Is zazen necessary, or what? How much? What is too much? And what is just right?
Life is short. Many take for granted the fact that we were apparently born, ended up with this or that responsibility, and now somehow feel like we’re trying to keep up with something – success, bills, clarity of mind, physical health, relationships, etc…This is samsara. Samsara is founded upon our karma – the way we see the world, and our actions that follow thereupon. In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha says, ‘the world is not what we name it, or think it’. So, how do we name or think the world?
Zazen is necessary proportionally to our desire to clarify our view. The view of our self, the world, and the gap in between. In so far as we are satisfied with our view, we may act accordingly. In so far as we are not, we must sit zazen. Although there are many spiritual modalities, most are integratory. Zazen points directly to the root of karma – the place from which the self, and the world, co-arise. If you, like many, are gifted with dissatisfaction, please use this precious opportunity to clarify what this life is really about. We can proceed clearly. We can proceed kindly. Please prioritize wisdom and compassion. Why else would we be here?
Soten