15.

Zen and the Art of Crazy Person

“In his teachings, Kenzo refers to ‘enlightenment’ in two ways. The first way is kensho, a Zen phrase that means ‘See your nature.’ It can also be translated as ‘Look into your nature,” or simply “Realization.” The second half of the phrase, commonly used as an inscription on the paintings of Daruma, the Grand Patriarch of Zen, is jobutsu, ‘Become Buddha.’ From the Zen standpoint, kensho is a profound experience of insight that transforms a person. (Whether this happens suddenly or gradually has been a matter of contention for centuries in Zen circles.) Kensho has the connotation of one being actively engaged in some discipline that fosters such insight—usually construed as zazen, formal meditation, but in Kenzo’s case he stated unequivocally, ‘With each shot see your nature’” (Zen Bow, Zen Arrow 33-4).

I think that Zen archery might somehow connect to my dissertation. I read an entire book on it today and even though I have yet to experience my dissertation kensho, I got to spend an entire day reading about Zen archery. That makes me feel sort of awesome.

(Hey Shelley - do you think this transformation stuff might sorta connect... or am I sailing full-force off the deep end here??)