Question
Hello, I have noticed that people with mental illnesses are not admitted to the dojo.
Why does zazen not encompass all beings? Who is qualified to judge an individual’s mental health? Aren’t we all mentally ill in some way, and isn’t the master the sickest for not believing himself sick? Or is he sick? What effect does zazen have on people with Down syndrome?
Anonymous
Answer from Master Kosen
People who, like you, are only mildly ill and a little stupid can be accepted if they do not disturb others and can stay still for the duration of zazen. But you seem to confuse eccentricity, mental illness, and stupidity.
Great masters are sometimes eccentric, but they are neither stupid nor ill; one could call it controlled madness. Whatever your situation—Down syndrome, autism, or bipolar disorder—if you can harmonize with a group, taking any necessary medication or bringing a medical certificate stating that you can perform a particular activity, we can work something out.
Kosen