Zen monks shave their heads, don’t they?

The new Disturbed album, “Ten Thousand Fists” is out.

A quote from “The Gateless Gate,” a very old Zen text:

‘Joshu went to a hermit’s and asked, “What’s up? What’s up?”(=”Have you any Zen?”) The hermit lifted up his fist. Joshu said, “The water is too shallow to anchor here,” and went away. Joshu visited the hermit once again a few days later and said, “What’s up? What’s up?” The hermit raised his fist again. Then Joshu said, “Well given, well taken, well killed, well saved.” And he bowed to the hermit. ‘

All this and lots of guitars, too!

P.S. I thought I should mention that I went to Borders to buy the album with what I had left on a gift card, but then I saw the Strangers in Paradise 3rd pocket book. Zen Schmen.

P.P.S. Lee, the sweetie, bought me a copy of “Ten Thousand Fists.” There’s an excellent cover of “Land of Confusion” by Genesis. Ironically, there’s a verse in the song:
“I won’t be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We’re not just making promises
That we know, we’ll never keep.”
Sigh.

P.P.P.S. Because I took the new album to work and telling the story of how Lee found out I wanted it, I ended up trying to explain to someone what a koan was, and what this koan in particular meant. This did not go so well.

“My brain hurts,” she said. “Thank you.”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *