Reclusland

December 27, 2009

- Shinzen Young on “Bouncy” Zen and “Paint-by-Numbers” Vipassana -

miscellaneous —

  1. By George, I think he’s got it! This is the most succinct explanation of my personal preferences as I’m likely to find!

    Comment by Kate — January 6, 2011 @ 11:40 pm


  2. Hey, the site’s back up. Weird. Anyway, glad you like it Kate. I agree, I think Shinzen’s write on on this one, in regards to the pluses and minuses of both practices. I wonder though, as someone who’s practiced both, whether he would say one could get enlightenment through Vipassana and then turn to Zen to help make it more “bouncy”. Or is it a one-time-and-that’s-it thing? I wonder.

    Comment by Ian — January 11, 2011 @ 2:40 pm


  3. Well, as I understand it, his own trajectory was Japanese Vajrayana-enlightenment-Zen-Vipassana as a method to teach his own students… unless I misunderstood, or am misremembering.

    Just my take: Vipassana teaches focusing skills; at the point of experiencing results, Zen/Chan/Dzogchen can guide the use of those skills in developing a life of practice; in the course of which ‘unenlightenment’ [including any sense that part of life is practice, and part is not] burns off like fog.

    I am working on an answer to your email, but have got to the point of overworking it and must put it aside to settle for awhile.

    Comment by Kate — January 12, 2011 @ 1:25 am


  4. Thanks Kate, I like your take on Vipassana = focusing, Zen/Dzogchen/etc = bringing it back to the marketplace. I’m long past the point of equating cushion time with practice. I space out enough on the cushion that that’s simple not worthwhile! :)

    Every moment, there’s already something going on that I am not conscious of. Accepting that, there’s always something to open up to and learn from.

    And I hadn’t realized Shinzen’s “seeking” was done mostly via Shingon. That is interesting…

    As for the email, no worries, I often take far too long to reply. And I am definitely familiar with the overworking of things, as well as with the need for settling. :)

    Comment by Ian — January 12, 2011 @ 10:01 am



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