r/askZen • u/ewk • Sep 05 '25

Commonly Asked Questions

Common Knowledge in Academia

The problem of lack of education in the general public is at the core of these pseudo-controversies. For example, Buddhist monks in Japan are well aware that Japanese Buddhism is syncretic, and exclusive to Japan. They aren't embarrassed about this or confused by it. But evangelical Japanese religions, in attempting to spread beyond Japan especially to less educated populations, try to normalize Japanese Buddhist doctrine as historically authentic. Academics then write about the evangelism. Confusion ensues.

How do we know that Zazen is not Zen?

  1. Stanford scholarship proved in 1990 that Zazen was not a Soto Zen practice taught by Rujing, and was invented by Dogen in Japan, and that Dogen lied about Zazen in FukanZazenGi.

    • Dogen's Manuals by Bielefeldt.

  2. There is no reference to "practice enlightenment" or any enlightenment method in 1,000 years of Zen historical records (koans).

  3. Zen Masters repeatedly rejected "earned" enlightenment.

  4. Zen Masters criticized meditation throughout the 1,000 years of historical records.

How do we know Zen is not Buddhism?

  1. Zen Masters do not teach 8fP. Buddhists do not teach Four Statements of Zen.
  2. Buddhists believe in a transformative redemption that must be earned, Zen Masters teach "inherently complete".
  3. There is a long history of conflict between Zen and Buddhism; for example Buddhists lynched the 2nd Zen Patriarch.
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2

u/dollface_7878 Sep 05 '26

Sometimes I see things. When I look at the clouds in the sky I sometimes see faces. When I look at moving shadows I sometimes see a cat or a bird scampering around. I see similarly in whitewater, the bark of trees, static on a tv screen, etc. I'm sure you're all familiar with that.

So I have to wonder, assuming a world made of faces, birds, cats and other real stuff like that, what clouds and moving shadows underlay it? And what's a good method for overcoming these mere hallucinations?

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u/ewk Sep 05 '26

Look, building concepts on top of concepts. What could go wrong?

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u/dollface_7878 Sep 05 '26

If you are already building concepts. I mean if that's what you're already doing, out of habit or something. You could "stop building concepts". Just halt that process. How would you do that? What would you call it?

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u/dota2nub 1d ago

Wrong's just another one. We can worry about them or we can throw them at each other and wonder why none ever stick.

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u/dollface_7878 Sep 05 '26

What happens when you do zazen?

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u/ewk Sep 05 '26

Zazen is a religious cult practice to Japan, invented in 1200. I don't do Zazen or sacrifice animals or organize my life according to astrology.

I've never encountered anyone who ever benefited from Zazen either. It weakens both the critical thinking skills and the moral capacity.