The Zen Studies Podcast
Dharma Talks (a bit more personal take on Dharma topics)
329 – No Buddhist Bible: A Brief Overview of 2500 Years’ Worth of Buddhist Texts (2 of 2)
In Part 2 of this episode, I continue giving my “2,500 years’ worth of Buddhist texts in a nutshell,” an overview of texts in my Zen lineage. I cover Mahayana philosophers, Chinese Chan literature, and the writings of two of the main Japanese Zen ancestors in my lineage.
read more327 & 328 – A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Sangha as Community
In Buddhism, we have three treasures: Buddha, teachers or our own awakened nature; Dharma, the teachings or the truth itself, and Sangha, the community of people who practice and maintain the tradition together. From the beginning of Buddhism, then, community has been considered essential – but in what sense? We may think of Sangha primarily as an impersonal institution providing access to Buddhist teachings and practice. It certainly fulfills that function, but I believe it’s equally important that our Sanghas be welcoming, loving, joyful, mature communities: A place where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.
read more326 – No Buddhist Bible: A Brief Overview of 2500 Years’ Worth of Buddhist Texts (1 of 2)
You may have discovered there are lots of Buddhist texts and teachings. Jews have their Torah, Christians their Bible, Muslims their Quran, and Hindus their Vedas, but Buddhists have no divinely-inspired central text, or even collection of texts, to serve as a definitive source of orthodox teachings. The texts considered authoritative in at least one sect of Buddhism would fill a decent-sized library. This episode (along with Part 2) is meant to be a brief and broad overview of 2500 years’-worth of Buddhist texts in the Zen lineage. Hopefully, it can give you some context for whatever text you might find yourself reading.
read more325 – Imagine Yourself as a Buddha and Unblock Your Natural Generosity
In Buddhism, we are guided by the ideal of a Buddha, or awakened being. One of the characteristics of a Buddha is unconditional and selfless generosity, and when your generosity is blocked, you can be sure that some part of you still needs understanding, healing or liberation. On the other hand, when you’re able to set aside your self-doubt and imagine yourself as a Buddha, when you look on other beings as if they were your children, you may find your generosity flows more naturally.
read more324 – “Cada Día Es un Buen Día” de Yunmen
Category: Enseñanzas Budistas, Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 324 En el koan # 6 del Registro del Acantilado Azul, Yunmen dice:...
read more324 – Yunmen’s “Every Day Is a Good Day”
In koan #6 from the Blue Cliff Record, Yunmen says, “Every day is a good day.” I explore this koan, including the way we sometimes imagine our real life is going to happen after something, and the various ways we can experience “good.”
read more323 – Zazen Como Autocuidado Desafiante
Category: Meditación ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 323 Desde que surgió el término en la década de 1950, el “autocuidado” se ha...
read more323 – Zazen As Defiant Self-Care
Since the term arose in 1950’s, “self-care” has referred to a number of different things. If we consider self-care to be things you do to remain physically and mentally healthy, then Zazen – simple, goalless, Zen meditation – can be seen as excellent self-care. In these troubled times, such self-care can even be seen as defiant – refusing to be broken down by challenging circumstances. Other forms of meditation can also be seen as self-care, of course, but Zazen can be a little difficult to get your mind around. Framing it as self-care may help you appreciate what it’s all about.
read more322 – Preguntas y respuestas: Relaciones, Zen Cultural, no-yo y Confesión
Category: Preguntas de Oyentes ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 322 Este episodio de preguntas y respuestas se basa en las preguntas que he...
read more322 – Q&A: Relationships, Cultural “Zen,” No-Self, and Confession
This a Q&A episode based on questions I’ve received from listeners: Does Zen have anything to say about human relationships? Can we learn anything from the cultural popularization of the term “Zen”? If we have no independent self-nature, what about our sense of enduring self? Do Buddhists practice confession like Catholics?
read more321 – ¿Qué tan Budista es el Zen? Las Enseñanzas de Buda Comparadas con el No Dualismo Radical
Category: Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 321 Históricamente, el Zen es una forma de Budismo Mahayana que evolucionó a partir de...
read more321 – How Buddhist is Zen? The Buddha’s Teachings Compared to Radical Nondualism
Viewed historically, Zen is a form of Mahayana Buddhism that evolved from the original forms Buddhism that were established in India after the Buddha’s death around 2,500 BC. Many aspects of original Buddhism are retained in Zen, including respect for Shakyamuni Buddha and his teachings. However, the degree of transformation Buddhism underwent when it took root in China and evolved into Chan (later called “Zen” in Japan) is difficult to overestimate, resulting in a path of radical nondualism. Both the ultimate goal of practice and the means to achieve that goal changed so radically that it’s legitimate to question whether Chan is even Buddhism. If you want to walk the path of Zen/Chan, it’s essential to understand how it differs from original Buddhism.
read more320 – Dos Extremos del Túnel de la Práctica: Poder Propio Versus Poder Ajeno
Category: Práctica Budista, Enseñanzas Budistas ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 320 El Budismo Zen ejemplifica la práctica basada en el...
read more320 – Two Ends of the Practice Tunnel: Self-Power Versus Other-Power
Zen Buddhism exemplifies practice based in self-power, or jiriki. Pure Land Buddhism exemplifies practice based in other-power, or tariki. These are very different entry gates, but when we examine self-power and other-power more closely, we see that the ultimate goal of practice requires both.
read more319 – Preguntas y Respuestas: Vida Universal, el Voto del Bodhisattva, el Monacato y otras Tradiciones
Category: Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 319 Hoy hablaremos de lo que Kosho Uchiyama quiso decir en su libro “Abriendo la...
read more319 – Q&A: Universal Life, the Bodhisattva Vow and Monasticism, and Other Traditions
This is one of my unscripted Q&A episodes, where I answer questions submitted by listeners. What does Kosho Uchiyama mean in his book Opening the Hand of Thought, when he talks about “settling as universal life?” Isn’t the Zen emphasis on monastic practice and self-liberation at odds with the Bodhisattva Vow to free all beings? What can we learn from practicing with other Buddhist traditions than our own, and is this recommended if we don’t live near a Zen center?
read more318 – Amar a Tus Enemigos: Extender Metta No Significa Capitular
Category: Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 318 A diferencia de Jesús, Buda no nos instruyó explícitamente a «amar a nuestros...
read more318 – Loving Your Enemies: Extending Metta Does Not Mean Capitulation
Unlike Jesus, the Buddha didn’t explicitly instruct us to “love our enemies.” However, he did instruct us to extend goodwill, or Metta, to all beings unconditionally – including, of course, our enemies. In this time of growing divisiveness, what does it really mean to follow this teaching? Most people will admit that nurturing resentment and hatred is probably a bad idea, but on the other hand it feels completely unacceptable to capitulate to – surrender to or stop resisting – those who we perceive as causing harm. Fortunately, there are many benefits to loving our enemies, and doing so does not mean capitulating to them.
read more317 – Capítulo 1 del Denkoroku de Keizan: la Sonrisa de Mahakashyapa
Category: Textos Budistas, Enseñanzas Zen ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 317 En este episodio leo y reflexiono sobre el Capítulo Uno del...
read more317 – Keizan’s Denkoroku Chapter 1: Mahakashyapa’s Smile
In this episode I read and reflect on Chapter One of Keizan’s Denkoroku: Record of the Transmission of Illumination. In it, Shakyamuni Buddha holds up a flower and blinks. Keizan says, "No one knew his intention, and they were silent." Then Mahakashyapa gives a slight smile, and the Buddha acknowledges him as his Dharma heir. What is going on in this koan? Keizan challenges our ideas about awakening, time, causation, and the nature of self.
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