The sensual world cannot be avoided. We’re in it at every moment. We are part of it.
Now, tantra is a little bit different than other forms of Buddhism because in tantra what we do is we use the sensorial worlds as access points or pathways to ineffability.
Some people, of course, say they’re practicing tantra. There are a lot of books on tantric sexual practice in local bookstores. These are usually pretty silly books.
If you are in a state of mind in which all things are one, then you can spend your time in lingerie shops.
Purity is innocence, the innocence of lack of self. Desire is innocent unless it’s connected with self.
In Tantric Buddhism our feeling is that there is no problem with the sensual world unless you have a tremendous attraction or aversion to it.
The anti-pleasure movement in self-discovery is very strong. I have big news for them, if they ever get to enlightenment, which is unlikely the way they’re approaching it, they’re going to find that enlightenment is very pleasurable.
The issue is not what you’re doing with your body; it’s what you’re doing with your mind.
The tantric path involves taking the mind and directing it beyond the senses.
Obviously there is a lot more ecstasy in the spirit than in the flesh but the flesh has its moments!
What is Tantric Zen? Well, I don’t think I can give you a straight answer, since I don’t happen to be a very straight Zen master.
In Tantric Zen you can be humorous and make fun of anything or you can be very serious.
Tantric Zen leads to illumination and fun right here and now, which is why I like it.
What I term Zen, old Zen, the original face of Zen, new Zen, pure Zen, or Tantric Zen is – Zen in its essence.
In Tantric Zen there is no rule. There is only your immediate experience.
Tantric Zen is the exploration of everything, since everything is a part of enlightenment.
There’s a place where everything comes together and where it’s all the same. That state of mind, in which all things are the same, is the state of mind of Tantric Zen.
It is necessary to have a very liberal and simultaneously very conservative mentality to practice Tantric Zen.
Tantric Zen is the original Zen, Zen without rules, Zen without form. Zen can certainly take rules and form. So Tantric Zen might have some rules and form, but it would remain formless even though it had rules and form.
Tantric Zen is a state of mind.