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It is important for an understanding of Zen to realize that the esoteric preoccupations of the select few cannot be the doctrine of the common man.

In the supernatural atmosphere of cosmic government, only the ruling elite was ever concerned with a kingdom-wide ordering of nature: popular religion aimed at more personal benefits from magical powers.

And this is only natural -- witness the haste with which modern man gobbles the latest `` wonder drug ''.

Early Chinese anchoritism was theoretically aimed at a mystic pantheist union with the divine, personal salvation being achieved when the mystical recluse united with divine essence.

But this esoteric doctrine was lost in the shuffle to acquire special powers.

The anchorite strove, in fact, to magically influence the world of spirits in the same way that the divine emperor manifested his power.

Thus, the Mahayana metaphysic of mystical union for salvation was distilled down to a bare self-seeking, and for this reason, the mystic in Asia did not long remain in isolated contemplation.

As the Zen literature reveals, as soon as an early Zen master attained fame in seclusion, he was called out into the world to exercise his powers.

The early Anchorite masters attracted disciples because of their presumed ability to perform miracles.