[Buddha-l] Re: Teaching Zen Buddhist philosophy

[Richard Nance]

On 10/11/05, curt <curt at cola.iges.org> wrote:

> If I was teaching classes on Zen Buddhist Philosophy then I would view
> you as a rival, and I certainly wouldn't share my great ideas with one
> of my competitors!

Thankfully, this view isn't terribly common among those of us who do
occasionally teach courses in Buddhist philosophy. Nor should it be.

>Fortunately for you my Academic teaching career was
> limited to a couple of semesters of lecturing on Chemistry 101.

[snip]

> Teaching is not a matter of "presenting
> material" which is then passively absorbed. A teacher - not matter what
> the subject - can, at best, point in the general direction of knowledge.
> It is up to the student to go there him or herself. And some knowledge
> is more difficult to come by than others - and often the best stuff is
> up a steep incline over difficult terrain. So sometimes you have to help
> your students gradually build up their stamina and so forth. God, I do
> have a weakness for over-extending metaphors.

Add to that a weakness making sweeping pronouncements on the basis of
very little experience.  Curt, Richard Hayes has taught for decades. I
don't think he needs you to tell him what good teaching involves.

Best wishes,

R. Nance