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Martin Lucas

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The Shirane Tapes

Haiku and Zen

HS: Zen Buddhism is important metonymically as a connection to a larger mindset. You’re right that you can’t just look at the surface. I was reacting against the Zen thing, I had that particular chip on my shoulder that I wanted to get rid of. One of the problems is, why Zen? It’s Buddhism in a very broad sense that’s important. Zen is only one part of it. It wasn’t that I was saying that Buddhism is not important, it’s very important and it permeates all these things. But why would you fixate on one sect? In Buddhism there’s a very important pedagogical technique

ML: Skilful means?

HS: Skilful means. When you teach something you can’t really teach the ultimate truth, you have to start with something that’s accessible. It’s the way to get you into the house, but once you get in you have to throw it out... think of the ‘rules’ in those terms ... Because you need the rules to start, right? Particularly for someone who knows nothing. It was very difficult for you [Keith] because you already had seen the inside of the house, and you said, “This is not the proper door!” [Laughter.] Zen Buddhism was an excellent hook. Zen was somehow accessible and attractive at that stage of history, but it was a hook. For Westerners involved in haiku it had a very good effect. But, technically speaking, you have to understand the broader base. You can’t identify Bashō with just Zen Buddhism. It would be a serious distortion.

 

Page(s) 21-22

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