In Buddhist thought good conduct means the moment by moment unfolding of the “perfected motivations of non-attachment, friendliness and wisdom” (R. Gethin, “The Foundations of Buddhism”). Religious Buddhism derives from these initial conditions.
For Buddhists, these three are as basic as breathing. These three foundational elements of practice are meditation skills. Zen is much more important for its meditation style than its sectarian aspects.
Non-attachment is the antidote to suffering, and that includes attachment to form and rules. The very word .’zen’ means meditation.
Zen meditation attempts to cultivate a state of mind called the “receptive samadhi”. Samadhi is a Sanskrit generic term denoting a technical approach to the internal configuration of awareness. There are many samadhis mentioned in meditation manuals; most of them involve focusing strongly on some particular thing. The receptive samadhi is different in that it is the exact opposite; it is idealized as a presence and awareness that leaves nothing out.
This is friendliness. In formal Buddhist parlance, the cultivation of friendliness is not simply a matter of personality, but also a deep acceptance that openness and kindness and receptivity are the marks of good conduct. Zen meditation, more than any other of which I know, is tethered to this aspect of friendliness…….READ MORE of this post in the Times Colonist HERE
Wayne Codling is a former Zen monastic and a lineage holder in the Soto Zen tradition as taught by the Japanese Zen master, Shunryu Suzuki-roshi (Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind). He teaches Zen style meditation in various venues around Victoria, including regular, drop-in, no charge sessions each Sunday at the Vic West Community Centre and regular classes with young offenders at a correction centre. Wayne’s talks and some writings can be found on his blog (http://sotozenvictoria.wordpress.com), and practice questions are responded to at: http://zendog.ca.
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