We all have these ideas of what ‘Zen is’ however we eventually come to understand that the ideas of what Zen is that we hold, are ultimately viewed as naive and childish.
Popular culture tends to present a view of Zen that is overly-romanticized intertwined with Hollywood mysticism, superhuman abilities, and mythic perceptions that is utterly unachievable and unrealistic.
For many Westerners, the TV shows like Kung Fu had a significant impact on the Western mind as to what Zen is; in many actually believing that they would have adventures like what they saw on TV. Yes, it is unbelievably naive and childish yet the Western mind since the early 70’s was driven to this state intentionally if nothing more for an easy audience to sell cheap and worthless products to.
Later, such films as ‘karate Kid’ with Mr Miyagi presents an under-dog hero that rises up to defeat the bullies, and then there is the Yoda of Star Wars, in where this mystical order of Jedi exhibit supernatural powers for the purposes of the good.
Hollywood and the TV industry creates these shows and films as ‘templates’ and ‘modeling, leading to a culture grossly saturated with cartoonish like caricature and adolescent world views in where the individual so steeped is such a culture is easily mesmerized/hypnotized to a state of mind in where they can be manipulated and controlled.
It is true that there are what is viewed as ‘fan-fiction’ being the stories of old Chinese Zen masters and Buddhist monks; such as monks flying and other impossible feats to create a mystique and fascination for the readers of those times. Yet, these fan fictions are not considered cannon, nor seriously studied for anything more than entertainment content. However, when western mind comes in contact with these fan-fictions are misunderstood as Zen cannon and those who read such stories believe that the fantastical fiction are reality, even a historical record. This often leads to unrealistic expectations and wrong understandings; especially with the notion of enlightenment, Buddhahood, and Zen.
The positive characteristics of the western mind is the elastic nature, in that the western mind can grow, and out-grow old and once ignorant notions. This is often pointed out as a major difference when talking about East-West mind sets; in that Eastern/Asian cultures enforce views and positions that are unbending and hold-fast to the people. Many Japanese who have come to the west express a freedom that is not found in their home country, as Zen teacher Shunru Suzki remarks in his biography, where he can be more exploratitative in his own teachings and mind, not just that only of his Zen order that he was ordained in, as such would be expected of him in Japan.
We also see the same with Chögyam Trungpa, a Tibetan monk who disrobed once he came to the west, and started his own brand of teaching. He also expressed that the elastic mind of the west allowed him to teach in a way that would have been rejected in the East and likely branded him as a heretic.
The west has shown a fertile ground for the further development of Zen and Buddhism afar from the cultural imports brought over from the east. Though some westerns cling to the cultural imports, most have moved beyond them to discover Zen, Stoicism, and Buddhism that is more fitting for themselves, the culture, and the times.
A chapter from the up-and-coming book: The Path of Zen
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