Posted by Ritmo on December 06, 2000 at 15:10:44:
In Reply to: The Zen of Whoremongering posted by kendricks on December 06, 2000 at 09:31:34:
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Brother K, Your question reminded me of a book I read a long time ago, which I haven't looked at since--"Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex", John Stevens, an American Zen scholar living in Japan. There's a nice chapter on Zen and sex--in Japan, especially, Stevens argues, there was simply NO way to get even the most seriously ascetically minded monks to see sex as something to be given up. Instead, "the red thread of passion" was something to be used as a testing ground, "the anvil on which true enlightenment was formed," as Bro Matiz and some others have hinted. You might well look at that chapter, as there are some GREAT (and HILARIOUS) anecdotes from Zen masters on sex. Can't keep myself from sharing a few of them: Master Ikkyu wrote the following verse upon resigning as abbot in a monastery: The wife of a friend of Ikkyu came to him to seek help regarding her husband's infidelities. Ikkyu told her not to worry about it and flirted with her. The wife is scandalised and leaves to return home. When she tells her hubby about Ikkyu's advances, he says "He's a living Buddha, so it's alright for you to have sex with him! Go do it!" She reluctantly returns to the temple and knocks on the door, tells Ikkyu the deal. Ikkyu chuckles and says "I don't want you now, I wanted you this afternoon. Go back to your husband." She returns and tells hubby, who claps his hands and exclaims "When he moves, he moves, but no one can move him!"
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