Bill Porter quote about syncretism

"Meanwhile, back on the veranda, Daniela [Campo] manifested another bag of fruit, more mangoes, and tangerines, too. We had a long discussion about Zen and Taoism. She was an advocate of the view current among most Western scholars—and some Eastern ones too—that Zen didn't come from India but resulted from the intersection of Chinese Taoism with Indian Buddhism. The proposition would be difficult, if not impossible, to prove either way, and would ultimately depend upon how one defined terms as much as the marshaling of so-called facts.

I've never liked the idea. Over the years, I've combed through the biographies of hundreds of early Zen monks. Among those who had an affiliation prior to becoming monks, most were Confucians. Taoists were rare. But I would suggest that Zen didn't derive in whole or in part from Taoism or Confucianism, or even from Buddhism as it existed in China at the time. Zen was something new. Who else besides Zen masters delivered wordless lectures or offered sermons in a cup of tea--no Taoist or Confucian I've ever heard of, and no Buddhist prior to Bodhidharma." (p. 308) Zen Baggage

Daniela Campo was doing her Ph.D on Empty Cloud (Xuyun (1840-1959) in 2006 when Porter was traveling in China and traveled with her for a time. There is a biography of Xu Yun by Ji Dyn Shakya.

I finished the book and I miss it already. What a great book. There was a sad bit when he started thinking about his friend who committed suicide because he couldn't find a job to support his family.

I got really excited about the idea of Buddhist Hall of Fame when he mentions visiting one. Then I thought about the Triratna Buddhist refuge tree of inspiration. Then I thought about how I'm writing a book about the great Buddhas, and that's already an idea I'm into.