dharma<\/a> paradigm. Most practitioners these days (probably a much higher ratio than ever in history) are practicing as homedwellers, many with partners, 401K\u2019s (what\u2019s left of \u2018em), kids, jobs\u2026. So how about if we honor all of that with a more fully developed, fitting and transformational mythos?<\/p>\nHere\u2019s why it might be time for such in a few words:<\/p>\n
Historically, Buddhism in India was characterized by a transcendent aim \u2013 the world\u2019s impure so let\u2019s break the cycle of samsara and escape rebirth. The notion of homeleaving fits with the transcendent perspective without jiggling. It\u2019s easy to generate a lot of energy for escape.<\/p>\n
When Zen moved into East Asia or was created there, depending on your preferred story, the immanent view was cutting edge \u2013 the enlightenment of trees, wall, and fence. And the perspective that Buddha nature was already present. Homeleaving can be jiggled in this perspective to suggest leaving the home of illusion (i.e., thinking the Buddha nature is somewhere else), or of separation, or of wandering in circles licking our tails until our tongues bleed like yak.<\/p>\n
However, it\u2019s easy from this perspective to slump into self-told stories about it all being perfect just the way it is without really realizing such. Imho, lots of the experiments with engaged Buddhism and people calling themselves homeleavers-in-spirit suffer from a sort of mild depression. This kind of Zen has a really weak handshake.<\/p>\n
But maybe we are ready to leave the homeleaving of the transendent perspective and the attachment to things just as they are of the immanent perspective and instead take full responsibility for making our lives fully alive on this little planet together.<\/p>\n
Dogen provides a post-homeleaving third option in the third sentence of Genjokoan<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\nSince the buddha way intrinsically leaps through abundance and deficiency, there is arising and perishing, delusion and realization, living beings and buddhas.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cLeaping through\u201d has elements of both transcendent and immanent while energizing the whole living enterprise. And if our ideal is to leap through the 10,000 dharmas into the 10,000 dharmas (it\u2019s intrinsic after all, seamless with no \u201coutside\u201d), who leaves home and where does such a one go?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s as far as I\u2019ve thought this through. Like the post-racial perspective (note to reader: I\u2019m hoping to hook this together now), this needs some development. Comments welcome.<\/p>\n
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