> All this talking about zen is disturbing. Not
> refreshing at all.
> My generation of shakuhachi players who began in the
> late '60s and
> early '70s didn't make a big deal about the zen
> aspect. Our Japanese
> teachers didn't either.
Hi Peter. I think you are right about not
intellectualizing too much and all that. That is
certainly a fault of mine. Just personally, sometimes
maybe due to my western schooling or whatever, I find
that getting some information, then changes my
practise. And I do totally think that practise is
primary. So I try to spend my time practising. But
then, I guess the list seems a place to exchange
ideas. Then I can take ideas from you guys, think over
them, and then my practise may change. A way of
sharing and growing from having contact with all you
shakuhachi brothers and sisters. And I appreciate
that.
Now, about not making a big deal about the zen aspect
- that's good I suppose. I mean, making a big deal
about zen might kind of "go against zen" I suppose
people might feel. But then, you know, we could leave
the zen aspect out altogether right? And actually I
think that is done very much. Maybe it is actually
more in the west that people link the shakuhachi with
zen!
So it seems, one could actually take the shakuhachi as
merely a musical instrument. And that is absolutely
fine. And even one could take a violin as a tool of
zen. The point is, it IS possible to take the
shakuhachi as a tool of zen. And of course just
talking about that will actually acheive nothing. My
point was to just open this possibility to Alex, as he
did sign "with metta", which is the Mahayana practise
of sending out loving kindness.
> Yep, you practice a lot, you get better, playing
> becomes more and more
> natural, less and less something outside yourself.
Phil, I agree with you. In any context.
> Even if you consider honkyoku liturgical music:
> liturgical musicians
> throughout history, from meistersingers to Tibetan
> monks, have practiced
> their techniques arduously and applied their
> intellect to the
> difficulties of the music itself
And that is great. And furthermore, there seems to be
another possibility. So on the one hand, there could
be this striving for technique and so on. I love that.
And that in itself could be as with any other
instrument, such as a violinist may strive. That is
not to say that striving for musical mastery is not
spiritual. But I could equate that with regular
western musicianship. Or that striving for musical
mastery could go hand in hand with overt spirituality
- I mean it could be intentionally a spiritual
practise.
Then on the other hand, there could be playing the
shakuhachi simply for ones spiritual practise. Some
people have suggested to me that generally speaking,
the Komuso would have been terrible players! Now,
personally I would feel that at least some would have
been technically great. But the point was that they
may actually have not been INTERESTED in technique!
Just blowing! I could suggest, concentrating more on
the mind than on the music. And so they might even say
"this is not music".
Now I'm not saying one way is better or worse. Just
raising a possibility. One could play for years and
years, and never attain any technical skill as such,
but still be gaining great benefit.
I heard a recording of a player once. It was very
strange to my ears. It actually sounded to me as if
the player's technique was very poor. But, though at
first it was uncomfortable for me to listen to it, I
got to like it. There was something about it. I called
it the "spirit". The spirit seemed strong.
I played it to my teacher. He didn't seem to like it,
and said "he is playing for himself". Hmm. But you
know, there was something there.
I heard more of that kind of idea in Japan. It seems
a valid way at least.
Well I'd better not go on. And though I needed to use
words to communicate it, all I mean to suggest to you
Alex, was the possibility of a way of practising.
Hope all goes well for you.
Best wishes
Justin.
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