Thomas,
> What might this have to do with shakuhachi playing?
Let's take a somewhat analogous situation--the Tendai Running Monks.
http://millennium-tv.com/monks.html
They run repeated ultra-marathons in an attempt to achieve enlightenment.
And there are people who compete in Iron Man competitions. Both run, both
exert themselves to exhaustion. What's the difference between the two
groups/activities?
There are those who play honkyoku in an attempt to achieve enlightenment and
those who play honkyoku in performances. Both play the same notes. What's
the difference between the two groups/activities?
Will Tendai Monks and Iron Man competitors achieve enlightenment in roughly
the same ratios? What about suizen and performance/recording honkyoku?
Is it the act or the intention? Does intention have bearing on result? If
intention has substantial bearing on result then we should focus on
intention rather than the activity through which it's manifest--running
ultra-marathons or playing honkyoku or hopscotch for that matter.
When I first found the shakuhachi, I had no idea that it had any
relationship to Zen. And think the only connection that can exist is one of
intention.
Nelson
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