Political Zen

With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,

Lately I have posted a number of political messages. Some may argue these are "off topic." I wonder. It seems to me that Zen Living is political living. The question we each face as we rise every morning is how are we to steer ourselves in the world. Zen informs us of that steerage. Zen is the compass we use, a tool, if you will, of discovery. We investigate ourselves through Zazen and through this practice realize ourselves, so to speak, in the universe. Zen in this sense is not an individual activity, but a dynamic interaction with everything in all places. It is in this sense that Zen becomes political. Politics, according to Webster, is the art or science of government or governing. Law and policy are nothing more than a group's precepts stated as rules and guidlines. Precepts then become political statements.

When I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, what does this mean? When I vow not to kill, steal, poison my mind, what do these mean? They are not precepts for only us as individuals, they are precepts for us as members of a group. They are our policy, our governance. And, in this case, I argue, our group is the family of man.

When we engage the precepts we are engaged in a process of living. How are we to effect the precepts in the world? This process is a political one. When we see killing we must stand opposed to it. When we see a violation of human rights, we must stanmd opposed to it. When we see a corporation poisoning the air or the water, we must stand opposed to it. As a Sangha, this becomes a political activity.

If we approach Zen only as a means of self improvement or of enligtenment for ourselves alone, we are taking a wrong approach. Such a practice wil only end in disaster and frustration. Zen is about neither.

Be well.