When asked, Is Zen Buddhism a religion?
As a Zen Buddhist, I answer with the following:
No, it is not.
Do not be fooled by the candles, incense, bowing and chanting.
Zen is not involved with belief in a God or Gods.
Its Founder did not claim to be Divine.
Its Founder did not claim to be a conduit for a Supreme Power.
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Not one thing has an intrinsic, indwelling, autonomous self. Therefore, there is nothing that dies. There cannot be moment of death. There is only disintegration. Continuing change. Change is more powerful than any person. Everybody dies.
After Suzuki Roshi had finished a talk given to his Sangha in the mountains outside San Francisco, a student/practitioner asked him, “Roshi, I have tried to listen very closely, but I just don’t quite understand, could you say what Zen is about in a nutshell? Everyone laughed, not thinking Suzuki would ever answer such a question. But he did answer. He said, “Everything changes”.
It was one of the most significant recorded teachings in history of humankind. Constant change is the way of the Universe.
We don’t know that there is a Grand Design. We must be wise when using the phrase, “the way”. We must be wise when musing about the notion, “essence”. People often mean “characteristic” or something mystical. We don’t know that there is a way or an essence. Essence is a concept of the human mind. When we seek for our essence, we are seeking for our Self. But neither exist as our Ego would have it. All dharmas are forms of Sunyata (Emptiness). Therefore, we cannot locate, name a center or a central feeling in our imaginary world of existence. Way and Essence are “Hold onto concepts.” Ideas and concepts are among the mightiest things in the Universe. Zen Buddhism encourages us and helps us to let go of them and enter into freefall. That is our practice.
To paraphrase the words of Buddha—It is through vigilance and devoting ourselves to diligence practice, that we begin to see. If one does this and does not come to seeing, no matter. She is Awakened. And all the while she has been growing in compassion.
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Zen does not know that there is an afterlife.
In the pure sense, Zen cannot be taught.
Zen is not a teaching but rather a pointing.
Karma, a Buddhist concept, means deeds, “something done”. Actions – by us – that once done, don’t stop by themselves but permeate long after in ways and to the extent we can or cannot know. Words, spoken or written are karmic. Thoughts are karmic because they cause things to happen and are aroused by things that happen. What we think has consequences for the world around us. They condition how we act. Our behaviors, our words are like a rock thrown into a lake creating ripples beyond the horizon, effecting the lives, the choices of those exposed to the succeeding consequences of our original action. Karma is carried, as are some gems, from person to person. And so, we are to be mindful of the power and potential of our words and behavior. Such responsible mindfulness is compassion.
“Karma” like “Zen” has become part of the lexicon, and like Zen is just a cool word when used in ignorance of its real meaning. Karma is not fate. Fate, destiny, luck are ancient Greek concepts, not Buddhist. (Oedipus believed he was a victim of bad luck). Karma is not mystical. It is not the Ultimate Truth. It is a physical law that operates everywhere and at every moment. We are not powerless in the face of Karma. It is not carved in stone. It is reversable. It is not a curse and does not cancel our free will and can be subdued or terminated or perpetuated. There is good and bad – or rather, positive and negative, Karma. It is not locked in us. To think so can be egocentric. We can put positive karma to compassionate use. We must persist in our Zen practice of paying attention so that we can be alert to when karma is about to become an intentional action or word motivated often by greed or insecurity. The question of whether a particular karma can become biologically genetic, is one I cannot answer.
Buddha held that nothing happens by pure chance—not because events are predestined, but because everything is connected by Cause and Effect. Jesus of Nazareth knew this as did the Sages of the Bhagavad Gita. Zen Buddhism teaches that the connection is not linear. All causes and effect follow one another as in a dynamic circle
There are two points important to remember: We are affected by our own Karma. And the Law of Cause and Effect is not The Ultimate Truth.
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Zen is not doctrinaire.
It neither embraces, eschews, nor does it need, Metaphysical Theory.
There is no self-regarding prayer in Zen. Pray to whom? For what?
It does not depend on hierarchy.
Zen does not see the concept of salvation as relevant.
Zen is not evangelistic. It does not seek converts nor depend on numbers.
Zen does cannot produce a better person. In the Zen view, “better person”, is an oxymoron.
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Roshi Gregory Hosho Abels is a Zen Master who taught at Still Mind Zendo in Manhattan. His books of poetry are: Where to Begin (Lightwood Press), Glimpses & Pointings and Never Something Else (Seven Meadows Press). He enjoyed a 50+ year career as an actor, director and Master Teacher of Acting. Gregory holds a B.S. in Theatre and Religion from SUNY. He lives with his wife in Greenwich Village and on a sheep farm in the Hudson Valley.
Gregory Abels is a frequent contributor to Lightwood. His poems and articles can be read here. Scroll to our Search button and insert his name.
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