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From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Open Letter to Jeff
Message-ID: <1872@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Aug-84 13:18:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: randvax.1872
Posted: Thu Aug  9 13:18:56 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 12-Aug-84 01:38:08 EDT
References: <38@tekfdi.UUCP> <903@pucc-h>, <1266@nsc.UUCP>
Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
Lines: 19

Ah, meditation.  Chuq is right--there are a lot of different definitions
for it.  However, I have to disagree with his saying that ``serious''
meditation involves a shutting-out of the external world.  In Zen
meditation (zazen) the student is instructed specifically not to shut
out the outside world--but not to allow it to disturb concentration,
either.  This may seem to be a subtle difference, but it is quite
important: one of the chief objectives of Zen is a clearing of the
perceptions, a removal of the coloration of perception caused by
expectations.  Thus walking becomes just walking, etc., with the action
and the perception of the action being part of the same reality.

This is opposed to the object of certain other types of meditation,
which are aimed at devotion to a diety or concept, or at shutting out
external reality as an aid in contacting an inner or ``higher'' reality.
Personally, I disagree with these as objects of meditation, but to others
they certainly may be valid aims.

		-Ed Hall
		decvax!randvax!edhall