#koans

“I think that the cornerstones of my practice are the two koans my teacher continues to bring up to me. The first is: “What’s happening now and what is it to practice with it?” The second is: “This very mind is Buddha.” Not some mind in the future, when I have perfect Samadhi or perfect compassion, but this very mind, in this very now. What is it to practice with that?” [via Sweeping Zen]

The philosophy of Zen is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes direct experience, mindfulness, and the attainment of enlightenment through meditation and intuitive insight rather than through doctrinal study or ritualistic practices. Originating in China as Chan Buddhism and later flourishing in Japan as Zen, this philosophy seeks to transcend the dualities of ordinary thought and to awaken to the true nature of reality, which is seen as beyond conceptual understanding.

Key Concepts in the Philosophy of Zen:

Direct Experience and Enlightenment (Satori):

Immediate Awareness: Zen emphasizes direct, immediate experience as the path to enlightenment (satori). This means engaging with reality without the interference of conceptual thought or the ego, often through practices such as meditation (zazen) and mindful awareness.

Satori: Enlightenment in Zen, known as satori, is often described as a sudden, profound realization of the interconnectedness of all things and the emptiness (śūnyatā) that underlies reality. This insight transcends ordinary understanding and reveals the true nature of existence.

Meditation (Zazen):

Seated Meditation: Zazen, or seated meditation, is the core practice of Zen. It involves sitting in a specific posture, focusing on the breath, and observing thoughts without attachment. The aim is to quiet the mind, develop concentration, and eventually experience deep states of awareness and insight.

Beyond Techniques: While zazen is a formal practice, Zen teaches that meditation can extend into all aspects of life, encouraging practitioners to bring the same mindfulness and presence into everyday activities.

Koans and Paradoxes:

Koans: Koans are paradoxical statements or questions used in Zen practice to transcend logical thinking and provoke direct insight. A well-known example is, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" The purpose of a koan is not to find a logical answer but to break down the barriers of conventional thought and open the mind to a more profound reality.

Beyond Rationality: Zen often challenges the limits of rationality, using paradox and contradiction to point out that true understanding is beyond intellectual comprehension.

Non-Dualism and Emptiness (Śūnyatā):

Transcending Duality: Zen philosophy rejects the dualistic thinking that separates the self from the world, subject from object, and good from bad. Instead, it teaches that all distinctions are illusory and that true reality is non-dual.

Emptiness: The concept of emptiness (śūnyatā) is central to Zen. It refers to the idea that all things are interconnected and lack an independent, permanent essence. Understanding this emptiness is key to realizing the impermanent and interdependent nature of reality.

Mindfulness and Present-Moment Awareness:

Living in the Present: Zen encourages practitioners to live fully in the present moment, without attachment to the past or anxiety about the future. This mindfulness is cultivated in both formal meditation and daily activities.

Mindful Action: Zen teaches that any action, no matter how mundane, can be an opportunity for mindfulness and awareness. The concept of "being one with the task" is emphasized, where the distinction between the doer and the deed dissolves.

Simplicity and Naturalness:

Simplicity: Zen values simplicity in both thought and lifestyle. This is reflected in Zen art, architecture, and daily practices, which emphasize naturalness, austerity, and the beauty of the unadorned.

Natural Flow: Zen encourages a natural way of being, in harmony with the flow of life. This idea is often illustrated by metaphors of nature, such as the effortless way a tree grows or a river flows.

Compassion and Ethical Living:

Bodhisattva Ideal: Although Zen emphasizes direct personal experience, it also upholds the Mahayana Buddhist ideal of the bodhisattva—someone who seeks enlightenment not just for themselves but for the benefit of all beings. Compassion and ethical conduct are integral to this path.

Engaged Buddhism: In modern times, Zen has also inspired forms of engaged Buddhism, where mindfulness and ethical living are applied to social, environmental, and political issues.

Art, Aesthetics, and Expression:

Zen Arts: Zen has profoundly influenced Japanese arts, including tea ceremony, calligraphy, poetry (such as haiku), and gardening. These arts embody the principles of simplicity, mindfulness, and the transient nature of existence.

Expression of Enlightenment: In Zen, artistic expression is often seen as an extension of the meditative mind. The spontaneity and directness found in Zen arts reflect the same qualities valued in Zen practice.

Non-Attachment and Letting Go:

Letting Go of Ego: Zen teaches the importance of letting go of the ego, desires, and attachments that create suffering. By relinquishing these attachments, one can experience a deeper, more peaceful state of being.

Non-Striving: Paradoxically, Zen teaches that enlightenment cannot be attained through effort alone; it requires a state of non-striving, where one lets go of the desire for enlightenment and simply allows it to arise naturally.

Silence and the Ineffable:

Beyond Words: Zen often emphasizes the limitations of language in capturing the essence of reality. Many Zen teachings are conveyed through silence or direct, non-verbal actions, highlighting that the deepest truths cannot be fully expressed in words.

Ineffability of Truth: Zen suggests that true understanding comes from direct experience, not from intellectual discussion or analysis. This is reflected in the Zen saying, "The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon," indicating that teachings are merely pointers to the truth, not the truth itself.

9th-c. Zen Buddhist philosopher Qingyuan Weixin (青原惟信):

老僧三十年前未參 禪時、見山是山、見水是水、及至後 夾 親見知識、有箇入處、見山不是山、見水不是水、而今得箇體歇處、依然見山 秪 是 山、見水 秪 是水 "Before a man studies Zen, to him mountains are mountains and waters are waters; after he gets an insight into the truth of Zen through the instruction of a good master, mountains to him are not mountains and waters are not waters; but after this when he really attains to the abode of rest, mountains are once more mountains and waters are waters." (D. T. Suzuki, Essays in Zen Buddhism)

20th-c. singer-songwriter Donovan Leitch:

20th-c. musical ensemble The Allman Brothers Band:

Koans

Some of my older work is being published in the next issue of Drunken Boat, an on-line literary journal. Issue 25, will go live March 12th 2024. I assume the title of the publication comes from the 1871 poem by Arthur Rimbaud—Le Bateau ivre.

Update: the issue in question is out and can be seen here.

The images in question were made at an artist residency known at the time as Millay Colony for the Arts, in upstate New York. Prior to this I had employed the tactic of re-photography, but this is the first time I focused exclusively on my body as subject matter.

The use of the duplicative hanging print in this case is self-referential in regard to both the medium as well as the subject. The small body of work is named for the Japanese (Zen Buddhist) riddle that urges one to think beyond logic and reason. I see these works starkly exploring the nature of one’s existence and reality itself.

The most essential matter in studying the Way is zazen. In great Song China many people attained the Way, and all did so through the power of zazen. If even an untalented, dull-witted person who cannot penetrate a single sentence devotes himself to zazen practice, he can exceed an intelligent person who has been studying for many years. Therefore, students must just sit [shikantaza] without being involved in other things. The Way of the buddhas and ancestors is simply zazen. Do not follow other things.

Ejō asked, 'In learning both sitting and the reading of sayings, when I read the recorded sayings or kōans, I feel I am only able to understand one thing out of a hundred or a thousand. In zazen there is nothing like that. Should we nonetheless still be fond of zazen?'

[Dōgen] instructed:

Even if you may seem to have some understanding when examining kōans or their fundamental points, [such studies] keep you distant from the Way of the buddhas and ancestors. To spend your time sitting upright with nothing to gain and nothing to realize is the Way of the ancestors. Although the ancients recommended both reading [kōan] stories and just sitting [shikantaza], they still principally promoted sitting. Although there are some who have gained realization through the fundamental points [of kōans], this is also due to the merit of sitting. It is the cause and condition of the unfolding of realization. True merit can only be from sitting."

John Tarrant, Robert Bly, and the Hell Courtesan: 'Way Up There, Swinging in Your Seat and Laughing'

[Image: “Hell Courtesan,” painted by Kawanabe Kyosai (1831–1889). After reading the whiskey river posts which I share below, I tried mightily to find one of the paintings described by John Tarrant. I could not — at least, not before finding this one, first… which delighted me too much not to share! (For more about the painting, see the portion of this post which follows the whiskey river excerpts.]