Thinking's Bad Rap
January 9, 2023 DOI: 10.4324/9781003289821-17 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that misunderstanding zazen as requiring the elimination of thoughts leads practitioners to negative self-judgments when they fail, and that this preoccupation with stopping thought can obstruct insight into oneself and one's relationships, turning well-intentioned practice into a form of resistance. The chapter frames this as a recurring tension between quietist and insight-oriented practice from Chan's origins to the present. |
Abstract
This chapter explores the problematic relationship between zazen (Zen meditation) and normal thinking processes since its inception within the Chan tradition in China and which continues in the present. This difficulty has typically been expressed in terms of the conflict between quietist and insight-oriented practices. On the one hand, a misunderstanding of meditation creates the impossible expectation that thoughts must be eliminated. This misguided misperception of Zen meditation often engenders negative self-judgments when the misinformed practitioner fails at eliminating thoughts. A preoccupation with this project of thought-elimination can interfere with realizing basic truths about oneself, one’s relationship to others, and in this manner, while well-intentioned, such practices can become a misguided form of resistance.