AboutJoe McSorley Expertise I can answer questions dealing with Taoist philosophy and Zen and not the historicity and religion of Buddhism and its different schools. I studied under Dr. Richard DeMartino and Masao Abe of the Kyoto School of Zen.
Question I have recently become confused as to what exactly the final goal of zen is. Is there a final goal? In most forms of buddhism the final goal is seen as nirvana, enlightenment. Is there such a thing in zen?
If there is no final goal, what is it exactly that one wishes to progress in with practice? It was my impression that the general goal of zen is to quiet the mind, ultimately reside in the present instead of thinking of the past and future, and forget the self through this process. However, I have heard from other people that to try and make these experiences of no-mind and of selflessness permanent is not the point of zen and spirituality, that it is not even possible to do so.
I'm afraid I'm somewhat confused ^_^
Thank you,
Nicolaas
Answer Dear Nicholaas,
The goal of Zen is the goal of all Buddhism and it is to stop suffering, this is what the Four Noble Truths are about. The resolution of suffering is sometimes called nirvana, which means extinction of self, moksha (liberation) and satori (awakening to one’s true nature). True awakening is permanent and self sustaining and has been attested to by many masters from all traditions over the ages. There are scholars and students who will declare that these all mean different things but true awakening or enlightenment does not vary from person to person or from time to time. It is definitely the goal of Zen to do this and you can read about this in hundreds of stories from the old masters in China and Japan.
The idea of quieting the mind and residing in the moment is just the practice of Zen, not the goal of Zen. If you can quiet the mind and live in the moment doing bike riding, music or sport it allows you to flow more and to do it better. This idea of the ‘zone’ or of every day ‘wei wu wei’ is not awakening and though similar to what Zen talks about, it is by no means true awakening but just a mere shadow of it. It is used as analogy for awakening but it falls far short of the real thing. By the practice of stilling the mind you are trying to set up the conditions for a great awakening which is when you as you know yourself completely dissolves and you realize yourself as both the universe and the self simultaneously. It is not that you as a person becomes awakened but that you awaken as the universe expressed through that person and ultimately not grounded to that person for its being. In this sense you are the wave with the consciousness of the ocean behind it, expressed as a wave but not born or dying with the form of the wave.
This awakening is identical in all cultures when someone truly awakens. You can read Ramana Maharishi and hear the same ideas; it is about realizing true self nature by inquiring into the self to a point where you die to whom you think to be you and awaken to who you really are and have been all along.
There are many schools of Zen today with many different agendas but when you read the old masters they are all talking about the same thing. They have nothing to sell and no turf to protect, they just try to awaken those around them to what they have realized. Being human they are restricted to their cultural conditioning and language so you will find differences in expression, particularly in the use of “God” in Indian discourses, but it does not mean what Westerners mean when they use the term. All in all it is about inquiring into who the “I” is that is pursuing awakening.
I do know it is difficult to sort this all out, which is why it is confusing to listen to and study all the different schools opinions. Ultimately it falls on the individual to work this through and to discard the teachings and face yourself. Direct self-inquiry whether it is through mindfulness, meditation or koan practice will lead you there if you persevere. This is not a Zen thing or confined to any one practice, it is universal to all humans. You might want to read “Be As You Are” by David Godman. It is the writings of Ramana Maharishi and you will find it very much like reading Zen.
I hope this helps you take care,
Joe
