMMUNITY?
JR: It doesn't subject what I make of it. How each sangha responds is what's important: the sanghas that plague been feel painful, and the sanghas that plague had their eyes opened to the possibilities of feel painful. In any expressive group, in addition to the Zen community, some mortal beings command act dangerously. In the same way as do we do then?
That meant, I'm anxious about all the inhabit notes ended by tribe not in the different communities who are fraught with this - ZSS, Rinzai-Ji, whoever - I'm anxious about individual tribe who, not up to standard bribery, publicly explain the fraught communities what they should be pretense. The world is wide and cumbersome - Yun-men meant that, didn't he - and hand over are sufficiently of paths to healing. What's more community needs to be prone the space and time to find its way. I know some of the ZSS tribe and some of the Rinzai-Ji tribe and suppose roughly that they are, in their like ways, opinion their way to come. Present-day is a lot of wisdom in the go ahead of both groups. But I don't unsure that persons din at them publicly from the wings command help, I unsure that justified makes the tribe in persons organizations who are resisting move about shielding and makes it harder for persons working for move about to get move about done.
I'd in front of to add that I don't unsure that sex is the setback, I unsure it's the symbol. The real setback is well-defined in the kong-an about Baizhang's fox: contemplative you are not material to origin and effect. You spread this with the reduction of women and you plague the shoddy situations that went on for so crave not up to standard inhabit knowledge. But it's the teacher's notion of exemption that's fluff all of this, the notion of exemption and of supremacy. Flaw sexual abuse hand over can be like unfit for human consumption situations - in fact hand over are like unfit for human consumption situations - but we plague a harder time noticing them.
SZ: In the same way as IS YOUR Consideration ON Affectionate Associations Between TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN THE SANGHA?
JR: Petit mal my consort was a university for six years in advance I became a university. So in persons six years he was sound asleep with a novice who happened to be his companion. Of course he was my consort for 14 years in advance he became a university. And someone facing in a empathy who becomes a university is not what you're asking about. But that mess sheds light on the responsibility you're asking, which is: can a university and a novice plague a genuine, mutual, dedicated relationship? Of course. But you plague to be economical.
I unsure the Kwan Um Keep in shape of Zen (my school) has it exquisite far-off proper in our train of principles. If a genuine empathy develops in the midst of a novice and university (and some unadulterated ones plague) then the connect consults with numerous university in advance going starve yourself, and the novice works with numerous university for a very measured natural life of time in advance working another time with the spouse. Exploitative contact, contact that use the teaching fraud as a convenient of seduction, quick contact in the midst of university and novice, etc. - all of these are frowned on, and hand over is an principles committee to find out complaints.
Additional lead in KUSZ is that loving allies are not involved in decisions about authorizing the other spouse for inka or exchange.
SZ: In the same way as IS THE Organization OF YOUR Gathering IN KANSAS?
JR: Utterly hardly. Varied gender-wise and age-wise (agreeably re: age -- in the beginning we were exquisite far-off all south of 40 and next we were a band of tribe exquisite far-off north of 40, so it's good to plague a mix), not so far-off ethnicity-wise or politically. But it's hardly sufficient that a perturbation of three or four tribe in any means would median a big start.
SZ: YOU A short time ago Time-honored DHARMA Show IN YOUR Cover IN APRIL AT Luck ZEN Center. WHAT'S THAT Conduct Need IN THE KWAN UM Keep in shape OF ZEN?
JR: We plague two levels of authorization: inka and exchange. Inka is the summit level. A long time ago you plague inka you are teaching with detachment within the school: leading retreats, flexible kong-an interviews, the whole ring of wax. Compete with inka (the caption is "ji do poep sa nim") can help assent who overly command get inka, but they can't assent who command get exchange. A long time ago you get exchange you can help assent that too. A long time ago you get exchange you get the caption of Zen master (soen sa). There's a lot of enigma about that, but it's justified, you know, enigma.
Our inka and exchange is concern. That is, five tribe plague to purify an inka courier and hand over is a committee of three tribe for each exchange courier. One heart puts up the courier for inka or exchange, but a group of tribe hardship purify the courier.
For inka we go individual the familiar center's teacher: an inka courier has to plague severe encounters with at lowest possible five teachers in our school. For exchange we go individual the school: part of the training for exchange is to practice with teachers in other Linchi schools, i.e., traditions that use koans. In office retreats with other sanghas, encountering teachers and traditions individual our tradition - I found this enormous and imagine to hold pretense this.
SZ: In the same way as ARE Individual OF THE High-class Key in SUTRAS TO THE ZEN Control IN YOUR Consideration AND WHY?
JR: You claim to side it to sutras? Oblong Sutra. Vimalakirti Sutra. Lotus Sutra. I'm told the Lankavatara Sutra but I be drawn against to not having read it; a comprehensible and meticulous translation has with the sole purpose been absent for a few years. Avatamsaka Sutra but I be drawn against to with the sole purpose having hollow appearing in it - it's exquisite frightening.
But hand over are non-sutras which are like if not in addition key, namely the different kong-an collections: Mumonkan, Loutish Peak Account, the different encounters in the (Chinese) Show of the Oil lamp (and if you know of a way to get Ogata's translation suit let me know, it's been out of distribute interminably and it's charmed)...
If you're peculiar in the Korean tradition it's essential to read So Sahn and Chinul, who are as central to the Korean tradition as Dogen is to Soto or Hakuin to Rinzai.
SZ: In the same way as IS DHARMA Fight AND In the same way as IT ITS PURPOSE?
JR: Zen Master Seung Sahn meant that dharma battle answer dispense each other. This answer in a obstruct way: dispense each other support your protection swords raw. It's in front of musicians playing together and realization opportunity for instance they ham it up together. If nothing challenges you, you can get floppy and bigheaded.
SZ: YOU ARE A Believer OF THE AMERICAN ZEN TEACHERS Club. In the same way as DOES THE AZTA DO AND In the same way as IS ITS So-called MISSION?
JR: I plague no idea what the work of AZTA is. You can sway the work postulation if you claim at http://www.americanzenteachers.org/, but work statements are one thing and what actually happens is numerous. I do know that I've ended good friends in other traditions and gained a broader forewarning. I suppose loyalty to my own tradition and don't calculatingly try to move about it, but I unsure the prepare of submissive roughness up chary each other that AZTA fosters including our communities is right the way that a faithfully American Zen command at the end of the day in its own time come out. I'm also on the sharing committee and formerly you read sharing applications you see the radical capture within our community. It's charmed.
An key aspect of AZTA is to increase Zen teachers a corpulent glance group. Individual of us - Kwan Um, the Shunruyu Suzuki family unit, etc - plague sufficiently of dharma brothers and sisters who come together at lowest possible semi-regularly; other persons are in addition undo. And even persons of us in the corpulent families can be helped by tribe with like backgrounds and perspectives. I know that I plague.
SZ: ARE Present-day ANY BOOKS YOU WOULD Recommend TO READERS ON ZEN PRACTICE?
JR:Too many! Before I list them, a alert that reading is with the sole purpose virtuous if it rigging our practice. And a moment alert that books which look as if to make no notion at one point in practice may be moving at numerous point. Passable, now the list.
For beginners: Shunruyu Suzuki's "Zen Pocket watch Beginner's Pocket watch". Seung Sahn's "Compass of Zen". Jane Dobisz' "The Tradition of Solitude". Walpola Rahula's "In the same way as the Buddha Qualified". Brad Warner's "Sit Alongside and Secure Up" (a astonishing exposition of Dogen), and also his "Hardcore Zen".
If you claim compilations, there's Nelson Foster's "The Roaring River". And, close for the day to my own home, "The Zen Sourcebook" (abbreviated by Steve Addiss with influential help from my consort Stan Lombardo and some help from me).
For tribe who've been practicing for a while: the incalculable Korean master So Sahn's "Consider of Zen" (Shambhala confusingly lists the essayist as Boep Joeng, a crave story which we won't go appearing in). Red Pine's translations and commentaries on the "Existence Sutra" and the "Oblong Sutra". "The Stay Sutra" a.k.a. the "Sutra of Hui Neng", multiple good translations in. Burton Watson's translation of the "Lotus Sutra". Jay Garfield's translation of Nagarjuna's "Mulamadhyamakakarika" a.k.a. "Critical Tradition of the Require Way". Any of Robert Buswell's translations of Chinul.
For stuff on women: Flexibility Schireson's "Zen Women". Martine Bachelor's "Women in Korean Buddhism" (a untrue caption - it's not a denomination but her private statement of her own practice as a nun in Korea together with the chronicle of the incalculable Korean nun Songyong Sunim). Beata Grant's "Daughters of Unreality". Susan Murcott's "The Crown Buddhist Women". In the history of Buddhism, men plague skilled both men and women but men plague not evenly had note to women teachers (Moshan was a incalculable ancient discharge). Now everyone can plague note to these bizarre women of the previous. And should.
Remark that this is a very partal list. For form I departed out Ta Hui, Hakuin, Robert Aitken, Richard Shrobe, Shodo Harada... the list goes on and on so I'll justified berth in.
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