Diamond Sutra

Roko Sherry Chayat, who is the abbot of the Zen Center in Syracuse, writes

Despite what the Buddha says in the Diamond Sutra--"There is no formula for supreme enlightenment"--we long for some guidelines, some diagram, yes, a formula for quick success. We want what our teachers have, and we want them to give it to us without delay. And therein lies the problem in at least two of its guises: we think there is something to have; and we think it's good to get something for nothing--when, in fact, this practice of ours requires giving everything for nothing!

Wow. Just like this class, we (or at least I) want some formula for generative dialogue, yet we can only get guidelines that possibility create the proper environment for discourse to happen.

The best thing we can do is start a practice of generative dialogue in our lives, reflecting on what we want to accomplish with our practice. We can use Olen's guidance as that, not as rules but suggestions to our practice. And that's all we can really expect, since each of us has a unique perspective of life, we cannot expect to use predefined rules, but rather to find our own rules.

The application of generative dialogue leads to a creative life, not unlike the artist, musician or mathematician. Instead of a canvas, a saxophone or calculus, the dialogue artist uses dialogue to create new ideas and concepts.