[scooke]

Like twelfthnight above, I think a major point you miss is: not to do this _for_ something, but that in doing it you will experience a transformative effect. Or, reading, or meditating, is a worthy activity because in doing so the opportunity for insight and transformation increases; _not_ that this transformation is guaranteed or formulaic. I think it differs from staring or focusing on a blank wall in that one populates or fertilizes what is already there, for it to be understood or comprehended beyond it's surface application; these percolate until a mental/ emotional coffee is ready to drink! A blank wall draws on... blankness, which is, as I understand, a goal for Buddhist meditation - to empty ones mind of any fertilizer or coffee grains of thought. Different goals.

[cyberpunk]

I can’t even begin to explain Zen Buddhism in response to such a comment; even if I could what would be the point? We aren’t recruiting… however as some kind of answer — what I’m about is shikantaza as prescribed by dōgen, and there is absolutely no fucking goal, as mad as that sounds…