‘In my experience, there is a lot of basic trust involved in Buddhist practice. First of all, I trust in my basic potential to wake up. This is a basic, fundamental trust that I touch in with every time I sit down on a meditation cushion. If I didn’t trust that I have capacity and basic goodness, then I wouldn’t be doing any of this. Even if, as a famous teacher once said, “Zazen is good for nothing,” I still trust that it’s a good thing to do. Figure that one out. I also trust – or suspect, or hope – that my teachers and tradition know what they’re talking about. This is a big one. The tradition of Buddhism has been around for a few thousand years, and it’s included some of the most brilliant, dedicated religious figures throughout time all getting together to study, meditate, practice, and debate the issues. So… maybe it has something useful to say, you know?’ (Bow First, Ask Questions Later)
I had this quote lined up a few weeks ago, and I thought of it last week in my discussions, as it encapsulates much of how I feel about the teachings. I have been recommending Gesshin’s book widely over here.
Shundo David Haye 