2 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Is zazen truly Zen?
Im not sure I understand what you are trying to convey with your statement! Isn’t empirical and subjective the same thing? Are you trying to say that any writings we have are not subject to any “orthodox” authority that separates heresy from doctrine? And thus Zen is open to subjective interpretation? Just trying to understand your point, please guide me 🙏🏼
Comment by keisagu at 25/01/2025 at 21:43 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The way I see it, there is the philosophical tradition: writers like Plato, Heraclitus, Wittgenstein, who all on their own themes and level, came up with a theory. On the other hand is the scientific tradition, now most seen in medicine and psychology, testing hypothesis in a quantitative way, following people like Wundt or Galilei. What I’m saying is you cant’t criticise Dogen for his writings being ‘his own inventions’ when in his time and age, this philosophical approach was the only one around. Hope this makes sense for you.