Not Going it Alone
Friday, December 18, 2009 at 6:09AM Yesterday on the Shambhala Sunspace Blog, there was a request that didn't sit so well with me. To quote directly it read, "Do you have a meditation practice and follow the Buddhist teachings but don’t belong to a Buddhist community, or sangha, and don’t have a Buddhist teacher? If so, you’re part of a growing community of unaffiliated Buddhists in North America. In the Spring 2010 issue of Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly we’ll be focusing on unaffiliated Buddhists and we’d like to hear from you."
I've been actively practicing Zen for about 19 years. Overtime my practice has written many chapters through my life. I've had periods that I trained as a monastic and times like the present that I'm not. I've had experiences with and without a sangha or community of Buddhist. And I've certainly had times when I was with and without a teacher. I've had experiences with both sides of the coin.
The straight answer is that people can loosely be classified in various categories or swim lanes. Here are a few that I've noticed and experienced myself:
1. Nice Person or Accidental Buddhist. The nice person Buddhist is one who maybe took a college class on Eastern philosophy, heard about Buddhism from a friend or read a book like "The Three Pillars of Zen," and said "Wow, This is cool. This kinda fits me." There can be a feeling of wanting to be a little more connected with their life, happier, kinder, etc...
Sometimes the nice person Buddhist avoids getting a teacher or joining a Buddhist community/Sangha, because organized structure might feel constricting. I could add that in our culture, there is a very high value placed on being independent and the sense that having those things can make one dependent. Dependence translates into discomfort. The net-result is they just don't want to be directed, managed or controlled. The feeling and notion of Buddhism is kind of a loose frame work that might be a nice outline for life and that's enough or them to feel "okay."
I should note, there's usually not a lot of serious zazen practice going on. If there is, it's frequently random, lacking consistency.
2. Unaffiliated Buddhist. The unaffiliated Buddhist has a stronger connection to the Way than the "Accidental/Nice Person Buddhist." They might be taken with or have a drive for something more that a little growth and development. They have a sense of they can gain some level of enlightenment and set out to see what they can attain.
The unaffiliated is often pretty intellectually clued in to Buddhism. There's an awareness of the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path. They may have numerous books on Buddhist practice, use podcasts and have loose associations through channels like twitter and blogging. There is often some thought or effort towards sitting at least once a week for a short period. This can be useful to keeping them moving forward, without the commitment or obligation to a teacher, sangha or Buddhist community.
3. Affiliated Buddhist. These persons are those who have a teacher, providing guidance, direction and support in practice. There is frequently participation and engagement in a Sangha or Buddhist Community. There is awareness that Buddhism is actually a "Team Effort," rather than solo, as most people think.
Generally these person's are on a very directed effort to attain Awakened Mind, to see the truth... know the truth and as much as possible, express Buddhist Vow and Precepts within their life. Zazen practice is consistent, often daily. Affiliated Buddhist frequently make the effort to attend Sesshin (Retreats to gather the mind).
Looking at it from the context of categories helps me to understand that our relationship to Buddhism is a process, not an event. From my experience and perspective, I found it much more helpful to be an "Affiliated Buddhist," rather than "Unaffiliated" for one simple reason. Going it alone can make practice unnecessarily difficult on ourselves.
Visualize yourself, climbing a mountain cliff face that is 1000 feet high. Is it better to go it alone or with someone who has been there before and more experienced? Is it better to gain timely direction and advice when your in a tight or difficult moment or hope you can get back to the book and find the highlighted section that applies? It's useful to remember that Shakyamuni Buddha encouraged real-time, direct support in some fashion, because ceaseless refining is possible.
There is also the issue of hitting various states where one things they might have attained awakening, because of how the mind feels, but in point of fact, it's a kind of hallucination. True Zen is not a game. Just like on a sharp mountain cliff wall, it's possible to loose one's life, in unaffiliated, non-directly supported practice, one can lose a sense of direction and get caught in some unexpected traps and not even realize we're caught, isolated and out of the resources we need, so that we can move forward.
The above being said, I'd say "Please don't go it alone," unless there really is no other choice. Trust me when I say, though we may think of our life and reasonably comfortable and okay, we are out in the wilderness of our life... living beneath the stars... hoping to more than survive the circumstances of our life.
May Your Life Go Well,
Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO
Reader Comments (8)
I so appreciate this post. My personal challenge is how to move from #2 to #3. Practically speaking it is not so easy in central KY. Spiritually speaking I think it requires a commitment to say "This is it. This is what I believe. I believe this and am leaving the past way of thinking behind." That may be the harder aspect.
Speaking as an unaffiliated Buddhist, I would say that while I can appreciate some of the benefits of being "affiliated", I don't think that my state is all that bad.
First, Buddhism is very much intended to be a "see for yourself" practice, and being very tightly affiliated may, in some cases, distort your experience.
Second, finding a local sangha that shares your particular taste of Buddhism is actually pretty hard. I live in a big city and I don't have something handy, and so I wonder about someone "stuck" in less urban settings.
And last, while unaffiliated, I do have an extended sangha that I can reach out to for help, as I need it. I realize this is not the same as looking into someone's eyes in dokusan, but it helps.
Just my 0.02, but it would be a shame for people not to explore the dharma just because they don't sit with others.
Mary,
Thanks for comment. Location can present a challenge. I'm in a similar situation in Southern Delaware.
In my first genuine encounter with a teacher, I traveled to Rochester Zen Center, for an "introduction to Zen weekend." It was a great way to get my feet wet, gain formal instruction on how to practice and meet with new and old hands at practice. That 2 day experience turned out to be pivotal, for me.
Eventually I ended up at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, as a resident in training there and now though I live on the East Coast, I fly out several times a year to train with Genjo Marinello, Osho in Seattle Washington. Traveling 3000 miles may seen extreme, but what I've found is that its been worth it, because I'm investing, nurturing and taking care of me. In this way, I can take care of others.
Yours In Zen,
~Seiho
Tom,
I appreciate your expression. The one thing I will say is that, yes it is very much "See for yourself," but it is possible to be tricked or deluded by our story-lines. While I don't reject your view or experiences I would say, notice that Buddhism is a Mind to Mind transmission, not just a "self to self" transmission. There is a very good reason for that.
Namaste'
~Seiho
Oh, this is a tough issue. I saw the discussion on twitter last night and went through all the posts to Shambala Sun's query 6 weeks ago.
There is no doubt in my mind that practicing within a supportive community with a superb teacher is the most productive way to grow in deep understanding, to work through our stuck places, and to recognize when our ego has grabbed onto some experience or thought ABOUT practice/Buddhism and sent us on an unproductive detour.
Having said that, I also am getting close to the 20 year mark on the Way. I've practiced diligently for years at a time in three major Buddhist traditions. I have been blessed with access, at times, to wonderful teachers. I've also spent a lot of time going it alone. I've always lived in rural places where it is tough to connect with a sangha, and when I had the means, I've travelled to access teachers and retreats. I also spent the last 7 years dealing with a chronic illness that made it all but impossible to do that.
Through this experience, I've come to have a lot fewer strong opinions about the best way to practice. It is something of a miracle that the Dharma is as available as it is. It is a wondrous, mysterious unfolding that brings us to seek the experience and understanding of what is behind our ordinary perceptions and the stories our minds tell us. Each of us have our own karma, and since the reality is that our separateness is also illusion, there is a deeper mystery of causes and conditions at work that we cannot fathom.
With deepest respect, Seiho, I don't think catagorizing helps. We each come to the Dharma in the way we can, with what we have. Where we live, our own level of determination, our sensitivity to cultural trappings, whether our teacher speaks english, our financial means, ripening of karma, family conflicts, etc. are all part of the path.
Regardless of any of our circumstances, if we can manage to connect with the teachings in a way that touches us deeply, that encourages us to keep going, that leads us to start and to keep asking, "What is this?", that keeps 'bringing us back to the cushion,' no matter what, then this is practicing Dharma and it will work on us. It will change us.
Now, having said that, a piece of advice. If you are walking down the street and you see a genuine teacher of the Way, grab onto his/her robe and don't ever let go. If you have access to a sangha that is supportive of your practice, move mountains to get there. If you are not so fortunate, then do what you can with what you have. Because there isn't any time to lose. This is it.
With palms together, Cheri
Cheri,
I appreciate your feelings, thoughts, experiences and insights on practice. Everything you said is completely valid and you have my respect. This is a good discussion to have.
Warm Smiles,
~Seiho
Thanks Seiho. The way to the path is mysterious indeed. Years ago, I dabbled in Buddhism, attending retreats here and there, and reading lots of books, but never sitting alone at home. I quit, thinking I was done with all that spirituality stuff . . . What I did not realize is the seeds had been planted and were lying dormant, waiting to be watered again with a change of heart. When the time came, I knew exactly to go, which teacher, which sangha, which books, . . . and I felt the urge to sit, and start practicing, for real this time! The resistances to practice can be internal, or external, or both.
I can appreciate all of the views expressed. Perhaps another perspective might be that in the same way Buddha tailored his teachings to the capacity of his audience, Buddhism (through those words unambiguously attributed to Buddha)sculpts its format and structure to the capacities and needs of its adherents. Many schools of thought result but one Dharma remains.
Although there are many examples of encouragements to solitary practice, please consider the Khaggavisana Sutta, for one.
Nothing in this reply is intended to discourage or disparage the practice of "sangha", it is only to suggest there are other fragrances to our lotus.