Posted on 01/22/2006 6:26:02 PM PST by Coleus
Zen master tells curious to embrace a new faith
RIDGEWOOD - The two-hour lecture at the Old Paramus Church Education Center began with several minutes of silent meditation. And for many who attended, participating in meditation was a first step in understanding the basic teachings of Buddhism and Eastern philosophy. "All attempts at mutual education are important to help us grow," said Robert Kennedy, the noted Jesuit priest and Zen master. "It widens our vision."
Kennedy Roshi, as he is known to Buddhists, was the key speaker at Saturday's event, which was attended by more than 100 people of varied faiths. It examined immortality, salvation and schools of thought in Buddhism and Christianity. It is the third lecture in a series to promote the understanding of Buddhism and Eastern thought sponsored by the Dhamma-Chakra Society of New Jersey. Kennedy is a practicing psychotherapist and retired chairman of the theology department at St. Peter's College in Jersey City. After being ordained a priest in the Jesuit tradition, he also studied Buddhism for many years and in 1991 was installed as a sensei, or teacher, of Eastern thought.
Saturday's lecture focused on many aspects of Eastern philosophy as well as Christian theology.
"I think the Buddhist and Christian traditions are both magnificent and both give wonderfully poetic metaphorical examples of what is inexpressible," Kennedy said. "I don't think the metaphors can be reduced to each other but that makes it all the better. Everything is not reduced to one way of looking at things."
Kennedy praised the strong outreach among Catholics and Jews to Buddhism.
"I don't think Buddhism is interested so much in learning from us, but they are open to us," said Kennedy, who holds doctorates in theology and psychology and is the author of "Zen Gifts to Christians" and "Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit." "I think we're coming to appreciate each other on a practical level as in marriage."
Parviz Dehghani is a Muslim who has been married to his Buddhist wife for 25 years and attended the lecture as both religious scholar and admirer of Kennedy as a Zen master. The lecture allowed the public to understand the similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, Dehghani said. "This lecture gives people a different direction in their own faith," he said. "It gives them a sense of enrichment in their own beliefs and a different way of looking at what they have been believing all along and through their lives. If Buddhism can enhance them to be a better Christian or Muslim, that's what it's all about."
Kennedy studied with Yamada Roshi in Japan, Maezumi Roshi in California and Glassman Roshi in New York. Glassman installed Kennedy as sensei and conferred the Inka, or final approval, on the cleric in 1997 that elevated him to master, or roshi. John LoGiudice of Paramus is a practicing Catholic who came to the lecture with several family members and friends to gain more knowledge of Buddhism. "I gained an insight of how the Buddhists and other cultures think and from what I gather - with Buddhism being an older culture - perhaps they are a little bit more advanced spiritually," LoGiudice said. "It's a journey. We're trying to learn more about it."
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Is the pope still Catholic?
Bump...I noticed long ago that Christianity is not at odds with Taoism. But, of course, Yeshua is the Tao.
Is the pope still Catholic? >>
Yes, and this priest isn't. Wait until the Pope finds out.
I saw the words "Jesuit priest" and knew enough. At this point, those two words are practically a contradiction in terms.
Ping to a Jesuit prep school grad (from back when they Jesuits were Catholic, that is).
I saw the words "Jesuit priest" and knew enough. At this point, those two words are practically a contradiction in terms.
Ping to a Jesuit prep school grad (from back when they Jesuits were Catholic, that is).
I noticed that too. Thanks to my Chem Professor. We had LONG talks about theology and philosophy after class... and I recall early on trying to "be at odds with him" but I couldn't find a way to disagree with what he said. Eventually I realized that the two focus on the same common Truth. The difference only lies in the fact that Christ is still my Savior. Taosim has never recognized a need for saving.
budda was not a christian but jesus would have made a good buddist
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You're dead on. I remember in High School we had a "world religions" period in Civics. Zen-Buddhism was charted as a world religion. Then, a year later in college, I read Alan Watts, a "Zen Master" who, very late in his mission, fell away from becoming a minister; one of the first things he says is that Zen is not a religion but simply a way of looking at life.
I wish more people would take the time to understand the differences and similarities of Eastern and Western religions...especially between the Buddha and Christ. There are some very interesting similarities.
Zen does not conflict with anything. That's the idea.
Is he a follower of the Christ or a follower of Nothing?
b'shem Y'shua
Sure you can't adore anything in Zen. You can't ask God for salvation in Zen (there is no God). Instead you must abandon all desires and all needs. I can't see how you can say Zen does not conflict with how Jesus taught us to pray, it is almost the exact opposite.
Of course you can adore Jesus in Zen. You can ask God for salvation in Zen. Don't take it so seriously.
The goal in Buddhism is nothingness (not heaven). There is no God in Buddhism. You don't have to follow God's laws because he may or may not exist. Zen is to get your mind to abandon every desire (including the desire to please God). It isn't prayer, at least not as Christ taught it to us. I don't see anything in what Christ taught of how to practice being a good Christian that is the same as how a Zen master would teach a monk in how to be a good Buddhist.
I believed in reincarnation in a former life, but not any more.
Don't take Zen seriously? What is this: pseudo-Zen? Nonsense. Zen teaches you to abandon all desires, that includes adoration and asking for things. Or are you talking about some new fangled Zen that I am not aware of?
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