Zen Talking

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/askZen/comments/1k3q9px/a_zen_lady_in_translation_case_1_the/

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

# What did we talk about?

Translating the first Case of the book of instruciton by a female Zen Master.

Discussion of translation, history, Zen vs Buddhism. Propaganda, 1900's vs Chinese history, etc.

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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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jucfhx/koans_1000_years_of_history_about_how_to_survive/

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

# What did we talk about?

How do we know what "donkey" means in China, on a Zen commune, 1500 years ago?

This is the problem that caused 1900's religious writing about Zen to implode.

Why have koans lasted so long and continued to be more relevant to daily life than meditation?

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jnfsd4/translation_error_sunday_picking_and_choosing/

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

# What did we talk about?

alternate translations mind body problems what you already have is it magic eye pictures, factory error trust in awareness touching awareness you can't see it, you can't not see it

substitution game:

Ordinary Mind not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undisguised.

Ordinary mind is perfect like vast space where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess. Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things.

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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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jltjfd/zen_allows_only_sudden_enlightenment_but_how/

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

# What did we talk about?

why does enlightenment take so long if it's sudden? do people change over time? what does it mean to be somebody or to change? ship of thesseus

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jfokwv/nanquans_cat_and_my_tunafish_sandwich/

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

# What did we talk about?

Judging other people's values versus judging their hypocrisy Ethnocentrism Not knowing what you are Ignorance vs pretending to be ignorant self awareness on a culture by culture basis why precepts conversations are disengenuous - lying all the way down what is conversation for? exchange of info, different perspectives, feedback on conclusions don't have heroes who aren't heroic sometimes the captain of the ship has to break the rules 1900's translators who don't mention the precepts and don't keep them personally tolerance for lying in politics, religion, academics? you don't get to tell me I'm not factual!

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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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jdbgrw/indra_builds_a_monastery/

Zen Master Buddha was walking with the congregation and he pointed to the ground, "This spot is good to build a [commune]." Indra, Emperor of the gods, took a blade of grass, stuck it in the ground, and said, "The [commune] is built." The World Honored One smiled.

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

# What did we talk about?

difference between a monastic community and a commune

Some technical difficulties, but I think it worked out without editing!

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jbcxlb/from_the_famous_cases_treasuryyunmen_if_i_was/

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

# What did we talk about?

• Time travel to kill baby Buddha vs baby Hitler
• Baby Hitler vs trolly problem
• Sutras not true, nobody thinks infant buddha said that
• history of anti-Zen conduct by Buddhists and newagers
• newagers can't quote books, so they differ from traditional religious bigotry
• Jim Gaffigan might say Yunmen "too punk rock".
• More punk than Yunmen? Nanquan's cat killing
• comments: what don't you understand?
• new age is like human sexuality
• peace and tranquility be with you...

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1jabfde/a_verse_for_prajnatara/

Link to episode:

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

# What did we talk about?

It took us an hour and change to get here:

A cloud rhino gazes at the crescent moon1, its light engulfing radiance; A wood horse2 romps in spring, swift and unbridled. Under [Bodhidharma's] eyebrows, a pair of cold blue eyes; How can reading scriptures reach the piercing of [Shitou Xiqian's] oxhide3? The clear mind produces vast aeons, Heroic power smashes the armies on both sides4. In the subtle round mouth of [Bodhidharma's Emptiness5] the pivot turns the spiritual works. Hanshan forgot the road6 by which he came [to so-and-so's Zen commune at XYZ]— Shide led him back [to his birth place] by the hand.

1. an ancient song that says that the rhino grew his horn while gazing at the moon. In this case its praising Prajnatara saying that she doesn't dwell in conditioned perception. Awareness is a mirror of reality, like the rhino mirrored the moon. 2. wooden horse, stone man, buddha statue 3. The piercing of oxhide line is also a reference to some Zen Master Shitou maybe getting asked why he reads the sutras when he forbids them and him saying something like he understand their meaning while for others it is like putting a piece of oxhide in front of their eyes 4. Wansong explains being surrounded on both sides by armies in his discussion 5. What is the highest holy truth? Emptiness with nothing holy therein. 6. Hanshan's poem, quoted by Wansong:

If you want a place to rest your body, Cold Mountain is good

for long preservation. A subtle breeze blows in the dense pines;

Heard from close by, the sound is even finer,

Underneath the trees is a greying man,

Furiously reading Taoist books.

Ten years I couldn't return--

Now I've forgotten the road whence I came.

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1j3a1bf/huangbo_no_hope_wo_mahayana_master/

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

# What did we talk about?

Who is your teacher? What does it mean when somebody has no teacher, no text, no tradition?

Who are these people that don't? Who are the people who have but can't say?

The new age movement and the moment of realization.

Why does Huangbo say you need a meeting with a transcendental teacher?

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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

#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1iv8odu/translating_prajnataras_recitation_of_scripture/

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

# What did we talk about?

Mostly about the Introduction and Case with Wansong commentary.

It's a complex bit of writing with some translating problems.

Cleary seems to have wanted to minimize the anti-Buddhist aspsects.

#You can be on the podcast! Use a pseudonym! Nobody cares!

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