Authentic Zen

With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,

Last night after Zazen, I read selections out of three books: The Eight Gates of Zen, volume one of the Shobogenzo, and Zen is Eternal Life. I was struck by the sometimes severe differences in attitudes of the authors. Dogen Zenji is direct, clear, but dialectical. He walks in his own authority, but places very high esteem on his ancestors and the authenticity of their practice, encouraging others to emulate this authenticity. Kennett-roshi also places high regard for authentic practice, but in some senses denegrates practices she does not see as of value. For her, anything taking the practitioner away from Zazen (as shikan-taza) is a mistake. Daido Loori-roshi, a hybrid of Soto and Rinzai, also focuses on authentic practice, talks alot about Zazen and Koan practice, but also wants to examine the student's motives and commitment to the Way.

Authenticity of practice and of intention are in all seen as of high value. Each would probably disagree with each other's methods and the varying degrees of emphasis in each others practices, but none would argue that the other is not Zen.

What is important is your reason for coming to Zen, your commitment to the practice of looking inward, examination of yourself and your behavior, as well as your integrity. Coming to Zen for the sake of resolving a psychological or emotional problem is not good: see a therapist. Coming to Zen for the sake of helping others is not good: help your self first, others follow. Coming to Zen for the sake of getting a sense of reward or wanting to see some kind of "progress" in your practice, a "payoff" for all this sitting and mind examination is also not good: Zazen is for its own sake. Progress is from the inside out and measuring it, in a sense, destroys it much like killing a cat to see what makes it live causes life to elude your eyes.

Be well.