Tekzen is a
proactive esoteric discipline practiced at the Tek-Gnostics Monastery. Its
origins and philosophy can be traced to the adventures of
Wuxia or
kung fu tales set in ancient China. In these tales, the "Mythic
Warrior Monk" lived by a code of conduct that was
likened to the Japanese Samurai's Bushido or the chivalry of the
Jedi Knight. This code can best be illustrated by
utilizing the analogy of the Anglo-Saxon mythos of (the archetypical)
Robin
Hood figure. The monk championed the dispossessed by
inconveniencing those who seek to unjustly gain from the ill-fortunes of the
dispossessed. As in these ancient tales, the contemporary Tekzen
practitioner adheres to a chivalrous code of conduct that acknowledges
the karmic responsibility of taking action to rectify unjust oppressive
behaviors. Being a system of adaptability, the Tekzen practitioner's methodology
embraces active appropriation of Earth's great philosophic traditions.
Utilizing the useful elements of various schools of thought to form a new
amalgamation. The Tekzen practitioner (we prefer the term "Warrior
Monk", as the term monk is short for monkey) acts with
stealth, prudence and the
application of intelligent intervention whereby one gains a maximum of effect
with a minimum of output. By assessing a given situation early and
acting while the obstacle is "still small", the Tekzen
monk avoids
larger complications. The ability to discern when the time is right to
act is a skill that is developed by following the path of Tekzen...
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The path of Tekzen
Tekzen emphasizes personal experience, or
gnosis, particularly as realized in the form of meditation, in the
pursuit of
enlightenment. As such, it de-emphasizes theoretical knowledge in
favor of direct, experiential realization through meditation and
dharma practice. Tekzen asserts that all sentient beings
contain
an essential awakened-nature, the universal nature of inherent wisdom and virtue, and
emphasizes that this awakened-nature is the conduit whereby
universal creativity flows into manifest universe. Individual sentient
beings not only transmit universal essence into material existence, they
provide self-reflection as a means whereby universe experiences the
manifest. This relationship is essentially a conspiracy between the
primordial, un-namable creative matrix and
sentient being.
Traversing the Tekzen path is a means to discover this
awakened-nature within each being, through mindfulness
of daily experience. Tekzen monks believe that this provides new
perspectives and insights on existence, which ultimately lead to
enlightenment. In distinction to many other philosophies, Tekzen
de-emphasizes reliance on religious texts and verbal discourse on
 metaphysical questions. Tekzen holds that these things lead the
apprentice to seek external answers, rather than searching within
themselves for the direct intuitive apperception of awakened-nature.
This search within goes under various terms such as “introspection” or “turning the eye inward.”
In this sense, the Tekzen path, as a means to deepen
gnosis and in contrast to other paths, could be seen as
fiercely anti-philosophical, iconoclastic, anti-prescriptive and
anti-theoretical. The importance of Tekzen non-reliance on written
words is often misunderstood as being against the use of words.
However, Tekzen is deeply rooted in the core teachings of
Tek-Gnostics and hence in the pertinent thoughts and
philosophies incorporated from the "five traditions". What Tekzen emphasizes is that the awakening taught by
luminaries such as the
Buddha came through his meditation practice, not from any words that
he read or discovered, and so it is primarily through meditation
that others too may awaken to the same insights as the Buddha.
As in Buddhism, Tekzen aspires to the concept of
bodhisattva. this term means either "enlightened (bodhi)
existence (sattva)"
or "enlightenment-being" or, given the variant
Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva,
"heroic-minded one (satva)
for enlightenment (bodhi)."
Another translation is "Wisdom-Being." It is the name given to anyone
who, motivated by great compassion, has generated
bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain
Buddhahood for the benefit of all living beings.
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The Way of the
Tekzen Warrior Monk
Justice with
compassion ~ Faith with verification ~ Power with prudence
As stated above, Tekzen is a proactive esoteric
discipline practiced at the Tek-Gnostics Monastery. The Tekzen warrior monk
is guided by a chivalrous code of conduct that acknowledges the
karmic responsibility of taking action. There are three appropriate mind-sets from
which the Tekzen warrior monk proceeds. The three mind-sets of
awakened action (or doing) are: acceptance,
enjoyment and
enthusiasm*. Each one represents a certain vibrational frequency
of consciousness. Constant vigilance is required to insure that the
actions of the Tekzen emanate from one of these three mind-sets, for
they align with the creative power of universe.
Acceptance - This modality arises from the
realization that not all experiences are enjoyable. At times, one
must accept a situation and act with surrendered action. Performing
an action in a state of acceptance means you are at peace while you
do it. That peace is a subtle energy vibration which then flows into
what you do. And that subtle energy vibration is
consciousness.
Enjoyment
- The peace that comes with
surrendered action turns to a sense of aliveness when you actually
enjoy what you are doing. Joy is the dynamic aspect of Being. When
the creative power of universe becomes conscious of itself, it
manifests as joy. Joy does not come from what you do, it flows into
what you do and thus into this world from deep within you. When you
enjoy doing something, you are really experiencing the joy of
universal Being in it's dynamic aspect. That's why anything you
enjoy doing connects you with the power behind all creation.
Enthusiasm
- This modality is expressed
as a deep enjoyment in what you do plus the added element of a
creative goal or a vision that you work toward. When you add a goal
to the enjoyment of what you do, the energy field or vibrational
frequency changes. At the height of creative activity fueled by
enthusiasm, there will be enormous intensity and energy behind what
you do. Sustained enthusiasm brings into existence a wave of
creative energy, and all you have to do then is "ride the wave"!
If you can neither be enthusiastic, enjoy or
bring acceptance to what you do - stop. Otherwise, you are not taking
responsibility for, which also happens to be the one thing that really
matters: your state of consciousness. And if you are not taking
responsibility for your state of consciousness, you are not taking
responsibility for life.
*these three
modalities have been gleaned from the most excellent work of
Eckhart
Tolle, in his book "A New Earth".
The Dragon and the Tiger
As in a certain (mythical) Shaolin temple in
Henan Providence, China, the Temple of the Five Traditions uses the
Dragon and Tiger logo to symbolize the practice of Tekzen. The tiger is
symbolic of the physical world while the dragon signifies the mental or
spiritual world. Together they represent a harmony between the two just
as the Chinese symbol Yin/Yang stands for balance in life.
Looking deeper to the esoteric, alchemical
symbolism...
In Taoist theories about the
Golden Elixir,
the symbolism of the “Dragon” and “Tiger” was popularly used and further
developed. In books on Outer Alchemy, the “Dragon” became the symbol of
Lead, and “Tiger” the symbol of Mercury. In the later period, when the
theory of Outer Alchemy was borrowed by scholars of Inner Alchemy,
accordingly, the “Dragon” and “Tiger” became symbols for elements in the
refinement of Inner Alchemy: “Dragon” used to act as a metaphor of
Spirit or Spiritual Nature, and “Tiger” as a metaphor of Vital Breath or
Desire. According to the Direct Pointers to the Great Elixir by Qiu
Chuji, “Dragon” was also known as the “Vital Breath of True Yang” , and
“Tiger” as the “Water of Perfect Oneness” . Patriarch Qiu said that the
“Vital Breath of True Yang” referred to the Vital Breath “Bing”, which
existed in “Mind Water” . Since “Bing” was a representative of Yang in
the 12 Celestial Trunks , the “Vital Breath of True Yang” was also known
as the “Yang Dragon”; the “Water of Perfect Oneness”, on the other hand,
referred to Water “Gui”, which existed in the “Vital Breath of Kidney”.
In the 12 Celestial Trunks, “Gui” was the emblem of Yin. Accordingly,
the “Water of Perfect Oneness” was known as “Yin Tiger”.
In ancient China, the “Intercourse of Dragon and Tiger” was used
to symbolize a harmonious relation between “Kidney Water” and “Vital
Breath of Mind” because “Mind” belonged to “Fire”, and “Kidney” belonged
to “Water”, according to the theory of the “Five Agents” . In later
periods, it was borrowed to describe a sexual intercourse between a man
and a woman, which, the ancient scholars argued, demonstrated a common
principle: a stress over a harmonious and complementary relationship
between Yin and Yang, the fundamental elements in Universe.
