[Buddha-l] Paper: When the Saints Go Marching In (Lachs)

[lemmett at talk21.com]

Hi,

> Recently, I heard from a fellow in Europe having trouble with his teacher, 
> who was upset that this student questioned him about style of practice, 
> among other issues. The teacher screamed at him, "I represent the Buddha, 
> you represent ego."

I wondered if you could explain what the teacher meant or just more generally what zen buddhism says about the ego - I don't actually think it's a term I've encountered in what I've read.


I do sometimes wonder whether, because of the nature of hagiographies and what M.B. Schiekel mentioned in his reply, whether contemporary zen is an institutionalization not so much of the buddha-dharma but a manner of standing in connection with the buddha. I would not say it's just a reproduction of mythological interaction but probably that one can do so authentically, have transmission but nothing more. Even that anything more wouldn't add to that.

Whether or not the zen schools have a monopoly on the buddha-dharma - which seems a strange idea really.


Hope that this is fine.
Thanks,
Luke