This discussion originated in respone to someone's blog, but as blogs are not
very good for interactive discussions, it petered out. But since I was
complaining about the lack of interesting postings here, perhaps I'd better
try to do something myself, so here it is, for what it's worth.
I have been re-reading _Not of this world_, or at least parts of it. It's the
biography of an American Orthodox monk in California, Fr Seraphim Rose.
I was reminded of it when reading _Big sky mind_, a compilation of many
writings of Beat Generation writers that related to Buddhism. _Not of this
world_ mentions some of these people, and that Fr Seraphim, before he became
Orthodox, encountered some of them at the American Academy of Asian Studies in
San Franscisco, where he was taught by Alan Watts and Gi-ming Shien.
Some of the Beats found what they were looking for in Buddhism, but Fr
Seraphim found it in Orthodox Christianity. One passage in _Big sky minds_
suggested a link. Gary Snyder wrote:
I think many of us would consider it quite marvellous if we could set out on
foot again, with a little inn or clean camp available every ten or so miles
and no threat from traffic, to travel across a large landscape -- all of
China, all of Europe. That's the way to see the world; in our own boadies.
Sacred mountains and pilgrimage to them is a deeply established feature of
the popular religions of Asia.
But where can one find such a thing in today's world? On the Holy Mountain, of
course. I wonder if any of the Beat Generation writers ever went there, or
ever thought of going there? It's not the whole of China or the whole of
Europe, but otherwise the description fits, though with monasteries instead of
inns.
--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: hayesmstw.RemoveThis@hotmail.com
Web:
http://www.geocities.com/hayesstw/stevesig.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/books.htm
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