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Zen Buddhism

new2tbnew2tb
in Buddhism Basics
Can I combine a little Soto Zen and Rinzai Zen into my practice? I want to know because I want to find a balance in my Zen home practice.

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Zen with Zen.....?

    Gee, I don't know.....

    I combine Theravada with Mahayana....

    Works ok for me....

    ;)
    Invincible_summer
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    edited June 2013
    Soto & Rinzai schools are seldom really as polarized as literature often presents and many teachers partake of aspects of both Soto & Rinzai.

    But what does this combining have to do with finding a balance in your own home practise?
    riverflowInvincible_summerSilouan
  • searching_samsarasearching_samsara Explorer
    No Soto, No not Soto
    No Rinzai, No not Rinzai
    No Mahayana, No not Mahayana
    No Theravada, No not Theravada

    Enquiry Koan: What knowledge is without words or sound?
    swaydamTheEccentric
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    So if you have a flat tire does it help to say: "flat tire no flat tire"?
    Silouanlobster
  • searching_samsarasearching_samsara Explorer
    The arrow flies past korea
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Be cryptic in your own thread. We're here to help the OP, not confuse him with pseudo-intellectual "koans."

    Thanks.
    howInvincible_summerlobsterFlorian
  • searching_samsarasearching_samsara Explorer
    You make an assumpton that a koan would confuse him
    Koans can shear through iron, pull out nails and knock out the wedges
    The whole constuct will collapse
    Did he not ask about Zen practice?
    Should questions about Zen not be directed towards a Koan?
    Zen is not cryptic
    Or pseudo-intellectual
    If Zen is your practice
    Then a Koan is 'more relevant' than 'Teachings'

    If you fall in love with the road, you will forget the destination

    No Fixed Positions
    mfranzdorf
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    Better.
  • TakuanTakuan Veteran
    Yes, a lot of centers do this. Zen Mountain Monastery, for example.
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    What do you mean by combining practices? Both practice zazen. One usually has a heavier koan practice than the other. To be honest, few non-Japanese people practice a severe or pure form of either, no matter which school their Roshi comes from.

  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    @new2tb -- Can you be a little more explicit about what aspects you see as different and which aspects you might like to combine?

    In a much-too-general sense, Soto is sometimes said to put emphasis on shikan taza or just sitting. In a much-too-general sense, Rinzai is sometimes said to put emphasis on koans.

    As a matter of practice, it's my sense that these two aspects flow in and out of each other as plainly as water flows downhill.
    riverflow
  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    searching_samsara said:



    If you fall in love with the road, you will forget the destination

    And people who forget the road, before they reach the destination, often drive off the cliff!

    swaydamInvincible_summermisecmisc1lobster
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    edited June 2013
    @searching_samsara
    If you fall in love with the road, you will forget the destination
    Aaahhha, That explains those folks I meet on the path going in the opposite direction!
    riverflowInvincible_summermisecmisc1lobster
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    I think in the sense of mindfulness it makes sense to fall in love with the road. Depends what you mean by a road. And I think we are mixing relative with ultimate and everybody is getting confused.
  • NevermindNevermind Bitter & Hateful Veteran
    edited June 2013
    federica said:

    Be cryptic in your own thread. We're here to help the OP, not confuse him with pseudo-intellectual "koans."

    Thanks.

    Thank MU! :rockon:
    lobsterperson
  • misecmisc1misecmisc1 I am a Hindu India Veteran
    edited June 2013
    searching_samsara said:

    If you fall in love with the road, you will forget the destination

    My thinking says : for above statement, Dogen would have said - walking on the road (in itself) is arriving at the destination.
  • lobsterlobster Crusty Veteran
    new2tb said:

    Can I combine a little Soto Zen and Rinzai Zen into my practice? I want to know because I want to find a balance in my Zen home practice.

    You can combine it with Tibetan Buddhism, Purelander chanting, a dose of mysticism from any passing dervish, lighting candles in church and being a vegetarian rose grower.
    Go on retreat and learn from the sangria or whatever those drunkard monks are called (being drunk is a Sufi term incidentally).

    What is your current interest and practice? Be wary of the 'one hand crapping' style of Dhyana Puddhism that I belong to.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhyāna_in_Buddhism

    OM YA HA HUM HRIH
    person
  • footiamfootiam Veteran
    new2tb said:

    Can I combine a little Soto Zen and Rinzai Zen into my practice? I want to know because I want to find a balance in my Zen home practice.

    Why not? Zen is afterall not the real thing. It comes later, many, many years after Buddha passed away.
  • TheEccentricTheEccentric Hampshire, UK Veteran
    federica said:

    Zen with Zen.....?
    I combine Theravada with Mahayana....

    Works ok for me....

    ;)

    Surely combining Theravada with Mahayana would be like combining Atheism and Theism, in the same way you can't both believe in God and not believe in God you can not combine Believing in Bodhichitta/The bodhisattva and not believing in it.
  • zenmystezenmyste Veteran
    edited June 2013
    TheEccentric said:

    federica said:

    Zen with Zen.....?
    I combine Theravada with Mahayana....

    Works ok for me....

    ;)

    Surely combining Theravada with Mahayana would be like combining Atheism and Theism, in the same way you can't both believe in God and not believe in God you can not combine Believing in Bodhichitta/The bodhisattva and not believing in it.
    Read again what Federica said;
    federica said:

    Works ok for me....

    ;)

    We all have our own path! And if something 'works' for them then it works! Simple as that!

    There is no 'right and wrong'

    I believe many religions all have something that can 'inspire' us on our path!! It doesnt have to be one or the other!

    (I dont believe in God, but there are many things in the bible that i like and take in board)

    Again, its all about what works for you!

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