This Wednesday evening, November 11th, we will continue our reading and discussion of Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind. The chapter for discussion will be “Believing in Nothing”. If you have a book already please bring it.

Ken will be leading the discussion on the following questions:

-In the first paragraph Suzuki-roshi writes, “… we have to believe in something

which has no form and no color.” What besides form and color does the nothing-

something not have?

-In the headache discussion of the second paragraph what conditioning is in play

when he writes, “But if you don’t know why [you have a headache] you may say,

oh I have a terrible headache. It is because of my bad practice.” Also, what does

he mean when he writes,” If you understand conditions in this way you will not

have perfect faith in yourself”.

-From paragraph three what do you understand “nothing” to be? Have you

experienced it?

-In the last paragraph he writes, “… we should begin with enlightenment and

proceed to practice, and then to thinking.” Does this seem the natural order to

you or idealistic?