[fount_pirat]

In Zen we have the Daisan -the personal interview- with the teacher but it isn't intended to have intimate bonds with the teacher but just to encourage independent thought and responsibility for further independent practice. It encourage non attachment to the teacher ideas. The few Daisan one attends, the best progress the student has.

Brad Warner (Soto Zen Priest) mentions 'worship' in connection with Zen on his blog:

In Zen teaching and other spiritual relationships, this aspect of mutual respect often breaks down into a kind of worship.

Interestingly, he also says:


It's true that generally speaking Zen is mostly free of masters who live high off the hog from donations. At least in the West.

In Japan things are different. I found that most of my "normal" (ie, not involved in Buddhism) friends had no respect at all for Zen masters. The general feeling seemed to be that Zen masters were lazy rich people, driving around in fancy cars and working only when necessary to do funerals and other such ceremonies. They were seen as taking advantage of the poor and uneducated.

http://hardcorezen.blogspot.co.uk/20...ff-part-2.html