In developing Lost Coin, what I hope we can do is create a culture. I believe this is close to what Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to do in his time. I hope this culture forgoes prejudice and superstition and, instead, relies on what is provable and at the same time is deeply rooted in the humility of what we do not understand.
Toward that end, I believe we can look at science and Zen as two sides of the same Lost Coin. Through science we can see we are connected to everything. A human and a tree share a common ancestor. We have the stuff of stars in our bodies. On the other side, by the experiential and verifiable method of zazen, we see the field of consciousness from which all thoughts and understanding arise. Science shows us the small transient speck we are in the limitlessness of reality. Zen reveals the absolute consciousness teach one of us possesses that encompasses everything.
We can build a culture of intelligence and consciousness that reveals our identity with all things. Both science and Zen embrace the unknown rather than simply “making believe” that we understand what we do not. Reason and “no mind” are two valuable parts of the mind- they are the two hands of knowledge. A culture that embraces them both may finally help put an end to the medieval thinking that still exists and be the start of a wondrous journey into our real potential.
photo credit: net_efekt
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