Zen Talking

Read the History, Talk the History, 11/3

### Episode: 315

### Discussing: * https://www.reddit.com/r/zensangha/comments/1xnma4f/wumens_poem_games_good_season_in_human_life/? * https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/buddhism/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

Hakamaya Buddhism: : causation means - yes karma/merit exist, yes dependent origination, and no buddha-nature. moral imperative to act w/o self, faith in sutras.

Or Buddhism: 4NT, 8FP

But Zen Masters say Zen is the real teaching of Buddha.

Can there be one umbrella for these religions?

Buddha's origin story is only compatible with Zen.

https://readzen.pages.dev/

1. Vimalakirti remains silent 2. Netang explains this with the poem. 3. Nanaquan tells Zhaozhou it's ordinary mind 4. Wumen uses Netang's poem to explain Nanquan

# Why do we talk about Zen?

What we read: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted Zen study: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/zen_masters_degree Start your own convo: https://ewk-rwp-shop.fourthwall.com/

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Call Notes Read the History, Talk the History, 11/1/26

Episode #: 314

### Discussing: * https://www.reddit.com/r/askZen/comments/1xkopbp/wansongs_sequel_book_of_clarifications_case_24// * https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/boc/case24

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

It isn't guest and host, it's guest and (Zen Master).

What are these roles?

What is a "host" in the Zen culture that isn't also "one who answers", aka Buddhas, aka Masters.

# Why do we talk about Zen?

What we read: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted Zen study: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/zen_masters_degree Start your own convo: https://ewk-rwp-shop.fourthwall.com/

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Read the History, Talk the History, 10/6

Episode #: 313

### Discussing:

* https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/18ejof/a_word_from_our_sponsors_dharma_combat/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about? Questions from presentation Translating on the fly Chinese students are great with Chinese AI, what's it good for. Audit-ability is meaningless with the low level of accuracy in Zen translation. (episode error this episode, so abrupt end...blame it on old computer)

# Why do we talk about Zen?

What we read: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/getstarted

Zen study debate: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/zen_masters_degree

Start your own convo: https://ewk-rwp-shop.fourthwall.com/

# Keep in Touch Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Read the History, Talk the History, 10/4

Episode #: 312

#Post(s) in Question

* https://www.reddit.com/r/askZen/comments/1witche/wansongs_sequel_book_of_clarifications_case_8/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

We talked about how I couldn't figure out what book we were on, and then it turned out I'd already translated the Case, and then we disussed how the concept moves from Chinese to English through lewis carroll and wizard of oz.

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Read the History, Talk the History, #

Episode #: 311, 8/9

###

###Post: * https://old.reddit.com/r/askZen/comments/1vizzev/xutangs_on_behalf_of_case_30_yunjus_trousers/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

Do pants exist? Chaps? Leg warmers? Pants as an insult or a working garment?

How do we translate from their pants to our pants?

What is translation, anyway?

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Read the History, Talk the History, 8-5-26

Episode #: 310

#Post(s) in Question

###Post: * https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/s/sgWSJawscL

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

ritual, structure, enlightenment the full case with a second visit to Mazu juggling or the compass of enlightenment Do Zen Masters teach? What are Zen answers?

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Call Notes Read the History, Talk the History, 4-15-26

Episode #: 309

#Post(s)

https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1slh03w/a_teacher_that_makes_you_feel_i_want_what_they/

###Link to episode:

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

Is Zhaozhou a teacher or merely authentic Zhaozhou? What about Osho? Why there were no Zazen teachers with famous students? Guizong Zhichang with the snake? Getting the reward vs post-christian submissives to authority Mindfulness as obedience and shutting down higher brain functions like outcome analysis. Mindfulness vs Secular Mindedness Zen Enlightenment is like catching a basketball. Is enlightenment fraud detection?

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Zen Talking: 11 years later - Bielefeldt and the debunking of Zazen

Read the History, Talk the History,

Episode #308 ,7/16/2026,

#Post(s) in Question

###Post: * https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1uwzo5v/the_bielefeldt_argument_the_empty_robe/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

Background: 11 years ago (ish) Bielefeldt's scholarship on the origins of Zazen was recommended in the forum. I read it. A number of other people read it. The consensus has been that Japanese Zazen is a Japanese indigenous religion, not historically or doctrinally related to Indian-Chinese Zen. While Bielefeldt's conclusions were couched in apologetic language, there has been no controversy regarding his research, which lines up with the Chinese Zen record establishing Zen as an anti-meditation tradition.

We talk about what has happened over the last 11 years, how it's transformed reddit's Zen and Zen adjacent forums, as well as meditation and Buddhism forums.

# What did we talk about?

* 11 years ago, Bielefeldt's research debunking Dogen changed reddit forever. * People who aren't convinced by indigenous zen records are convinced by proof of Japanese buddhist fraud. * why fraud and lying in zazen * schizotypal thinking- when you aren't good at logic.

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Read the History, Talk the History, 7/10/2026

Episode #: 307

#Post(s) in Question

###Post: * https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1uql2yh/haggling_and_babbling/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

Translating the Fox Case. The cursed monk as a teacher. Red beards? Cause an effect in spirituality vs physical world repeating gossip that isn't true true vs right vs absolute from Baizhang's pov: what to do when people believe you, instead of looking for themselves. food from home, the Land of Zen The myth of the sutras as records

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen

Read the History, Talk the History, #

Episode #:

#Post(s) in Question

###Post: * https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1u7a075/divorcing_zen_from_mahayana_the_2002_paper_what/ * https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/tva86b/more_form_harrison_searching_for_the_origins_of/

###Link to all episodes: https://sites.libsyn.com/407831

# What did we talk about?

* Why is there confusion? * Why did it take until 2002 for this paper to be written? * How could 1900s academics go this wrong? * Why can't 1900s buddhists define mahayana or buddhism or practice or meditation? * Protestant Mahayana * The two truths doctrine * good you and bad you * mundane and spiritual * meditation in the face of moral problems * Zazen vs AA * "religious therapy" * day after christmas carol * day after religious experience * eureka vs mysticism * why ai won't save you

# Keep in Touch

Add a comment if there is a post you want somebody to get interviewed about, or you agree to be interviewed. We are now using libsyn, so you don't even have to show your face. You just get a link to an audio call. Buymeacoffee, so I'm not accused of going it alone:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ewkrzen