Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Genpo Roshi on Witnessing

I'm not a proponent of Genpo Roshi's Big Mind process as a vehicle to "enlightenment" - I DO think it is useful for shadow work, with some reservations. I personally think that the claims he makes for the process border on violating the mandate for Right Speech:
3. Right Speech

Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path. Ethical conduct is viewed as a guideline to moral discipline, which supports the other principles of the path. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential, because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of ethical conduct. The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows: 1. to abstain from false speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully, 2. to abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others, 3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and 4. to abstain from idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. Positively phrased, this means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.

That being said, I like this little video in which he explains the difference between "the witness" and "witnessing." In a later post I will detail my objections to the Big Mind process, but this is not the post for that.

Just Be - Witnessing Emptiness

From: Genpo Roshi | Posted: Thursday, December 11th, 2008

In this video Genpo Roshi clarifies the difference between 'the witness' and just witnessing, which is something we often discover as we begin a meditation practice.

Zen Master Genpo Roshi founded the Kanzeon Sangha, an international Zen community in 1984, with groups and centers throughout Europe and the U.S., and is abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, which he founded in 1993. He discovered the Big Mind process in 1999. His newest book is Big Mind Big Heart: Finding Your Way. His website is: www.bigmind.org




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I'm not a proponent of Genpo Roshi's Big Mind process as a vehicle to 'enlightenment'"

As Genpo Roshi himself says, the Big Mind process is meant to provide a taste of Big Mind, and to get a sense of the lay of the land. To dispel some of the basic misconceptions some folks may have about awakening.

Also, it does happen that people shift into a genuine awakening during and following a Big Mind session. My wife did for a few weeks after a Big Mind workshop.

It is more in the background now, but she is still very clear on what she is. (And isn't: states, content of experience.)

Also - and don't take this the wrong way because it goes for me as well - life doesn't really pay attention to the opinions of any of us. It does its own thing :)

william harryman said...

Per,

I hear what you're saying and I respectfully disagree.

Genpo Roshi has taken a very powerful form of shadow work and unleashed it on unsuspecting people in short workshops without the support necessary.

Some of the parts he calls up in his seminars are exiled, wounded parts, and some are addictive, controlling parts, and some are unhealthy in other ways. He offers no containment for this, and I am sure there are people who have left his seminars/workshops being possessed by a part that had been in shadow before being triggered by the Big Mind process.

He really needs to be a LOT more selective about what parts he calls up in his workshops and seminars - what he is doing would be malpractice if a therapist did it.

Peace,
Bill