SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

1.The Coming World CultureThe word ÒcultureÓ is etymologically derived from Òcultivation,Ói.e., turning the wilderness into something ideal.It is, so to speak, the idealization of nature. Culture differs fromcivilization in that it contains many spiritual elements. TheEnglish historian Arnold Toynbee sets up various classificationsfor culture. Generally speaking, culture can be dividedinto two groups: Occidental and Oriental. Developments intransportation facilities have greatly reduced the size of theworld. The different countries of the world have come to resembleeach other to the extent that we sometimes have to stop andthink how and where we are to draw the line between Orientaland Occidental culture. Nevertheless, the East and the Westeach have basically different cultural characteristics.The characteristic feature of Western culture can be foundin its development of modern science. The source of thisculture must be sought in ancient Greece. The Greeks endeavoredto the utmost to explain the ÒformÓ of things. This spiritlater became the source from which science was produced.However, it was necessary to pass through a long process ofdevelopment until modern science could evolve. Up until the3