Ordinary Mind Zen School Taoist Roots of Zen
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Jan 24, 2026 Explores how Chinese Zen grew from a blend of Taoist and Buddhist ideas, reshaping practice into everyday life. Discusses water imagery and wu-wei as models for non-forcing action. Covers yin-yang balance, seeing life like a flowing river, and using zazen to reveal the natural self. Talks about softening effort, balancing spontaneity with discipline, and steering authentic expression with ethical precepts.
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Zen Is A Taoist–Buddhist Fusion
- Zen in China fused Indian Buddhism with native Taoism, creating a grounded practice rather than a purely transcendental one.
- Geoff Dawson highlights communal work, gardening, and daily labor becoming actual practice instead of hermit austerities.
Work Became Practice In Chinese Zen
- Chinese culture transformed monastic Buddhism into communal, work-integrated practice where labor itself is practice.
- Geoff contrasts begging hermits with Buddhist communities who gardened and worked as part of training.
Practice Like Water Finds Its Way
- Taoism models the watercourse way: softness, flow, and finding paths around obstacles rather than forcing outcomes.
- Geoff uses water imagery and yin–yang complementarity to explain embracing flow over confrontation.