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Zen and the Art of Sarcasm: Foot On Path

One thing few people apparently get is that Zen is funny. Even a large number of students and practitioners of Zen seem to completely miss the boat on this component to the religion-that-is-not-a-religion. If you’re one of these, don’t worry; you’ll get better with practice. Back to the point: it takes little discipline to locate the humor, if that’s what you’re looking for. Scholars or interested bystanders who spend a good amount of time digging in the Zen Buddhist literature will find themselves inundated by endless references to cow calls (mu!) and other quaint anecdotes whose real meaning is lost to anyone outside the business. They’ll also discover numerous tales about injurious whackings with sticks, monks slicing their own arms from their bodies, and the offing of the Buddha by the thousands. Funny stuff.

Such history makes me wonder if the Three Stooges weren’t adepts. It’s likely the only thing in the Stooges’ comedy canon missing from Zen’s is the well telegraphed pratfall. Can’t have it all. But go ahead and try repeating Curly’s “nyuck nyuck” during a meditation session (zazen for the more learned folk). Turns out to be a good alternative to the classic “OHM”. So, NYUCK NYUCK NYUCK! There, you should feel more enlightened already.

Zen, once you get past the comic bits, tends to be rather cryptic for the casual observer or participant, a problem few out there can be expected to rectify. Not that it hasn’t been tried ad vomitum by those more prepared than I. On the other hand, it may be possible to ignore the usual routes others have taken and come up with our own personal tour of some well known (though not well understood) features of Zen Buddhism. Along the way maybe we’ll find time to check out a few of the lesser advertised roads as well. Course, I’ll be handling it in a tongue twisted firmly into lotus position attitude. I’m not sure this is a smart way to demystify Zen, but perhaps it can bring it down a tick or two on the enigmatic tote board.

By the way: explaining what Zen means is a different matter altogether, and I won’t be attempting such a foolish endeavor as that. We’ll see the sights, and if lucky stumble over it by pure chance. If not, hopefully no one gets car sick. Another thing you shouldn’t expect on this trip: lots of factoid-like tidbits for party conversation. I may (think I) know a thing or two about Zen, but no scholar am I. So over the coming weeks in somewhat haphazard fashion (it’s the only way I work), be prepared as I hit on different aspects of Zen. Since they’ll all be spur of the moment or nearly so, I can’t wait to see how they turn out!