Zen: Society and Self
Zen has been defined as many things by many people. Some definitions range from "three pounds of flax" to "contemplation" and simply "being." Other's describe it as "a practice of studying mind and seeing into one's nature," and "direct pointing to the mind." Still others describe,
"a non-grasping of the mind, signified by wu-shin (literally: no-mind)...it is a state of wholeness in which the mind functions freely and easily without the sensation of a second mind or ego standing over it with a club. If the ordinary man is one who has to walk by lifting his legs with his hands, the Taoist is one who has learned to let the legs walk by themselves."- Alan Watts, excerpt from The Way of Zen
While arriving at a direct definition has been considered by many to be fruitless, we can come to an understanding of the feel of zen as one of liberation and wholeness— as nongrasping, natural, and effortless.
Atoms become molecules - hydrogen and oxygen become water. Tissues become man - and man becomes society. All while simultaneously being a whole and a part. There is no "cracking of eggs," no "sacrifice for a greater good," there simply is. What emerges from this is more beautiful and pure than anything we could ever force together.
It is the purpose of this blog to explore the relationship between the concept of Zen at an individual and at a societal level. We will be examining many areas of thought, ranging from ethics and political philosophy to trade and economics.
An empty mind allows nature to fill it. A lack of individual-imposed "order" on society allows nature's own order to emerge.
History has shown us time and time again that when peaceful and voluntary trade serve as a foundation for society, a natural order emerges to reflect it. Man flourishes. When coercion and control does, society stagnates and collapses.