Do Zen students improve until they achieve enlightenment and Teacher-hood? Or is something very different going on?
Zen communities commonly take the form of one or more experienced and trusted Zen Teachers leading a group of less experienced Zen students. The distinction between these two classes of people is usually treated as a Big Deal. But what is the nature of this distinction?
The yin-yang diagram illustrates how nonduality includes duality—but must be understood through dynamic “process” thinking rather than static “entity” thinking.
While the metaphor of the ocean (oneness) and the waves (many) that temporarily arise is a wonderful illustration of nondualism, it doesn’t spawn much further understanding. The ancient Chinese yin-yang diagram (shown here), associated with Daoism, highlights more dimensions.
Is this a problem that cries out for a solution? Or an invitation to investigation?
The question “How do I live my life?” has been coming up for me lately. I’ve been exploring two versions of it.
The first version arises as a cry from the heart: “How do I live my life?”
Life has difficulties. Continue reading “How Do I Live My Life?”