Hi Dharma friends!
With this episode we begin a new collection of Wasan by Shinran Shōnin, The Kōsō Wasan or Gathas of the Pure Land Masters. The Seven Masters comprise the lineage of Jōdo Shinshū from Śákyamuni Buddha to today, as transmitted to us through the teaching of Shinran. The Seven Masters are: 1. Nāgārjuna (c. 150-250) 2. Vasubandhu (c. 320-400) 3. T’an-luan (476-542) 4. Tao-ch’o (562-645) 5. Shan-tao (613-681) 6. Genshin (942-1017) 7. Genkū (Hōnen 1133-1212).
Each wasan verse is about a point on the Master that Shinran considered important for us to know and understand.
Shinran wrote ten wasan verses on Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna. This episode covers the first five and next time we’ll continue with the remaining five.
As before, we are using the translation in The Collected Works of Shinran. Maybe you will be inspired to read the works of the Seven Masters in translation where they are available (or in the originals if you are fortunate to possess the language capacities)!
Palms together, Gary

Weekly Wasan - Episode 24 Kōsō Wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land Masters) Intro. & Nāgārjuna 1-5

Our passion is to introduce Buddhist Values and Japanese culture. We will have interviews with authors, scholars, ministers, and artists. There will also be discussions and, to liven things up, we will have live performances.

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Enjoy this exciting discussion with Rev Kurt Rye, resident minister at the New York Buddhist Church. Listen to his journey, learnings and his association with Buddhism and Japanese culture

Podcast with Rev Kurt Rye

Hoshina Seki interviews Priya Kumari, author and publisher of children's books. In this interview, Priya talks about how she started writing children's books and then setting up her own publishing company Eternal Tree Books. Even though her books are for kids 3 to 8, she adds a workbook at the end for parents and teachers. Take a listen; I think you will enjoy it. 

An interview with Priya Kumari

Hoshina Seki interviews Priya Kumari, author and publisher of children's books. Priya's books are all beautifully illustrated, heartwarming stories about Buddha and Indian culture. These books are meant to teach children the values of gratitude and compassion. Please take a listen, I think you will enjoy it.

Hi Dharma-friends!
Welcome back for the conclusion of our traversal of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan or Hymns of the Dharma-Ages.  , These verses are among Shinran's last public thoughts and are particularly trenchant, even for such a fearless guy as Shinran.  In these verses, Shinran looks directly into the mirror and identifies himself as a fellow foolish being of this last dharma-age, our dharma-age, the time when the teaching alone remains, but the self-power practices and realization have become extinct.  Shinran, our great teacher, does not exempt himself from his understanding of Amida's Primal Vow to bring to the Pure Land (Awakening or Enlightenment) foolish beings who call the Name, Namo-Amida-Butsu.  To me, these are powerful verses, and they perplexed me many years ago when I first read them.  But now, I have come to understand them as real teaching, not only as a religious construct but for me personally.  How many other religious teachers won't let themselves off the hook?  Speaking for myself, this is precisely what makes Shinran the greatest teacher.  I hope these verses resonate with you as well.
Our audio series of Shinran's 3 main Wasan collections is now complete in 68 episodes.  Congratulations if you have stayed with us from the beginning!  I believe the American Buddhist Study Center will keep the Wasan series online as an audio resource.  We read the Jōdo Wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land), the Kōsō Wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land Masters) and the Shōzōmatsu Wasan (Hymns of the Dharma-Ages), letting Shinran speak to us across the centuries in his own voice, even if only in translation, with minimal commentary.
Please check out the home page of the American Buddhist Study Center ambuddhist.org for more great Dharma content.  Please be happy, well, and peaceful!
Palms together, Gary

Weekly Wasan - Episode 68 - Shōzōmatsu Wasan (Hymns of the Dharma-Ages) 115-116

Hi Dharma-friends,
This episode is a little different than others in the series because it is a prose passage inserted into the collection instead of verses.  It is like a little Dharma talk or message from Shinran himself.  It is known as "On Jinen Hōni"  Jinen Hōni is often rendered into English as "naturalness."   By way of introduction to this very basic Shin Buddhist concept of "naturalness," a definition by Rev. Mark Unno found online is very helpful:  "The foolish being is always contriving or calculating to reach a goal dualistically, whether that goal is material, such as worldly success or health, or is spiritual such as enlightenment or birth.  The one who becomes aware of this foolishness and is receptive to the compassion of Amida is led beyond this contrivance to a realm of spontaneous freedom.  This spontaneity, in contrast to the contrivance of the foolish being, is called jinen hōni, the suchness of spontaneity, or more simply, naturalness."  Let's enjoy listening to Shinran's take on Jinen Hōni  in his own words, even if only in translation.
Next time we'll wind up our journey through the Shōzōmatsu Wasan with Shinran's concluding verses.  Until then, please be well!  For more Dharma content, be sure to check out the home page of the American Buddhist Study Center, ambuddhist.org
Palms together, Gary

Weekly Wasan - Episode 24 Kōsō Wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land Masters) Intro. & Nāgārjuna 1-5

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