Zen Buddhism & Punk: Talk minus action equals zero

“Just in purely historical terms, Zen was originally a reform movement created by Buddhists who thought that Buddhism had deviated too far from its roots as a form of meditative practice. But that doesn’t really tell you what Zen is. To me, Zen is a search for truth through action. It’s less a religion or even a philosophy than it is an attitude.” Brad Warner

VA The New Hope LP (New Hope Records, 1983)

Zero Defex – No More
Get it here.

“Before you can live the life you truly want to live, you need to find out what you truly want. That takes patience. You need to look straight into your own mind and weed out your real desires from the false ones you’ve created out of thought. I only know of one way to do that, and you should have figured out by now what that is. Yep. You got it. Lots of zazen.” Brad Warner

“Meditation is a totally nonviolent, nonaggressive occupation. Not filling the space, allowing for the possibility of connecting with unconditional opennes — this provides the basis for real change. The more we sit with this impossibility, the more we find it’s always possible after all.” Pema Chödrön

“The joyous and voluntary poverty of Buddhism becomes a positive force. The traditional harmlessness and refusal to take life in any form has nation-shaking implications. The practice of meditation, for which one needs only 'the ground beneath one’s feet,' wipes out mountains of junk being pumped into the mind by the mass media and supermarket universities. The belief in a serene and generous fulfillment of natural loving desires destroys ideologies which blind, maim and repress — and points the way to a kind of community which would amaze 'moralists' and transform armies of men who are fighters because they cannot be lovers.” Gary Snyder

Breeders Zen Punk EP (Nova Records, 1984)

Breeders – Zen Punk
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“Question authority. Question society. Question reality. But you’ve got to take it all the way: Question punk authority. Question punk society. Question your own rules and question your own values. Question Zen society. Question Zen authority. Question other people’s views on reality and question your own.” Brad Warner

“Do not be a prisoner of any doctrine or ideology, even Buddhist ones.” Thích Nhất Hạnh

“The mercy of the West has been social revolution; the mercy of the East has been individual insight into the basic self/void. We need both.” Gary Snyder

Ruin He-Ho LP (Red Music, 1984)

Ruin – Freedom Has No Bounds
More info here and here.