Does Zen make any sense without Buddhism?
Some folks claim to practice Zen without being Buddhists. They may or may not call themselves "Zennists". Where do we draw the line between Zen and Buddhism such that we could distinguish?
Does it come down to ethical precepts? Some may say that if we maintain mindfulness then the precepts will maintain themselves. Personally, my practice becomes very uptight and idealistic whenever I fixate too much on the precepts, especially the Five Mindfulness Trainings. There's something about making certain things an absolute moral imperative that also makes them that much more tempting to break. For example, I was only able to stop binge drinking alcohol once I stopped treating it like a moral crusade. Now I can just let it go.
Does it come down to the practice of meditation without the fixation on Buddhist philosophy? Do Zennists not agree with particular Buddhist teachings? What's the deal?
Some folks claim to practice Zen without being Buddhists. They may or may not call themselves "Zennists". Where do we draw the line between Zen and Buddhism such that we could distinguish?
Does it come down to ethical precepts? Some may say that if we maintain mindfulness then the precepts will maintain themselves. Personally, my practice becomes very uptight and idealistic whenever I fixate too much on the precepts, especially the Five Mindfulness Trainings. There's something about making certain things an absolute moral imperative that also makes them that much more tempting to break. For example, I was only able to stop binge drinking alcohol once I stopped treating it like a moral crusade. Now I can just let it go.
Does it come down to the practice of meditation without the fixation on Buddhist philosophy? Do Zennists not agree with particular Buddhist teachings? What's the deal?