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zen

Bikewer said:
The Japanese co-opted Buddhism for the purposes of the Samurai and called it "Zen". Their practice, meditating on death, enabled them (it's said...) to enter battle fearlessly and not be afraid of dying.
Since the Samurai no longer chop each other into little pieces, the practice has become somewhat more civilized.
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This isn't true. The samurai practised mostly a mix of esoteric Buddhism, Shinto and Taoism when they were seriously chopping each other up. Zen is associated with the samurai in the West because of its influence on Japanese cultural arts (including martial arts). Esoteric Buddhism is a quick sutra reading, some mystical hand gestures and prayer for the other poor bastard to die for his lord whereas zen is years of sitting on your arse contemplating bugger all. The samurai really didn't have time for that stuff.

Edit: Zen (Ch'an) is Chinese by the way.
 
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nowornever said:
The story entitled "Thirty birds"

Once upon a time there were 100 birds who wanted to find out what the truth is. They heard about a sage living on the peak of a mountain who knew what life was about. They flew. On the way 7o of them saw interesting things (a beautiful partner, a beautiful place, a beautiful job, a beautiful forum etc. etc.) and stayed there. The remaining 30 eventually got to the mountain peak and saw...but instead of seeing the sage to tell them what the truth was, they saw a big mirror in which they saw the thirty birds, themselves.
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Silly birdbrains.
 
How will you save your life?

"HANGING ON A TREE KOAN

Someone is hanging on a branch with his teeth. Hands and legs are tied. A man comes and asks the hanging one: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? If you don't answer he will kill you and you will fall to the valley and die. If you open your mouth you will also fall and die. You are this hanging person, how will you save your life?"

I passed this koan after 5 years and it helped me a lot in life.
 
For those who aren't up on all the latest scams, Seung Sahn is the Jimmy Swaggartl of South Korea, with a marketing ploy called 'sudden enightement'.

He has gotten 'accolades' for the large number of quick converts who reach monk, and teacher status in record time (with egos firmly intact), by 'passing tests'... you know, almost exactly the opposite of Buddha and all those others.

And apparently the core test involves a 'retreat' where the Holy One delivers the koan 'Take off your clothes and worship my Lingam) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwan_Um_School_of_Zen#Controversies

(Like that's original. (rolleyes)
 
nowornever said:
"HANGING ON A TREE KOAN

Someone is hanging on a branch with his teeth. Hands and legs are tied. A man comes and asks the hanging one: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? If you don't answer he will kill you and you will fall to the valley and die. If you open your mouth you will also fall and die. You are this hanging person, how will you save your life?"

I passed this koan after 5 years and it helped me a lot in life.
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To be killed then die means you come back to life?
 
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crimresearch said:
For those who aren't up on all the latest scams, Seung Sahn is the Jimmy Swaggartl of South Korea, with a marketing ploy called 'sudden enightement'.

He has gotten 'accolades' for the large number of quick converts who reach monk, and teacher status in record time (with egos firmly intact), by 'passing tests'... you know, almost exactly the opposite of Buddha and all those others.

And apparently the core test involves a 'retreat' where the Holy One delivers the koan 'Take off your clothes and worship my Lingam) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwan_Um_School_of_Zen#Controversies

(Like that's original. (rolleyes)
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So it's all just another multi-level marketing scam then?
 
I recall Hokulele posting this on another thread:
Hokulele said:
Good grief, you need to go back and study a little more comaprative religion, in this case, Zen Buddhism.

A koan is not a question with a right answer (or even any wrong ones). The fact that you obviously do not know this is a clear indication that you really do not have the knowledge to which you lay claim.
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With this in mind, nowornever, why are you posing koans as if they were riddles with answers, or tests which one can pass or fail?
 
There are answers for all koans

"There are no stuopid questions. There can only be stupid answers"
Zen Master Wu Bong "Zen life, moment life"

I passed about 100 koans out of 365 in Kwan Um.
 
nowornever said:
"There are no stuopid questions. There can only be stupid answers"
Zen Master Wu Bong "Zen life, moment life"

I passed about 100 koans out of 365 in Kwan Um.
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So, here's an easy JREF koan for you

"What did the skeptic say to the twoo believer?"
 
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nowornever said:
"There are no stuopid questions. There can only be stupid answers"
Zen Master Wu Bong "Zen life, moment life"

I passed about 100 koans out of 365 in Kwan Um.
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Shame you couldn't reach the 50% average pass rate.
 
So it's all just another multi-level marketing scam then?
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Largest McZen franchise in the West.

I must be psychic, I knew it was something like this when I asked the Ashida Kim question back in post #13
 
ynot said:
I have NOT used the term “debunker” in this thread. Retract your false accusation or be labelled a liar.

Who is "him"?
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Denied, YOU are him, you were attempting the debunking, prove me wrong or suck it up. So far in this thread japanese buddhism is misrepresented, what more would you like to add?

:jaw-dropp:jaw-dropp
 
Damn: no one has yet mentioned:

Understanding, Purpose, Speech, Conduct, Vocation, Effort, Mindfulness, Meditation.
 
Seeing we’re playing test games here’s one for you nowornever - What’s half of 2+2?
 
life easy koans easy, life hard koans hard

Because I haven't passed 265 koans my life is still not clear. After 365 I will have to pass the last one 366, that is CORRECT LIFE.
 
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