[svnt]

The Western Zen? In my experience it is downgraded from being a religion to being a system of practice which relieves it of the broader Mahayana cosmology. But I would suggest the dogma is less obvious but still there, often just somewhere else, such as in its own limitations, or in a philosophical container at a higher level such as scientism.

[bensyverson]

All Zen is about releasing those attachments. Granted it's pretty hard, because if you succeed, you're enlightened.

East, West, Religion, Practice… From a Zen perspective, you're just troubling your mind with binaries and conflict.

[svnt]

Ah and there is the dogma -- the otherness of the enlightened.

The binaries still functionally exist. I see a lot of value in reflective practices. At the same time it seems unlikely to me that the point of existing is to not trouble your mind.

[bensyverson]

There's a saying in Zen: if you meet the buddha on the road, kill him. The point being, the very exaltation of enlightenment is an impediment.

If Buddhism can be said to have a goal, it is to reduce suffering (including your own), so troubling your own mind is indeed something it can help with. The point of existence would be something interesting to meditate on. If you discover it, let us all know!

[svnt]

This dancing between positions is all very defensible and if the path is currently working for you, more power to you.

Dogma, like the binaries, still functionally exists, whatever the narrative. If you can’t admit that, that might also be something interesting to meditate on.

Say you have eliminated all suffering. How many versions of that world exist? How many of them are true, beautiful, and good? See how, in order to evaluate the success or failure of Buddhism, we have to move beyond “eliminate suffering” to a higher value standard?