Joe Strummer did an interview after the Clash broke up, and he described Punk music and fans and bands as almost Stalinist. For a lot of people, Zen is the punk rock of Buddhism. Sort of dangerous, dark, edgy, and can’t always understand the words. And we defend it against anything that isn’t it with the same zeal as a Bolshie overthrowing a Tsar.
As punk stripped music down to the minimum, Zen says to see your true nature. That’s it. See your true nature, you’re done. Everything you’d like to be able to count on is as useless as a Tsar or an orchestra conductor. To bring that home, Linji said:
“If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha; if you meet the patriarchs, kill the patriarchs; if you meet Arhats, kill Arhats; If you meet your parents, kill your parents; if you meet your relatives, kill your relatives. Then for the first time you will see the truth.”
Zen is asking for Mozart and getting Stravinsky; wanting The Beach Boys and getting Pere Ubu: expecting Huangbo and Thich Nhat Hanh shows up; Nat King Cole instead of Coltrane. Think there’s something to stand on, finding the carpet you thought was there not only has been the pulled out, but it was on top of the abyss. That can be uncomfortable. No one said Zen was supposed to be comfortable. Or uncomfortable for that matter.
While we may be Stalininst in our conceptual understanding and defense of Zen, in reality Zen is to be zealously engaged in our lives, and the lives of all beings. We pay attention, pay attention, pay attention, and we fully participate in life. We help when help is needed, in small or grandiose ways. We have zeal for life and for helping others. That is our True Nature, that is Zen.
Myeong Jin Eunsahn gave the Dharma talk January 10, 2024.
