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Zen and the Art of Technical Writing

K.NarssimhanCommit

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What is Zen?

Dhyan ~ Ch’an ~ Zen Bodhidharma in the 6th century, Japan in the 12th

century Zen is not a sect but an experience The Ch’an-Zen masters ~ not followers but

friends of the Buddha Self-searching through meditation Strict self-discipline and simplicity of living No fear, no doubt, no craving, no ambition Serve humanity humbly, with compassion

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What is Zen?

Passing away as a petal from a flower Learning, observing and experiencing everyday Will power, self-reliance, no results, only journey Strong work ethic, zazen posture, aana-pana,

vipassana Intuitive experiences, when you want to see, see it.

When you begin to think, you miss the point. Satisfying sex or a good joke, Eat when you are

hungry – or eat to impress

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What is Zen?

Practice, Practice and Practice More observant, more confident, more aware,

more sure The martial arts – benevolence, humanity and

restraint No time to think, no time to prepare, no time to

hesitate One who provokes and one who is provoked Zen-trained martial artists respond to acts of

aggression

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Koan

An absurd question which cannot be answered, any way you try.

It is unanswerable. No intellectual answers. One has to meditate on the question. ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’ Zen teachers use in guiding their students

towards release Problems to stop the word-drunkenness and

mind-wandering

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Technical Writing

“Technical writing is the art, craft, practice, or problem of translating that which is logical into that which is grammatical.Technical writing forms a bridge between the logical (the primarily binary concepts understood by computers, robots, lawyers) and the illogical (the haphazard, inconsistent concepts misunderstood carbon-based life forms, highly intelligent computers, lawyers) via the medium of the grammatical, the haphazardly logical system incomprehensible to both.The practice of technical writing presupposes that you, the illogical, actually want to learn about the logical subject, which of course is in all cases false. This basis in a false presupposition makes technical writing a pursuit typically favored by those with arts degrees from obscure universities.” ~ Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

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Zen Stories

Children playing with castles Japanese warrior Nobunaga and his

coin Bankei and his pupil who stole The First Principle – Kosen and his

pupil Mokusen’s hand – stingy wife Every-minute Zen – Nanin and Tenno

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Right posture

Right posture = right state of mind. When one's posture is right, he

automatically breathes correctly. Breathing should be natural and

constant. ‘Aana pana’ – Buddha’s technique still

practiced

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Hey! Wait a Minute!

One night when Master Taigan was writing a letter a thief came into his room carrying a big naked sword. Looking at the thief, the master said, ‘Which do you

want – money or my life?’‘I came for money,’ replied the thief.

The master took out his purse and handed it to the man and returned to writing his letter.

The thief began to feel at ease and began to leave the room, over-awed.

‘Hey! Wait a minute!’ called the master.The thief stood back shuddering.

‘Why don’t you shut the door?’ said the master.

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Write Here Now

While writing, we should be mindful of each paragraph, sentence, word, letter, punctuation, with total concentration.

Zen teaches us to do everything with total presence of mind.

That is, we need to concentrate on what we are doing now.

Forget about past and leave the future alone. While writing, we don't have to go anywhere or

achieve anything. Just Write Here Now

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Selling Water by the River

For forty years I have been selling waterBy the bank of a river.

Ho, Ho!My labors have been wholly without

merit.

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Letting Go

Whatever feelings and thoughts arise while writing – just let them pass by with no attachment to anything.

Zen teaches us to open our minds and see things as they are.

Be ready to let feelings and thoughts come and go without our engaging them or judging them.

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It is very rare!

One day, at mealtime, the Buddha put on his robe, took his bowl and entered the town of Sravasti to beg for his

food. After he had begged from door to door, he returned to his place.

When he had taken his meal, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, arranged his seat, and sat down.At the time, one of Buddha’s greatest disciples, Subhuti,

rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, kneeled, joined his palms and said: ‘It is very rare, O

Buddha! It is very rare!’

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Releasing the Ego

While writing, we must release our ego. Zen teaches us to sever our

identification with the ego, which makes us believe and anticipate.

Once we release the ego, we can move with flow of energy, moment by moment.

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Scratching the Shoe

The use of words is likestriking out at the moon with a stick

orscratching one’s shoe because

one’s foot itches.

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Buddha Nature

Buddha Nature – objectivity Write to create a piece of art Do not write to accomplish something Freed yourself from goals and desire

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Have some tea

A master got up to addressa group seeking enlightenment

And had only this to say:‘Ha! Ha! Ha! What’s all this?

Go to the back of the hall and have some tea.’

He then got down and departed.

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Body, mind, document

Connection Transcend all the differences No separateness Become One

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The bridge but not the water flows

The handless hold the hoe.A pedestrian walks, riding on a water

buffalo.A man passes over the bridge;

The bridge but not the water flows.

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Practice, Practice, Practice

Total concentration Spirit of repetition Total attention to minute details Repeat the same steps again and again

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Diamond Sutra

One day, the emperor Liang Wu Ti invited Master Fu Ta Shih to expound the Diamond

Sutra. As soon as he had ascended to his seat, the master knocked the table once with a ruler and descended from his seat. The

master asked, ‘Does your majesty understand?’

‘I do not,’ replied the emperor.The master said, ‘I have finished expounding

the sutra.’

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Beginner’s Mind

No hesitation Stop the mental chatter “I-don’t-know mind” Adapt and learn from the situation Be alert and willing to work with

whatever is present before us

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Gateless Gate

‘The great path has no gates,Thousands of roads enter it.

When one passes through this gateless gate

He walks freely between heaven and earth.’

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Everyday life

Zen is not religion Enlightenment is not excitement Writing is writing They are part of everyday life Write as you would walk Meditate while you write Face challenges with confidence It is time to get back to work

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Sources of Information

Zen: The Path of Paradox ~ Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

The Book of Five Rings ~ Miyamoto Musahi Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ~

Robert M Pirsig The Monk who Sold his Ferrari ~ Robin S

Sharma Zen Flesh, Zen Bones ~ Paul Reps

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This is not the last slide…

…or maybe it is.