A Crash Course in Zen: Part I

Ok, let me go ahead and get this out of the way.......

First let me clarify..... I'm not Buddhist but a lot of the concepts of Buddhism, and more particularly Zen, really appeal and speak to me. You can apply Zen principles in your life regardless of your religious beliefs.... it's more of a life philosophy than a religion. Anyway, on my back I have a tattoo (unfinished.... now accepting donations for the Tattoo Completion Fund) of a Dharmachakra (or Wheel of Dharma):


It's a Buddhist symbol representing the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment, and is also referred to as a Wheel of Law (I wanted another law related symbol besides regular old scales of justice.... my other law tat is of Ma'at, Egyptian goddess of Justice and Divine Order). It's a symbol of compassion, which also appealed to me.

The first factor of the Eightfold Path is Right View (or Understanding), which means knowledge of the Four Noble Truths:

1. Life means suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

In my last post, I mentioned the concept of suffering arising from attachment, and I wanted to elaborate on that further. Here's the concept:

"The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe."

As related to the relationships, stated simply, attachment creates baggage. Dating, by it's very nature, creates situations that are transient. Clinging to those people and emotions whose time has come to exit our lives is what creates suffering, and it is this attachment that keeps us from happiness.

So there you go. I will elaborate on Zen further as necessary.......