Some folks during last night's Monday Night Zazen misunderstood the reading from Dogen and thought that he was advocating unquestioning obedience and blind faith in the teacher. He was saying no such thing. The practice that he is advocating is generating great doubt, even in your own assumptions and beliefs. Don't be so sure of yourself, at least not without first examining and questioning yourself.
When we look honestly at our opinions and beliefs, we see that they often change over time. We jump to a conclusion and engage our emotions when we receive some news, but when the news is later updated or changed, our conclusions and emotional reaction do a one-eighty. What we liked last year we may dislike next year, or vice versa. How can we trust a witness so prone to reversals?
The benefit is realized not in servile obedience but by letting go of our impermanent and unreliable opinions.
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