Questions and doubts started popping up in my head as I signed up for Big Mind seminar in Stockholm in the end of April. For starters, I am always suspicious of any methods that offer shortcuts. Brad Warner’s blog on SuicideGirls made me wonder what I make of this what sounds like a crush course in enlightenment and how I should go about forming an opinion of my own.
Buddhist Geeks interviewed the Big Mind process creator Genpo Roshi in three episodes and of course I listened to them all. It is hard to avoid reading about Big Mind these days. Genpo Roshi claims that one doesn’t have to spend years doing zazen but can achieve enlightenment (called satori or kensho in Zen tradition) by mastering this specific technique that he developed. The Integral guru Ken Wilber received the method with enthusiasm while Brad Warner used words as “scam” and “horse shit” in respect to it. Coming from a Zen priest it is quite a serious accusation but the situation offers an opportunity to think about what actually happens when something new, radical and provocative appears on the Buddhist horizon and how each of us takes a stand towards it. Who do we listen to? Buddhist community which is extremely diverse has no Pope or Politburo to say what is right and what is wrong.
In the past few days I have been reading the sutra on the Kalamas’s dilemma in which the Buddha is asked by the inhabitants of the place called Kalamas for some guidelines on how to tell teachers who speak truly from those who speak falsely, which seems to fit my situation perfectly. (I so understand those guys!) The Buddha’s answer immediately made me see that I was approaching the issue from the wrong side and therefore had no way of actually seeing it what it was: I was from the start blinded by a number of ideas and perceptions and – this is actually a scary insight if I think of how often I apply this kind of reasoning for making important decisions in my everyday life – none of them was actually truly and genuinely mine! It goes like this:
“You should decide, Kalamas, not by what you have heard, not by following convention, not by assuming it is so, not by relying on the texts, not because of reasoning, not because of logic, not by thinking about explanations, not by acquiescing to the views you prefer, not because it appears likely, and certainly not out of respect for a teacher”.
Then the Buddha adds that when they would know for themselves and see that those teachings were taking them on the path leading to greed, hatred and delusion, they should reject them. Basically, the Buddha says: “Go and see for yourselves”!
At the moment my own ideas of the Big Mind concept are all influenced by what I so far know of Zen and Buddhism and my own understanding of it (it is hard work and takes years and years of training), my expectations (for example as to how high the fee for a seminar that has anything to do with Buddhism can be) and by what I know so far about the ways to achieve some high goal (“No pain, no gain” I guess would sum it up), and of course by what I heard and read on the blogosphere – well, all the stuff that the Buddha said we need to let go of when making a decision of this kind, I got it!
The seminar fee is somewhat high for me but not prohibitively high and if I don’t go and see for myself I will have no proper ground (at least in my eyes) for saying this is a bunch of crap as Brad Warner did. The guy has been seriously practicing Buddhist meditation and this alone makes one extremely biased: it cannot be easy to accept that there is an alternative and easier way to the hardships of zazen. (I would not expect the Catholic priests to be allowed to have sexual relationships sometime soon because this would be unfair to those generations of priests that did live their lives in celibacy.)
So in the end I decided to give it a try (wonder if Brad did or if he discarded the idea because it sounded so simple and different from what he has been doing for decades) and … see for myself. What I have always appreciated in Buddhism is the idea that nothing is worth clinging to. Including Buddhism itself and the idea of enlightenment. I can imagine that even the Soto line of Zen was at some point considered revolutionary and radical and probably frowned upon by the traditionalists. Besides, if anything, this opens for bringing to the surface my own attachments to believes and this is always welcome.
I agree with your sense of caution. I have never attended a Big Mind seminar. I did know Genpo Roshi back in the early 1980’s (as Dennis Merzel, sensei) at ZCLA (Zen Center of Los Angeles). I have also seen a 2 disc DVD of a Big Mind seminar, and if one can say they have “done” the Big Mind Process though a DVD, then I can say that I have done this process. It does seem like an effective “shortcut” but not necessarily to enlightenment, but rather to deeper aspects of the mind or consciousness which are not normally accessed, even in so-called good meditation sessions. I am not convinced that this is a viable path for long term sustained growth, but neither do I think it is without benefit. It doesn’t strike me as something to leave my current meditation practice and study for. And all the excitement about it I am afraid will most likely fade as so many other spiritual fads have faded. I think you can’t skip any steps and it’s really about long term growth. By the way, I like your blog.
Actually from a Zen Buddhist (and more generally a Mahayana Buddhist) perspective, enlightenment is not something that can be ‘achieved’, and Genpo Roshi is well aware of this. It’s also worth nothing that Genpo has been a very senior teacher of Zen for many years now – until recently head of one of the most influential Zen lineages in the West (the White Plum Asangha, google it to check it out*), and has always intended that Big Mind be used alongside regular Zen practice. I think though that he lets his marketing get ahead of him, and it’s a shame as he ends up looking like a snake-oil salesman.
I’ve done Big Mind a couple of times (am a regular Zen practitioner of about 15 years standing myself) and found it very helpful. I think a lot of people will just go to a BM event and get a sort of insight into what satori might be like but unless it’s part of a regular practice I doubt it will have lasting impact.
Re the Brad Warner thing – while I defend his right to say whatever he likes – he too is a recognised Zen Master of a traditional lineage though not as long-standing as Genpo – his manner of attack seems to me in violation of the precepts he’s taken regarding right speech. I read somewhere (sorry don’t remember where – ‘Buddhist Geeks’ perhaps?) that Genpo Roshi has offered to meet with Warner Sensei, but the invitation has not been accepted.
In any event, I think that the dharma can survive a couple of experiments in method – for that ultimately is what BM is. If it truly is horseshit, then it’ll probably fade out in time. Genpo’s students (of whom I know a couple) will tell you that for all the BM stuff that he’s currently working with, he insists that his students are devoted practitioners of zazen.
One final point – the stuff that Genpo Roshi is currently doing with BM seems to be aimed at more senior Zen students than casual seekers – some of it is fascinating. I’m not 100% convinced personally about BM – I certainly don’t think it’s _necessary_ or anything – but it’s at least interesting and innovative.
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Hi guys!
Thank you both for stopping by and sharing your insights.
I have listened and watched a few interviews with Genpo Roshi (Integral Institute offers a video recording of one of the seminars) and it did sound interesting. I also heard Genpo Roshi say in his interview that at their center people that want to sit are given a chance to sit but I didn’t get a feeling he considered zazen necessary for training the mind.
One of the difficulties I think comes from the fact that so little is known about the actual “enlightenment”. From what I read about the old Zen masters they didn’t really appreciate direct questions about it. So who would know what it is like if those who experience it don’t talk about it?
I find it interesting that the Buddha said he was teaching one thing only: “suffering and the end of suffering” and did not say “enlightenment”.
Anonymous Zennie, I too question that Brad Warner’s harsh words falls can be defined as “right speech”, finding them neither kind nor helpful. It would indeed be interesting to hear the two have a discussion but it demands that both come to it with open minds and I am not sure Brad Warner is there just yet.
Surely the Dharma will stand the tests and the way I see it it us the test for the whole community and all the individuals that follow the path rather than the Dharma itself.
I look forward to the seminar and welcome whatever insights it can offer. I don’t expect to be enlightened just yet
and will continue with zazen.
I am curious as to how a new lineage can be started say in Zen, what it takes.
May we all be healthy, safe and happy!
It’s far easier to have an enlightenment experience than to make this realization a reality in your life. This is the drawback to Big Mind and I think what Brad Warner was objecting to in his characteristic over the top style. If someone is chewing your food for you, when you actually get something difficult to chew, will you have the strength, discipline, and self awareness to do it yourself? This is why we refer to following the teachings of Buddha as practice. You can have an experience of expanded consciousness in a weekend, but to make the truth alive in your life requires a lifetime of discipline.
I used to be involved at the Zen Center in Salt Lake but now live in Southeast Asia. It’s interesting to experience Buddhism in its cultural context and not the polite translation we have in the West. Here we are seeing a “Saffron Revolution” of monks standing up for human rights in Burma and Tibet and being killed and tortured for doing so. Are a few well orchestrated glimpses of nothingness enough to give you the courage and conviction to stand up for what’s right for all beings at the cost of your own self interest and possibly your life? I wish it were so. But don’t take my word for it.
Are you familiar with the work of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the movement he started called “Engaged Buddhism?” This is an example of mature practice.
Many blessings.
Good post and frank comments. Big Mind process has huge potential, and I wish you have a great time at the seminar.
How did you get on at the Big Mind Seminar?
Regards, Charles
Hey Charles,
I should have written on that, sotty. I guess I am still processing it.
In a nutshell: the seminar was held by Dan Landgré, one of Genpo Roshi (Swedish) students, who however was not certified by Genpo Roshi (he did not explain why).
It was a very interesting experience, a little too therapeutic to my taste (consdering the history of the voice dialogue it is understandable) but I tried to stay open all the way. (Besides, the Cynic in me got a chance to speak up.)
I don’t know if you are familiar with how the Big Mind Process is set up so i jump to the last part – the grand finale, ust to keep it shorter.
Nothing very striking, no feeling of euphoria or anything like that, no feeling the way I normally have feelings. Just Being, not wishing for anything. In terms of feelings I would say a feeling of total freedom would be the one close to it or rather I guess this is the one I choose to mention of all the other ones. Like a huge burden was lifted off my chest and shoulders: there was nothing I needed to do, nothing I wished to attain. (I am using “I” but at that moment there was no clearly defined I that my self could relate to). That was a truly beautiful experience (I have no idea what others in the group felt like).
I believe being open and taking part in the voice dialogue is very important for the final result.
I am not sure where to go with it now. I will continue with zazen, of course and I would like to learn more about the Big Mind Process and how one can work with it. If you are registered at IntegralNaked you can watch a series of videos with Genpo Roshi doing the voice dialogues at one of the seminars.
Gassho,
Irina
Somehow i missed the point. Probably lost in translation
Anyway … nice blog to visit.
cheers, Vindictive.