monkey see, monkey do serves as a personal blog and creative outlet for
boredom and zen buddhism
i read last night a really interesting critique of the american approach to zen buddhism, written by trungpa rinpoche in the myth of freedom. he wrote:
If we are to become the dharma without credentials [ego patting ourselves on the back], the introduction of boredom and repetitiousness is extremely important. Without it we have no hope. It is true - no hope.
There are definite styles of boredom. The Zen tradition in Japan creates a definite style of boredom in its monasteries. Sit, cook, eat. Sit zazen and do your walking meditation and so on. But to an American novice who goes to Japan or takes part in traditional Japanese practice in this country, the message of boredom is not communicated properly. Instead, if I may say so, it turns into a militant appreciation of rigidity, or an aesthetic appreciation of simplicity, rather than actually being bored, with is strange. Actually it was not designed to be that way. To the Japanese, Zen practice is an ordinary Japanese life&en;situation in which you just do your daily work and sit a lot of zazen. But Americans appreciate the little details &em; how you use your bowl and how you eat consciously in zazen posture. This is only supposed to create a feeling of boredom, but to American students it is a work of art. Cleaning your bowl, washing it out, folding your white napkin and so forth, becomes living theater. The black cushion is supposed to suggest no color, complete boredom. But for Americans it inspires a mentality of militant blackness, straightforwardness.”
i think trungpa here runs the risk of turning boredom into just as interesting as zen buddhists turn detail awareness into another self identification. i remember the first time i read this instruction, i sat down on the pillow and i sought out boredom. not hot boredom, where i was restless and thinking about all the things i had to do, but cold boredom like a stream washing over me. but i was identifying with that boredom, my ego had the attitude of ‘look what i’ve done! i’m doing it right, it’s like i have a stream washing over me. good job!’ but in truth the instruction is to make friends with just what is and how it is without struggling with it. to see anxiousness and agitation is it arises, and understand our nature better. this requires being ok to be bored, because that energy is harder to witness when we’re excited or engaged.
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1. February 2004 at 8:21 am :
Boredom. Well I think I have that one down then. When I have done everything I have to do in the day and the blank hours spread out in front of me, I will make an activity like cooking dinner count. I will spend time thinking about what I want and the best combination of foods. In the preperation and cooking, I think about what a nice meal I’m about to make. In eating it (although a very quick activity), I am satisfied. After a clean-up, I can spend time just sitting and thinking or reading, or watching a movie. By having a slow and simple routine like this, I feel better about ‘not having anything to do’. You know I am not one to meditate but I have sincerely come to love my simple pleasures to combat boredom.
3. February 2004 at 5:19 am :
Very interesting comment. I read “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism” just as I was beginning to investigate “this stuff”, and it made a lasting impact on me. Do you remember the part where he talks about a room with one beautiful object versus a room with 100 beautiful objects? I think of this lesson often in conjunction with our yoga/tai-chi/zen/etc. etc. practicing friends in SF.
4. February 2004 at 2:58 pm :
I loved Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. I agree with Zachary in that it made a lasting impression - but
as deep as that impression is it has been difficult to put into action. I love that lesson Zachary mentions. Especially
in regards to “attachment”… I think this ties in directly to what Davee says about boreom styles. If we’re too
attached (as I’m getting to the instant gratification of blogging ;-)) everything else becomes something to suffer through. As a writer I understand that my impulse to “share” is connected to my need to connect with others. And I find I need dialogue in order to make sense of things - whether its one on one conversation with a good friend, online interactions, or the words of another. But in my grasping to ‘work through’ meaning in this interactive way I become
easily frustrated with the solitary act of sitting and doing this work by myself. And I know this is the *real* work. The
“boring” work. But don’t you find it interesting that what we often call “boring” is actually something that pushes our
buttons and frustrates us? Boring can actually be quite an agitated, and thus, stimulating state! (I’m now reading
Suzuki on Zen… more great thoughts on the old idea of boredom).
4. February 2004 at 3:40 pm :
This makes me think of two things:
While I am not sure I am able to put my finger on what he means with the use of the word bordom, the mention of repetitiousness gives me a starting point. When I was training in Aikido I went to learn techniques and often we just did motions for hours. While that practice puts the essential motions in your body, we were specifically told not to be goal-oriented in our practice. “It takes 10 years to master Ikyo”, which is the first technique. You practice to practice and that is all. It is what it is. You may get benefits from it but while doing it, those are not what you should have in mind.
Secondly, Western society seems to love to find the novelty in things. People actually seem to prefer the novelty to the actual. Disneyland springs to mind. Seen with the comforting distance that novelty provides, boredom becomes artful.
20. August 2006 at 5:27 pm :
Nicely put.