Zen and motorcycles?

From the movie, The Princess Bride..."I don't think that word means what you think it means." Inigo Montoya to Vizzini after Vizzini repeatedly uses the word, "inconceivable."

That's one of my favorite movie quotes of all time, particularly because there are so many times that it applies to things I read and hear. Specifically, I often read or hear people using the word "Zen" in relationship to motorcycles, cars, basketball, home interior design, and so on. I want to say, "I don't think that word means what you think it means."

I used to think I knew what Zen was. Maybe the word is being redefined by popular culture. Maybe I am once again, out of it. So I mentioned this to my oldest son JDH who is more informed than I am about all things in contemporary philosophy and theology. He laughed and commented about how interesting it is to see terminology from other religions (other than Christianity) being redefined by culture. He mentioned that Karma is another term that is being changed by popular culture.

I agree. Karma is used selectively by lots of people to basically say, "What goes around comes around" or something similar. This is a topic for a future blog but my subject matter today is Zen.

I'm in the process of changing the timing belts on my 75 naked goldwing. I say process because what would take two hours for other people takes days or months for me due to lack of experience, knowledge, "gumption," or manuals that conflict with statements by mechanic friends, or by my own contrarian thoughts because something just doesn't look right or seem logical.

Maybe I should apply Zen to my situation, or maybe not, since I follow Christ not godless Buddhism. Still, what do people mean when they apply Zen to motorcycles?

So I've gone in search of the meaning of Zen. I have googled Zen, I looked at Zen for Dummies, I read the chapter on Zen Buddhism in Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin, I surfed the internet. I realize that this flurry of activity is not very Zen-like. I should just meditate and let the meaning come to me out of my own mind. According to (The Sayings of Master Linchi, cf. Ogata, Zen for the West) "Smash whatever you come across, smash Buddha, smash your parents and relations. You will be in real emancipation!" Or put another way, "Zen teaches nothing. Whatever teachings there are in Zen, they come out of one's own mind. Zen merely points the way. (Suzuki, Introduction to Zen Buddhism).

I am a researcher at heart even though that is the antithesis to Zen. Zen doesn't accept any external authority. So forget manuals, clubs, mechanics, those more studied, knowledgeable or experienced. You have to have faith in yourself alone. You shouldn't obey any rules, just make up your own rules because your own inner being is the only thing that matters. You are all that matters, and as such, you can't do any wrong, there is no wrong.

I won't even begin to get into the moral reasons why that philosophy is totally irresponsible in a world where unethical, immoral and evil things happen all the time. We have the power to do something about injustice in the world if we will take action. Zen feels no compassion for those who are hurting or suffering. Zen says that suffering is the result of craving. Just meditate and let things happen.

In the more superficial context of motorcycles and interior design I suppose the idea of doing your own thing is attractive. But the minute you try to pass on what you have learned or your preferences or wisdom to others you are violating the very essence of Zen. So you basically need to design your motorcycle without any help from anyone else, if that is possible, because Zen would say that "only ignorance, laziness and cowardice can lead us to seek outside aid." And then once you've created your own thing that completely comes from your inner self you need to keep your mouth shut about it. Just sit in a corner or stand on your head and detach until one's real self begins to bubble along, floating over the world's confusion.

No thanks. I choose community, collaboration, and companionship. I choose truth and instruction. I choose research and development. I embrace morality and ethics from a living God.

And, so, can anyone share with me the finer points of changing the timing belts on a 75 Honda Goldwing? I have most of it down but there's just a couple little things about Top Dead Center that elude me. The answer is with someone who has done it before. I'm not lazy, I am a little ignorant on motorcycle mechanics, and I am cowardly to the point that I don't want to make a mistake with my timing belts and ruin my engine. I'm okay with that.