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Do western Buddhists over-emphasize the inner life?
Jeffrey
Veteran
There is that story of covering your feet with shoes rather than try to control the whole world. However I find myself sometimes an extreme of underachieving and losing interest in achievements rather than become buoyant and unattached. For example not looking for friends and instead just staying mindful at home. I am not lonely. An example at a different angle is not working in the yard minimal and missing out on hard work and results.
0
Comments
"By focusing on the relatively individualistic insight meditation practice, the Western vipassana community has also largely ignored the communal practices of Theravada Buddhism. The tradition offers a whole range of ritual practices which help foster community, connect us with the land on which we live and mark birth, death and the seasons. The collective decision-making and reconciliation practices that have benefited the monastic community for centuries could be invaluable for extending our practice from our cushions to our communities."
http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/the-treasures-of-the-theravada/
After 40 years, the best I can figure is this: Pick your poison and get to the bottom of it.
In Zen practice, my chosen poison, there is emphasis on meditation -- the kind of emphasis that can lead those not similarly involved to criticize with words like "navel gazing" or "masochism" or "self-absorbed idiocy." And the critics are not entirely wrong: Their observations are observations that anyone seriously practicing Zen Buddhism needs to get to the bottom of ... not just with sweet reason or smarmy emotion, but clearly and in a realized sense. The danger is getting swept up in some other-worldly eyewash... the 'deeeep meaning' or the 'unconditional realm.' There is no peace in it.
The critics of Zen meditation often point out that the world or the marketplace is the place in which to actualize any decent meditation. They lay out a path of super-duper altruism, which they sometimes label "compassion:" Our actions are both our practice and the fulfillment of that practice, they may argue. And the activist/altruists are not wrong: Anyone seriously embracing social action needs to get to the bottom of their chosen poison ... assuming they are serious. If the direction is to "help" or "love" others, the danger and poison reside in relying on others for your peace ... and there is no such peace.
Resting on the come-hither glances of the ineffable or resting on the come-hither glances of others contain the same difficulty ... resting, nesting, fortifying, extolling, etc. The dangers are inevitable and inescapable ... not good or bad, just inevitable and inescapable. And it is only the courage, patience and doubt of the individual that can crack this nut of pretending there is peace where there is no peace.
My view is -- yes indeed! dive in! pick your practice and practice it! Find your successes and failures! Enjoy your soaring successes and your dispiriting failures! But if an honest peace is what you seek ....
Just don't stop.
A cheesy allegory comes to mind - in the Karate Kid, Daniel wasn't waxing the car (wax on wax off, remember?) to learn to wax cars, it was practice for fighting, but then his learning to fight wasn't about fighting either, it was about learning to live.
It's not a big deal, whatever the surprises. Practice teaches, so we practice and the teacher turns the pages as time goes by.