Quote Originally Posted by phytokind
But following certain rules to the letter and absolutely does not mean in any way that you are on the path to enlightenment.
If you mean the rituals and observances of the various traditions, nobody believes that they are a route to enlightenment. Some believe good deeds bring merit that eventually, over many lifetimes, will bring someone to enlightenment. But it's not really how any meditator would try to reach enlightenment. Both our traditions, and Hinduism, and others, teach that it's something that can be reached by actual practises rather than living morally and achieved in a persons single lifetime. Being actively on the path requires more than just living by an ethical code.

If you mean our meditation methods - The inherent idea in Buddhism, which applies to all its individual traditions, including Zen, is that the teachings are just "...a raft that's to be left behind..." They're to be left behind as quickly as possible so that the practitioner explores and experiences each state for him or herself. They're a map to mental states, guidance, not hard and fast rules.

What form of Zen do you say you practise?

MelT