Bernie Glassman at Upaya

Part 5: “I live my life according to experiences, not according to the commentary.” This last half of the final panel traverses: projection in student-teacher relationships; how Roshi Joan’s and Bernie’s relationship has changed over the years; whether it’s true that “you can’t be friends with your students;” distinctions between resilience and “getting over yourself” in caregiving work…

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Part 4: A song and questions. After Alan leads everyone in song, the panel takes open questions and jams. They consider: are there any restrictions on what people do with this liturgy when they leave? How does the joy in breaking boundaries dance with respect for boundaries? How do you feel about the word “death” — is it too final? Or does its definiteness highlight the sea change in whatever…

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Part 3: Dialogue ensues! The question of feeding hungry spirits what they want versus feeding them what they need engages many voices. This leads on to: what is the difference between bearing witness and the reflex to get rid of, to “heal?” In Bernie’s opinion Bearing Witness retreats are all about fear, going to what’s scary. In the Gate, we repeat the final Dharani so as to call out yet once…

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Part 2: Feeding everyone. Bernie explains the inner logic and dramatic progression of the liturgy’s several pieces. It proceeds through loving invitations and invocations, magic work to actualize energies and feed everyone; through giving teachings; and climaxes with giving and taking the Buddhist precepts. Shingon condenses the five precepts into two: “Now I have raised the Bodhi mind…

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Part 1: An open-hearted overhaul. Bernie spins a lively history of the Gate of Sweet Nectar liturgy, from an early version (mythically attributed to Shakyamuni) to Menzan’s tantric innovations to his own open-hearted overhaul. Maezumi Roshi gave Bernie remarkable permission to remake the Gate (and by extension Zen) in an American grain: “He didn’t try to get me to be like him — he wanted me to be…

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Part 8: “Everything is opinion.” In this last dialogue, Bernie — with a little help from Roshi Joan and Sensei Alan — fields questions about whether the view that “everything is opinion” closes or opens dialogue; about the Greyston model; about the five Buddha families as a model for social entrepreneurship; about assassinating Hitler. Roshi Bernie Glassman More from this speaker…

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Part 7: Q&A. The teachers complete the Q & A session. Roshi Bernie Glassman More from this speaker Hozan Alan Senauke, Sensei Hozan Alan Senauke is Abbot of Berkeley Zen Center in California. As a socially engaged Buddhist activist, Hozan has worked closely with the International Network of Engaged Buddhists and… More Roshi Joan…

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Part 6: Feminism, liturgy, and clown noses. After a song led by Sensei Alan, the panel conducts a Q & A period to close out the day. Topics covered include liturgy, feminism, teacher-student relationships, clown noses, street retreats and the meaning of radical chaplaincy. Roshi Bernie Glassman More from this speaker Hozan Alan Senauke, Sensei Hozan Alan Senauke…

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Part 5: The practice of zazen. Concluding the third session of the retreat, Roshi Bernie continues his dialogue with retreatants, answering questions about the stages of “bearing witness,” telling stories from the “Bearing Witness Retreats,” and discussing the practice of zazen. Roshi Bernie Glassman More from this speaker…

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Part 4: Bearing witness retreats. Roshi Bernie describes the Zen Peacemakers Order and the approach of “Bearing Witness Retreats” with homelessness in New York and genocide at Auschwitz and in Rwanda. Roshi Bernie Glassman More from this speaker…

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