Not negatives, just distractions at the most

So then are all distractions things to avoid to the same extent as alcohol, caffeine, car, name, etc.?

They were things that I could not deal with mentally, so they had to be removed from my life.

Isn't this what the 4th Noble Truth deals with? Dealing with the distractions so that we realize they aren't really distractions?

Perhaps the very pursuit and dedication to finding enlightenment IS enlightenment

I believe that this is what Hakuin meant to describe in this painting:

That's part of the rub, is to figure it out for yourself, and what these things all mean, and more importantly mean to you. Zen can only be understood through the practice, so explaining it becomes difficult. Like I said earlier, it's easier to say what it isn't than what it is.

Preach. I love that thought. That no matter how hard people in the past have tried explain enlightenment/Zen, it's never complete either because (like we've said) Zen is no longer Zen when defined or because it is truly a unique personal experience. I've been noticing a more recently moments when I'm more in tune with the oneness. It seems to happen whenever I see a beautiful tree. An indescribable feeling overwhelms me and I get extremely happy and tears begin to well up. I wouldn't call these moments of enlightenment by any means, but it sort of seems that the purpose of zazen is to be in that perpetual state of bliss (to realize this is Nirvana/the Pure Land).

I don't know if that Soto excerpt makes sense. Shikantaza is defined as being free of thought, right?. The excerpt assumes that all instances of zazen are free of thought (which you and I both know isn't truth. Maybe attaining shikantaza is more so enlightenment? But you're right. When/if we get to that point, the enlightenment label won't mean anything because we'll know it won't mean anything. I've been thinking a lot about the concept of Enso lately and I think it's applicable here. Enlightenment in this instance is the deconstruction of the idea that the circle is distinct from what's inside and outside of it. Woah. That just hit me. Neat.

No, thank you. This has been more beneficial than I could have ever imagined. It is nice to talk to someone about this. It's pretty funny that this whole thing started wondering if Zen masters were necessary and now here you are wanting to seek one out, haha. I don't really have too many people to talk to this about either. There are some who are mildly interested, but still see meditating as a thing of the heathens, even after explaining that it's just sitting and not thinking. I'm going to try to keep responding as quickly as I can, but this term in school is proving to be a stronger opponent that I expected.