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October
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=) ha ha im first to blog even though im not really blogging hehe.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to put my thoughts on this essay into words because I don't think that I could grasp everything that Highet is talking about, even if I read this piece two or three times.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading this piece I learned that Zen is a very difficult practice to both learn and understand, which I realized through the different stories that Highet talked about in his essay. I also learned how to reply when asked "unanswerable questions" like, "What is the meaning of life?" All I have to do is come up with an illogical response like, "A branch of plum blossom" since Zen masters deny logic. I would find it nearly impossible to learn Zen myself because I make all decisions based on logic, or at least what I define logic to be. Also, I wouldn't be able to deal with the Zen masters' abstract teaching methods because they are so "indirect" in their methods. The statement that shocked me the most was, "Zen meditation does not mean sitting and thinking. On the contrary, it means acting with as little thought as possible." This really opened my eyes and I realized that I've had the wrong impression of Zen my whole life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece and Highet's writing style was simply amazing. There was quite a bit of humor in this piece, but I liked it because it was not abrupt. The humor was often hidden and difficult to spot unless you were fully absorbing his words. My favorite comments were: "and he did what Germans in foreign countries do not usually do: he determined to adapt himself and to learn from his hosts." "he had always to be on the alert, and yet he was constantly receiving unexpected cracks on the head or shoulders." ""the first had gone to the heart of the bull's eye, and that the second had actually hit the first arrow and splintered it. The Zen master showed no pride."
I really enjoyed reading this essay, it was unlike any other essay we have read so far. Although Zen is impossible to put into words, I think the author does a fantastic job trying to depict it.
ReplyDeleteAt first I wasn't quite sure why he was just telling us what happened in Zen in the Art of Archery...we could read the book ourselves if we wanted. At first I didn't think this writer was doing a great job- by simply relaying someone else's story. However, as I kept reading i understood why this was such an important part to the essay. It is essential because Zen cannot be put into words...we can see it better through a person's experience than trying to condense it into something it cannot be- words.
I really liked the last paragraph on page 1196, where Highet says "Many mystical writers are difficult to understand because, as they themselves admit, they are attempting to use words to describe experiences which are too abstruse for words, so that they have to fall back on imagery and analogy, which they themselves recognize to be poor media, far coarser than the realities with which they have been in contact." As a writer, I tend to feel this way a lot.
Well I thought about it and I am still really confused I think that some of this essay has gone over my head lol. This essay was like non other and I liked how they tried to explain where Zen was coming from and try to explain him the best that he could. I guess no one can describe zen in words only in experiences that he tells. I am still baffled by this essay . I know that it is very complex and I can't wait to discuss this in class so I can understand it better and hear what other people have to say about this essay . I am glad that this essay is put at the end of the expositions because it is a very complex unique essay, one I have never ever seen before. Hope some people had a differen't experience than I did reading this essay, hope they understood it better, maybe then I will....
ReplyDeleteThe reality of Zen thinking was extremely refreshing to me. It seems to silence all of the Western debates, of where the world came from, and where we are going and all of those things. Zen gives an explanation of reality as well as a way to live. When we look at reality we see it through our eyes. We see the good as what we have experienced as good and the bad as what we have experienced is bad. So when our thoughts are involved in deciding reality, our emotions are as well. Which makes the reality not reality at all, only our individual perception of it. By taking away thought, we remove emotion and so we can truly see what reality is. Which is why “The bamboo grove at the foot of the hill” is pure reality. Another thought of Zen is there not being walls between thoughts and actions. That once Zen is achieved, they are no longer two entities, they come together and so neither exist at all. I thought that was pretty cool. Another reason why western people would have a hard time doing or grasping Zen is that we cling to the ideas of ourselves as masters, of our destiny, of the things we use, or our thoughts and actions. When an essential thought of Zen is to allow yourself to be the instrument. You are not the master but the vessel, the tool. Anyways I thought it was a really great piece. J
ReplyDeleteIm not really sure what to say about this piece. I didnt enjoy reading it. It was a very long essay on a topic that I didnt really understand anyway. A lot of it just went over my head. It was a very different type of essay than the others we have read in the style that it was written. One thing that I did like was that I learned more about what zen was and about it. I can say I have a better understanding of what it is, but like I said before a lot of it just went over my head. It will be interesting to hear what other people think about this essay during class.
ReplyDelete"Think about Zen"-ha! What an oxymoron...anyway...
ReplyDeleteI attempted to read this essay multiple times as the last thing I did before falling asleep, but whenever I began it I knew it was the type of essay that deserved my full attention. This was not because of its style or length but its content; the essay discussed a topic that I had (and still really don't have) no clue about.
Growing up in a Western culture that preaches its ideals and also as a member of the Roman Catholic Church, (which also preaches its ideals in more ways than one) the idea of Zen is beyond my reach in both a cultural and religious sense. Thinking logically and analyzing or questioning (nearly) everything has been a constant foundation for my education and thought process. This process has been made easier by the doctrine for all areas of my life being presented to me in their various forms, always available to refer to.
However the Zen lifestyle is the polar opposite of mine and is difficult for me to grasp. But I can relate to Herrigel from the essay in the way that he does not just dismiss this paradox of the Western world-I am in awe of Zen and the people who practice it.
One of the things that stood out as unbelievable to me was the preparation the pupils have to go through to integrate Zen into their lives. The average American (including myself) could not bear to go through the intense physical and mental training required due largely to our "instant gratification" culture. Also, who among us could say that we would listen to our authority figures unconditionally despite the benefits it may have? When I read about the student who was forced to be a slave to his master and endured beatings in order to become a better swordsman I was in shock. The student's growth as a Zen pupil, however, was undeniable as a result of this.
I could see that the Scottish-American author of this essay was having difficulty trying to comprehend how the masters of Zen can make themselves one with their surroundings and "experience life directly" even as he was writing it. I'm glad someone as inexperienced as me wrote this essay so I could relate to his feelings of perplexity and awe. Once I began thinking about this topic for the first time, I realized that the Zen way of life can be natural and not grueling for its participants. Zen always looked unattainable and unnatural to me. It's like blinking or breathing-it is a mystery to us, but is it difficult or harmful? Even though it is a mystery, it is not detrimental to our survival-it in fact sustains it.
After reading this essay, I can understand why Zen would be difficult for me or someone like me to attain-it would mean we would have to erase our former way of life. As a Christian I have been taught that man was created after the Earth as ruler over it and as a student of Western culture, I was shown countless examples of man disproving this theory or that theory and conquering this land mass or that land mass, this people or that people. (The way that people like us contrast with Zen followers reminds me of the comments Cheif Seattle made in "The Letter to President Pierce" we read earlier.) With the absence of this state of mind we as humans become equal, not only with nature but among ourselves.
The masters of Zen have created their ideal lifestyle and we have created ours. I will never match their level of selflessness because I will never physically experience it. I can only imagine it; now that I actually can I am able to appreciate it for what it is.
Like you said this was different than the essays we read. This was not one of my favorite essays that we have read. It was relatively long compared to some of the other short and sweet essays. Also I did not know much about Zen and the whole idea about reading something about something I dont know about didnt strike my attention too much. even though it was not one of my favorite essays i definitely can say that i learned something by reading it. I believe that Gilbert Highet did a good job trying to put something like Zen into words and try to let others get an idea on the topic.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the reference to haiku, as I like to write haikus occasionally. I also enjoyed the way the author wrote this piece, though i'm not sure if it's because of his voice or simply his style. I could relate with the part about his improper breathing, as correct breathing is an important part of martial arts. I found the reference to "The Magnificent Seven" quite amusing, mostly because I understood it. He seems to equate Zen with reflex, however, and though I do agree that reflex is the best way to do something, rather than trying too hard and failing, I don't see how that is Zen.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what everyone has to say about this. This is like nothing we've seen before and I can tell some people were put off by that before even reading it. I enjoyed it, but don't feel I got everything out of it the author wanted the reader to get.
ReplyDeleteI never looked at Zen as a religion. It isn't after all. Zen is more a form or existence and how you perceive your existence. I liked the piece a lot and I found the Masters' ways of teaching very interesting however I wish Highet would have went into depth more on the German's wife and how she "took in" Zen. By Mr Nuthall saying "think about it" its much like when Jerry Lewis said "don't think about singing about touching it." Zen the way many people in the United States possibly see it as "the sixth sense" and we just aren't getting it like the Japanese are. It like the force, feel the environment around you, don't think; feel.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that some people said that they couldn't understand this essay. I think that the point of the piece was laid out fairly well, but they must have placed their focus on determining what zen is rather than the message the author was trying to display...that could have created some of the confusion
ReplyDeleteI liked this piece. Zen is really a state of mind more than anything. It is being one with everything around you. I think that it is interesting that Zen masters don't teach actual philosophy. They leave the philosophy to be created by the students. In a way it is the opposite of a religion. Religions tell their people what to believe and how to pray. Zen is a more personal "religion" in which each individual understands it differently and yet is almost the same with every other person who practices Zen. Of course, of being from a Western culture, we really cannot truly understand Zen from an essay and I think that it is apparent in the blogs. We would have to learn one of the arts such as Herrigel did. I think that Travis pointed out some of the humor in the piece well although I don't understand how a master showing no pride could be considered humorous.
ReplyDeleteI like the comment Sam made about how as a writer she can feel like using words to describe experiences is very difficult and doesn't do the experiences justice. I have felt that way also and I'm glad she brought it up. Alot of people weren't sure what to think of this essay, but they took what they could from it and are now more educated people because of it. We all will never truly get Zen, but I'm glad I am not totally clueless about it anymore.
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