[Buddha-l] the body in Buddhist Practice

[Vicente Gonzalez]

Stuart wrote:

SL> I don't want to bore you with more examples. My point was that the strong
SL> emphasis on posture in seated meditation, especially in Soto Zen may be
SL> cultural.

well, but about seated meditation, also we can read instructions in
all tradition about stressing a straight spine, cross-legged posture,
etc.. As you says, in zazen there is still an strongest emphasis in
all that. I agree that special stress maybe it have cultural
influence. 

I think that seated posture (cross-legged, etc..) also it is a
cultural influence in Buddhism. We know that Maitreya is seated in a
chair. However, today that body position it's part of the practice in
Buddhist schools.

As you knows, in the East everybody seat in the floor many times, then
the cross-legged position can be something stable and comfortable for
people in a natural way. In fact, in Europe happened the same thing time
ago. There are ceramics of the bronze age with people seated
cross-legged in the floor in zazen posture. If there were not chairs
then the reason it's quite simple, I think.


SL> Setting up strict rules may seem necessary and  serve a purpose,
SL> but like many things in life, they also may have a down  side.

I agree.

SL> Dogen seemed to have a particular dislike for Ta-hui. I don't have the
SL> source now, but I believe he called him a fraud or fake. Interesting for a
SL> prominent Zen person to hold this opinion of another very prominent Zen
SL> person. Afterall, Ta-hui was pretty much the leading Zen figure of his day.
SL> Miriam Levering has written much on Ta-hui.

According P.Yampolsky in "The Development of Japanese Zen" ("Zen,
Tradition and Transition". Grove Press), when Dogen was finishing
Shobogenzo, he moved to Eihiji, and suddenly his tone  changed.
His opinions about lay people, etc.. becomed hard, and also in these
times were composed the critiques to Ta-hui.
In Eihiji he was sharing authority with Honin. In these times, the
Daruma school was strong. And according Yampolsky, this sharing of
power maybe was a motivation for such attacks.

It seems the Japanese establishment feared the teaching of Daruma
school. That school preached things as "forget your business" "there
are no precepts because we are enlightened from the beginning", "we 
practice the no-practice", etc.. It sounds quite similar of the
problems of Chan in Tibet centuries ago.

With these cases one can check how religion also is forced by
societies to suppress some uncomfortable things in order to survive.
Therefore, who knows what things had in mind Dogen and his problems
with these other Japanese lineages and other influences.
Note the "Treasure of the True Dharma Eye"  was not public until 19th
century, and with some chapters not included. So it can be really
difficult knowing the Dogen's motivations. With people of Dogen's
level, I always resist myself to believe they did such things
because these coarse and ugly attachments.
Maybe I'm an ingenious but I think the environment forces them to do
such things. 


best regards,