Bliss Ninny: Is Zen anti-Jhana?

Bliss ninny playing with markers like they're toys

Greatwesternvehicle.org

Exposing the Negative Zen Attitude toward Jhana

Correspondence with Mark Vetanen Jan. 22, 2004

From: "Mark Vetanen"
Date: Thu Jan 22, 2004 10:31 am
Subject: Re: Ecstasy and Addiction in Buddhism

So you want to be a bliss ninny? A bliss ninny is one who seeks and strives to achieve and maintain ecstatic meditative states. This is accomplished through various means and ways that we will discuss. A bliss ninny fills his or her life with beautiful sounds, colors, and smells. Throw away the black clothing, paint the walls with a cheery color, and find some sandalwood or plum incense to constantly burn. Of course you must also buy the Enya CDs!

A bliss ninny seeks out gurus and scenes that are blissful. Of course this means Indian masters like Sri Chinmoy, who perform initiations by looking you deep in the eyes (Love Looking). A bliss ninny also seeks out so-called High Level Tibetan masters, like Lama Zopa of the FPMT, to sit next to and absorb the holy vibes.

A bliss ninny avoids scenes or people who do not promote bliss. At all costs avoid driving through the bad parts of town! You may see people less fortunate than yourself. Avoid children in shopping malls or at the market! They often cry and produce unhappy sounds. Avoid people who are sick or dying! They often remind one of death.

A bliss ninny maintains a good lifestyle without working. This can be done by marrying a rich person, like a "sugar daddy," or sponging off parents. If you are independently wealthy, of course, you can be the ideal bliss ninny. Anyone who tries to be a bliss ninny but has to work 9 to 5 jobs often finds sadness and disappointment in the work-a-day world. So this should be avoided. It is important for a bliss ninny to maintain a blissful mindset.

Of course as a bliss ninny, champion those who suffer and are persecuted and impoverished unjustly. As long as it brings bliss, do it. But if the situation is hopeless and only brings sad thoughts, drop it like a hot potato. Being a bliss ninny has its challenges and others may criticize. But, after all, life is only about bliss and spiritual growth.