things.
One of the things that is most curious to me is how to respond when I
come up with an idea. On the computer, or with any other writing
tool, one can make note of the idea. However, writing is "lossy", and
one has to be prepared to let go of many thoughts when writing (and
certainly when one is unable to write).
The computer is designed, roughly, a model for a logical mind. Very
nice, because there are lots of logical systems out in the world, and
a computer can follow these systems (as long as it has been given the
right instructions).
Mathematics, too, is a model for a logical mind. Like contemporary
computer systems, it is built with layers and layers of previous work;
things that "just do what they should".
What is strange to me is how these two models relate to zen. I feel
like a computer is as good a "shrine to the Buddha" as any other, and
this is what I am centering my daily practice (such as it is) on.
My sense is that like zen, mathematics can't be done just by talking
about it. But at the same time, it is a very knowledge-based
activity. Probably it is possible to do "zen anything"; but I would
be curious to know what you might have to say about "zen mathematics"
or about zen and any of the other knowledge-based arts.
I was somewhat concerned when I read Lin Chi saying "you should stop
working on any current projects and not take on any new ones". Do you
have a view on this?
(I located you via a google search on the subject line. I don't know
if you can teach zen by email -- but so far I mainly read books, and
have only one friend here who is into zen! Minneapolis does have a
big zen community, but I don't know if my questions, concerns, or
approaches mesh with what they are doing at all.)
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