A Buddhist teacher monitors the contestants at the start of a new reality TV show. The first entrants are a mainly female pop band . I practise with them but am always behind with the dance moves. They are alarmed when they are told that they will be expected to sing live. Next on is a successful male singer, a political agitator, media savvy and far too sure of himself. Last on is an ordinary man , a non celebrity. He stands before the monk aware that he may speak only when asked. He is presented with a Buddhist HOAN written in large black ink. Keep reading he is instructed or you get hit.
(HOAN = something to do with hone, haiku and possibly inchoate- also found the Chinese word huan from the I-Ching which means dispersion)
3 comments:
I love the incongruence of the monk being in charge of a tv game show. He is very strict but only with the 'non celebrity' - the 'ordinary man'. I understand Zen monks will sometimes tap or nudge a meditator if they look as if they are dropping off to sleep - but not really hit them! Hoan is an interesting word, a neologism, perhaps with eastern leanings?
I know I have heard of a Buddhist monk using a stick on a novice - one of the ancient Buddhist stories that I have read or heard in the past - so that's where that image came from.
Have you managed to set up a dream workshop yet? I ran one in Ireland the other week and it went really well. Still intend getting one going in London - so anyone reading who is interested leave us a note here...
Oh, I bet your workshop was great, did you do any of the exercises we tried at the conference? They are so useful. I'd love to try more in a group setting again - haven't been able to set anything up round here yet, maybe in the New Year? Hope you get one on the go down there, wish it were nearer, you'd have one regular member for sure!
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