I got introduced to the writings of Brad Warner, author of "Hardcore Zen" through a link on Ryuei Michael McCormick's blog here on FWP. Warner is "local" here in Los Angeles, and has a zendo (meditation hall) Santa Monica, less than half a mile from the World Peace Ikeda Auditorium. I haven't been to visit this zendo yet, but I hope to sometime in the near future.
Warner's new book, "Sit Down and Shut Up" is a real kick in the pants. It is alternately:
1. a commentary on Dogen's "Shobogenzo", or "Treasury of the True
Dharma Eye", a collection of writings by the founder of the Soto school of
Zen Buddhism; and
2. a sort of travelogue of a trip which Warner took back to Ohio to participate
in a reunion of the 1980's hard-core punk rock scene in Akron, Ohio. He
also is trying to make a documentary film, entitled "Cleveland is
Screaming" about this reunion.
Warner is a good little writer - he takes his subject matter seriously without taking himself seriously, and that is a welcome relief after years of reading prose like that which I cited in my last blog entry. He begins by introducing Dogen's four "basic principles for Buddhist study". They are:
1. Establishing the will to the truth;
2. Deep belief in the rule of cause and effect;
3. Our life is just action at the present moment; and
4. The practice of zazen (silent seated meditation) itself.
These principles resonated with me, even the last one, although for me as a Nichiren Buddhist I obviously focus my Buddhist practice on chanting Nam(u)-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Like Nichiren, Dogen spent many years trying to find out the truth for himself, traveling to different monasteries and studying with different teachers. I respect that. I respect anyone who has spent time and effort trying to figure things out for himself or herself. It does take a tremendous amount of willpower, or what we in the Gakkai call a "seeking mind" to learn about Buddhism (although unfortunately, in the Gakkai, our "seeking minds" are generally encouraged to seek only from the Mentor, or from authorized sources)
I also resonate with principle #2 - a "deep belief" in the rule of cause and effect. Not just a deep belief that as long as I am associated with a particular group, I am automatically making "good causes" -- rather, a deep belief in the rule, regardless of transitory "campaigns", leadership positions or other associations.
Warner discusses this rule of cause and effects in terms of the classic Buddhist Twelvefold Link of Causation, and devotes a lively chapter to its' analysis. This leads into chapters on sex, sin and the "futile pursuit of happiness", observing that "real happiness comes when you are truly living this moment, no matter what it is. It's not the least bit futile to pursue this kind of happiness. In fact it's your sacred duty as a human being."
I contrast this definition of Buddhist "happiness" with that with which I am most familiar - my duty as a Buddhist leader to "work for the members' happiness" as our Leader in Japan "works for the members' happiness". But what if? What if I no longer had "happiness" to throw out as a lure to others or myself in order to make them (or me) perform a certain kind of behavior? Go to a particular meeting? Subscribe to a particular magazine? What if the "goal" I set for myself in my New Year's resolutions actually is a phantom city? What if I've always had the ruby slippers and they were actually tennis shoes?
Warner also emphasizes what the Buddha called the "Middle Way" - i.e., not going overboard in one direction or another. Although I always knew this was one of the Buddha's main Pointers for Daily Life, I've spent so many years campaigning with a "never-give-up spirit" that I forget some things need to be given up.
Anyway, I enjoyed this book very much, and it's not too expensive. I even gave it five stars on Amazon.
Be happy, be kind, be cool,
Byrd in LA