Finding a tradition
JohnMac
DrScotland Veteran
Firstly, hello all from the Canary Islands! As per the title of my thread, I'm looking to find myself a tradition to follow! Maybe a bit of explanation might help. I'm a landscape photographer by profession, which involves an awful lot of sitting and waiting for the right light at the right time at the right place, so during my working life I spend a lot of time waiting and observing each and every moment as it comes and goes and deciding whether or not that particular moment will become a picture. During the course of my work, it occurred to me that whilst I am working, it is the only time in my life when I really live in the moment, completely and utterly absorbed in the now. When I had that particular thought, I have to say I was quite stunned when I compared how I work to how I live- when I'm not photographing I tend to worry and stress about the past and the future, quite a contrast to my working practice. Anyhow, I arrived at Buddhism when I wondered if there was any connection between photography and the moment- I found Zen photography by John Daido Loori, and then the whole thing clicked into place. Now, I have decided to properly and seriously commit myself to the path of living in the now. Accordingly, I'm a little confused as to which tradition I might be best to start to follow. Zen jumped out at me immediately, due to Daido Loori, but the formality puts me off slightly, or perhaps that's what I need. I would welcome any suggestions at all! Thank in advance, John.
Comments
Perhaps go take pics of monks/centres available, then judge which are photogenic.
Hmmmm..good idea, doubt my gallery would be very pleased though....
Don't show them. Go take pics in your own time.
OK, I get it. I think.
Hi and welcome, John!
As I said on another thread, I think finding a tradition is something very personal, very subjective. You could look into Buddhism as a whole, practice and learn things from different Buddhist traditions and then see which one suits you best. After alternating between Theravada and Zen, I chose the latter. It just felt right for me.
And speaking of Buddhism and photography, have you had a chance to look over Matthieu's Ricard works?
http://www.matthieuricard.org/en/gallery/landscapes
I really like his work. And there's also the Dharma Eye collective: http://dharmaeye.com/ I've seen some really stunning photos there.
Hello Mr. John...nice to meet you.
You'll have to experience it to see which school/sect/tradition fits u best. Its alot like life...trial
and error. Btw...not all Zen is zip up and smacks on the head...It can be a cultural approach...I attend a Vietnamese. Zen monastery and its pretty laid back.
I have indeed seen some of Ricard's landscapes, very fine work. Thanks for the replies so far, I must admit I'm tending towards Zen, as my whole ' realisation' came about after I finally woke up to the fact that there is nothing other than now.
This is the video I first watched, in it John Daido Loori describes my own experience exactly! It was a very strange moment hearing someone else articulate my own thoughts
Hi John and welcome to our forum.
I hope you enjoy your time here, however long you wish to spend with us.
Read the first two discourses of the Buddha
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.mend.html
@JohnMac
Been an active Zen practitioner for 40+ years.
Not all Zen schools are so formal.
Look around.
Although it is often hard to not see Zen's formality as constipated, Zen's structure is should only be a sandbox where we learn how to transcend all structure.
Great replies, thank you. Whatever I do, I'll be doing it alone as there are no schools or centres here on my island! I am reading a lot of Zen at the moment. Inspirational times, finally doing something about it.
wow, @tibellus. Thanks for sharing this link! I enjoyed these photos very much. I didn't know about this work. It's breathtaking.
Welcome @JohnMac -- hope you find something useful here.
As you no doubt have observed in your own work, a camera can separate the photographer from his/her subject and yet the "now" you refer to knows no separation: Welcome to the world of in-your-face koans!
My take: Don't worry too much about which tradition you may choose. Snoop around, read, investigate ... try riding a broomstick if you like. Buddhism as a practice is largely composed of patience, courage and doubt. It's not as if you were lacking any of these capacities so I think you can let the tradition come to you.
But as you move forward, I hope you won't be on the lookout for the 'perfect' tradition -- the one with which you may agree 100%. Better to find a tradition with which you agree 80-90%. If you agreed 100%, how could you possibly learn anything?
As a one-time Zennie of a number of years, I sympathize with your distaste for strictness. On the other hand, whatever tradition you choose is likely to seem pretty strict to the extent you are serious about its aims. Discipline, however sweetly it may be described, means doing what I don't want to do but I do it anyway, not because I am a masochist or a wing-nut (though that's always possible), but because I would prefer to iron out the wrinkles in my life and I am willing to bet on this particular discipline. The only way to find out is to try it.
Best wishes in your efforts and I do hope you will exercise your own good patience.
http://www.treeleaf.org
http://www.zenforuminternational.org
Good luck.
I am actually part of a Zen group. We are fairly relaxed, in my opinion. It is Kwan Um school, of Korean lineage. There are hundreds of centers around the world.
Again, thank you all for the replies, most helpful. @genkaku, I like your observation re being separated from a reality which knows no separation, it's been this feeling, when I'm working, of being completely and utterly present in the moment, albeit for artistic reasons rather than philosophical, but whatever the motivation the feeling must be the same? Nothing is of any import apart from the moment which departs as soon as it arrives. Thanks for the links @lobster, by coincidence, I did find treeleaf through my own researches, looks promising! Again, my thanks to you all for taking the time to help.
@JohnMac -- Once upon a time, I went to my first private meeting with my Zen teacher's teacher, Soen Nakagawa Roshi. I had never met him and, from a distance, was somewhat in awe ... this guy had a reputation of being a heavy-hitter on the Zen circuit and I was relatively new (3-4 years) to Zen practice.
I entered the small meeting room, did the requisite bows, sat on a cushion in front of him, stated my practice and waited. But instead of some shazzam Zen lingo, he was very chatty: Where did I live and what did I do for a living? It was in answer to the latter question that I replied, "I'm a painter." His face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Wonderful!" he said. "Each stroke of the brush is it!" And the meeting ended shortly thereafter.
Only when I got out of the room did it occur to me that he might have misunderstood me -- assuming I was a fine artist instead of the apartment painter I was. I got pretty obsessed with wanting to correct what I imagined was a misunderstanding ... I didn't want to be thought a liar or a braggart. I tried and tried to find an opportunity to run into Soen so I could explain. I never got it.
But as time passed, the dime dropped and I realized it was I who was mistaken -- imagining there was some fundamental difference between the brush stroke of a fine artist and the brush stroke of a house painter.
Sometimes it's OK to examine the "reasons" for doing or not doing things. But "reasons" are wily in the sense that they can trap the reasoner into thinking that an explanation is the truth of "it." Look ma! I'm in control!
It doesn't matter so much what the reasons are for doing something. It is the doing that counts when it comes to the "it" of things.
I get it. That's one of the things that was worrying me, I'm awake to the moment only when I'm totally absorbed in work, but by so doing, I have come to realise that I need to try to be like that all the time, I suppose that's why I'm here in the first place. So for me, each click of the shutter is it. The camera photographs by itself, the brush paints by itself, the dance is the dancer. Great story, many thanks, that's made my day.
@JohnMac -- What makes you assume there is some possibility you could NOT be like that all the time?
Welcome JohnMac - greatest American name ever
Hope you dont mind the jibe. I have been a wanderer for a very very long time. But now when my profile says explorer on this board I say I am not. I am very sorry to hear there is no center or sangha where you live. I am sure there is one coming soon 
I know exactly what you mean by the ritualistic nature of some schools. It is so contrary to the Zen method of meditation. I have only recently grown a yen for Theravada because I am keen to get scholarly insights into the Buddha's teachings. I am sure Theravada is ritualistic too but we are so lucky to be in a time when so many schools of Buddhism are available to us. And so many methods to meditate. I have learned a lot from Indian Yogis teachings in meditation. I was born and raised in India and strangely had the best parents who were willing to take a young girl age 19 from Ashram to Ashram just because she wanted to. As everyone has shared Explore and Investigate 
and keep Trust as your anchor. Best Wishes on this beautiful path !
I accept the possibility. That's why I'm here.
( thanks for the observations, you've got me thinking.)
Fake!
Pics please?
Picture of me thinking? Or pictures of my pictures? Or just a picture?
Yes
Well done, @JohnMac ! Not many bear the distinction of rendering @lobster monosyllabic!
~~~~> @lobster said:
Priceless. Much better than some of the exhibits at the Tate Modern...!
Gawd I wish I could paint like that!!
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few......
^^^^^^
Shunryu Suzuki was right, of course.
Your turn!
I think I'm being Koan'd already.....
mmm . . . perhaps ... perhaps you get three for the price of none at Tate Modern. Here are some I took earlier this year ...
Cheeky monkey, your stealing my work ....
The Tate Modern is a quality space filled with rubbish.
Agreed.
This seems very good, any views? http://everydayzen.org/
Meditation will find its way to your tradition - Your mind will know. - Welcome to the forum.
@JohnMac FINDING A TRADITION
Personally I'd suggest a meditative examination of how the 4 NT & 8 FP apply to each moment of practice.
Here..... a tradition will find you.
@JohnMac Read the Anatta Lakkhana Sutta, then take the time to contemplate the teachings in the sutta, or just simply contemplate not self after reading the sutta.
Thanks again for all the comments, I am enjoying this forum a lot. Needless to say, there's a lot of reading going on!
If I were to go to Africa to photograph the wildlife, I could walk all over the plains looking for the different animals. Or I could sit by the watering hole, where all the animals eventually come. ......
Outstanding resource. Find, learn, use.
Seem like a good plan.
Keep us informed.
John I found that Tibet held many truths, one being that a Buddhist can spend a lifetime never seeing a mirror but creating many works of art. Be calm in your studies!
For some reason, this picture popped into my mind:
That's a good picture, I have made some similar images. There's something about moving water and rock whatever the scale.
Actually, I think that's about all there is to it, I think I've been stuck on the diving board for too long, debating what kind of dive to do. I've started a proper daily meditation practice, which I enjoy, and I will wait and see what animals come to the watering hole.....
@JohnMac, for what it's worth, I took a very long time to decide in which 'camp' (School/Tradition) to plant my mast, and opted in the end, after thought and deliberation, for the Theravada one.
However, I do not discount the wisdom of other traditions and can see much sense in some aspects of other schools' teachings.
For example, mantra-chanting is not an habitual practice in Theravada, but Mahayana/Tibetan buddhism positively thrives on it.
I chant mantras and use a mala, and do so frequently.
So while I would say that predominantly, I follow a Theravada path, the others - running parallel and in the same direction, after all - I occasionally wander onto and skip on.....
Bus, Shank's Pony, car, bike.... you'll get there in the end and hopefully progress on the way....
Yes, that's it exactly. I've been reading and meditating fairly steadily since 2012, but without a real sense of where I belong - in terms of tradition- I've kind of thought do the work and the path will appear, but it seems that the more I think about it the less clear it becomes, so I just continue to try to do the work.....I feel drawn to Zen, but for some reason the formalities seem terribly forbidding and formal. Again, thanks to all for the replies, I am enjoying the conversations!
@JohnMac -- Honestly, you can probably find a Zen practice/center that follows the tree-hugger tradition ... everyone super-nice etc., etc., etc.
The problem is that, long-term, it's impossible to make-nice and talk-slick about zazen, which is the backbone of Zen practice. The formalities, believe it or not, are a bit scary not so much because they are anal-retentive and "forbidding," but more because it's all too easy to begin imagining a practice is serious just because it's formal or speaks a foreign language or eats with chopsticks.
I have a hunch that any serious student will find drawbacks wherever s/he plants a flag. It just goes with the territory. No one but you is going to be able to reassure you. And there's nothing saying you can't step back now and again and use some juicy invectives.
@JohnMac
I would not think about it too much. With an open enough mind & heart and a steady meditation practice, the endless possibilities that were always before you, will simply manifest.
I also think that you may find less stereotypical behaviors with the various groups than you imagine.
Where I currently sit with others (soto zen,) we have two periods of meditation inter spaced with walking meditation followed by casual tea and hopefully mindful conversation. It is about the most formal free style you can get but it's still Zen.
No robes/ no incense/ no scriptures/ no lecture/ no offertories/no hierarchy. The only form asked for is the style of meditation and our respect for others.
Folks coming here can squirrel up what ever other forms they wish or need on there own time.
Here, we just let the meditation practice be it's own teacher.