s. This shock therapy is used to stop the mind dead in its tracks to bring about this state of nirvana, which is really emptiness. They have sutras or sacred texts in Buddism, but Zen devotees look more onto their meditations, mantras, and leaders for authority. Zen teachings are not drawn from text but rather from mind to mind. A great sense of lineage is found in Zen. Every Zen master is thought to be the actual Buddha. The Zen master chooses his successor before his death. The master is held above everyone else. He also conducts a roshi, which are personal interviews with the Zen students. By doing this he can let the student know how they are doing in there studies and thoughts. Both ISKCON and Zen have great appeal to the masses at the ease of achieving happiness or enlightenment. They usually involve a simple mantra or meditation. Retreats and communal affairs seem to be too strict on how they handle all their affairs. I think freedom and basic rights are lost at the expense of the devotee at the retreats or communes. Even though ISKCON and Zen are derived from two very different religions, one can see many similarities between them. I think this may be linked tot he similar time, the way they reached the US, and the ease of achieving success in them....
