SOCRATES’ ZEN BUDDHISM
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Abstract
Zen Buddhism is just one of many paths of enlightenment which thrusts all hindrances aside as a vigorous attempt to move directly to the goal. Similar to Socrates’ philosophy Zen Buddhism rejects verbosity and mere descriptions; it has no patience for academic subtleties and bereft of doctrinal teaching insists on dialogues instead of a rational exposition to metaphysical questions. The common standards of logic and sound reasoning in Zen Buddhism (just like Socrates’ philosophy) do not play crucial role; moreover typical ex-cathedra approach is abandoned in favor of bridging the chasm between conceptual notions and first-hand experience. Words and depictions only indicate “the unknown” which is far above theory, sermons and lecturing. Therefore Zen is often labeled as “straightforwardness”, in other words it is immediate awareness of the ever-changeable flow of life, miles distinct from the mere rationalizations which are nothing but dead symbols of a living reality. Socrates teaching and Zen cherish the idea of the immediateness of actions thus expressing the idea of “spiritual poverty” as well as the meaninglessness of rigid definitions which veil “the ultimate truth” and distract seekers from “a bee-line” to satori. The idea of possession is illusory (be it material or spiritual possession); consequently life can never be grasped or precisely defined – in other words elusive substance of life is close to the notion of non-attachment. Spiritual freedom is revealed in human innate capacity to follow the ever-changeable flow of life avoiding both extremes – one which is a blind acceptance of fate and the other barrenness of hectic pace of our modern world.
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