Just curious as to how you come to the conclusion that "So much Zen, so
little enlightenment" is an anomalous situation in the US - is that as
opposed to the enlightenment/practitioner ratio in modern Japan, warring
states China, medieval Korea,... and how did you determine those ratios
as per your conclusion ?
>Windsor,
>
>
>
>>I conjecture that the spiritual sensations brought on by shakuhachi playing
>>are
>>mostly due to repeatedly taking deep breaths and then exhaling slowly and with
>>fine control through a tiny opening between pursed lips: changes blood-gas
>>levels. (Compare the various methods of breathing used to allay anxiety or to
>>assist exertion in childbirth.)
>>
>>
>
>Apparently not a popular view.
>
>Ostensibly, the purpose of the practice of Zen is to achieve something
>called enlightenment. While enlightenment remains undefined it is portrayed
>as something qualitative rather than quantitative--rather like pregnancy.
>And the most noticeable attribute of the practice of Zen is the manipulation
>of personal physiology through the assumption of specified physical postures
>and the control of breathing and other autonomic processes. If playing the
>shakuhachi is advantageous to the practice of Zen, it's likely contributing
>factors are development of discipline and management of physiology.
>
>It's curious that in the robust and growing American Zen community there are
>so few (if any) examples of enlightenment.
>
>So much Zen, so little enlightenment. Something's wrong somewhere.
>
>Nelson
>
>
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