“I have a bit of a struggle with some aspects of or forms of Buddhism, but Zen I find to be mainly congenial.” Quote by Quentin S. Crisp
“Zen is influenced by Daoism, which is not so much a nature-religion in the animistic sense as a nature-philosophy in a cosmic sense.” PhilosophyCosmic Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“Some people have described Daoism as pantheist, and although there's something in me that resists this designation, I can see that Daoism is consistent with pantheism. If there is any way in which pantheism makes sense and is not redundant, then it is the way (or 'the Way') presented in Daoism.” PeopleIfsWayI CanMake SenseConsistentPantheismRedundantDesignation Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“Non-pantheist models for god seem almost completely untenable to me, though not without interest.” SeemsInterestModels Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“There's a possible qualification I can make here about a non-pantheist god that is in some way tenable, and that is the idea of a god that has in some way discharged the universe from its own substance (I associate this with the word 'tzimtzum'), possibly even by a form of suicide - a suicide that might have been the Big Bang.” WayHas BeensI CanIdeasBigsMightFormUniverseSuicideSubstanceAssociatesMight Have BeenBangsQualifications Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“What I find difficult about Buddhism, though it is also one of its significant fascinations, is the focus on what is immediately and physically present. To me, this seems a denial of the imagination, and the imagination is very important to me.” ImportantSeemsDifficultImaginationFocusBuddhismSignificantDenialFascination Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“I think [imagination] very austere element of Buddhism is also linked with a strong antinatalist strain in the philosophy. The Buddha was enlightened when he destroyed the house of body and soul into which he would otherwise have been forever reborn. This is clearly antinatalism.” ThinkingHas BeensSoulPhilosophyBodyHouseStrongImaginationForeverBuddhismElementsDestroyedEnlightenedLinkedStrainReborn Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“The peculiar thing is that, in focusing only on the here and now, Buddhism seems to despise the world.” WorldSeemsBuddhismPeculiarDespiseHere And Now Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“You focus on the here and now in order to escape existence forever and vanish into Nirvana. There is another religious impulse that is the opposite of this. It uses a world elsewhere in order to affirm life and give a reason to "go forth and multiply".” WorldGivingReasonUseOrderReligiousExistenceForeverFocusOppositesImpulseElsewhereHere And Now Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“The imagination is fertile. From seeds of the imagination, much is made manifest.” MadeImaginationSeedsManifestFertile Author:Quentin S. Crisp
“There's a strong aspect of Buddhism which is geared towards ending all fertility.” StrongBuddhismAspectFertility Author:Quentin S. Crisp