¡Despierta!

In this episode we look at more of Shinran's letters. We touch again on the topic of 'licensed evil' and explore various aspects of Shinran's cultural context.

In this episode we continue to look at Shinran's letters. In a wide-ranging discussion, we touch on Quakers (pronounced 'quacker' in Spanish), Calvin, Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure', shinjin, and the bodhichitta. We also reflect on why some people respond to the Dharma and others don't and then accidentally activate Dayamati's iPad. We also explore the Shin view of ethics and touch on the problems associated with 'licensed evil.'

In this episode we begin to explore Shinran's pastoral letters, notably the Mattoshō. We also reflect on the nature of theology as applied to Buddhism and consider whether Shinran's message actually means that we are already destined to be born in the Pure Land.

In this episode we reflect on Shinran and our teacher Sangharakshita and some of the parallels between them. In addition, we reflect on how remarkable it was that we ever came across Buddhism in the first place.

In this episode we reflect on Shinran's hermeneutical horizon given his time and place. He was trained as a Tendai monk and inherited the Chinese Buddhist tradition. He had not knowledge of Theravada Buddhism, for instance. This invited him to take up unique interpretive positions. We reflect on the notion of hermeneutic distance both Shinran's and ours in relation to the history of Buddhism.

In this episode we look at the final chapter of the Kyogyoshinsho and reflect on the nenbutsu and other aspects of Shinran's teaching.

In this episode we are coming towards the end of our reflections on the Kyogyoshinsho, the magnum opus of Shinran. We reflect, amongst other things, on why Shinran is found on the Triratna Refuge Tree and examine some of the distinctive aspects of Shinran's approach.

In this episode we discuss chapter 5 of Shinran's magnum opus the Kyogyoshinsho. Amongst other things we touch on the idea of knowledge as remembrance, the nature of practice in Shin Buddhism, and related topics.

In this episode we continue to explore Shinran's Kyogyoshinsho, especially chapter 4. Amongst other topics, we touch on the role of practice within Shinran's system, on the altruistic dimension, and once again on the nature of Amida. We also begin to touch on some overlaps between Shinran and Dōgen.

In this episode we explore who really is Amida? We touch on ideas such as Buddha-nature and trikaya in order to understand more fully how Shinran understands the nature of Amida in his magnum opus the Kyogyoshinsho.