The Surangama Sutra

I Just finished up reading the Surangama Sutra. Wow, what a ride!

I was initially turned off from this text because it had quite a bit of colorful expressions.

Not profanity, but just the very fantastic and in my mind at the time, unrealistic use of language.

It took me a while and I found myself kind of slogging through it as I tried to push past my own mental resistance to the style.

But then the rewards started coming! I was able to identify some of the fantastic descriptions in the book with my own states of mind and by the end I was humming along to the tune of the text.

I'd like to recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading one of the foundational texts of Ch'an rendered into Chinese from Sanskrit around 700 AD.

It is quite a shift from most of the Zen texts I'm familiar with and also has quite a different flavor than what I have read from the Pali Cannon.

Yours in practice,
Jordan

Dogen's Bible and Enlightened Teachers

This is why I intend to gather together the few experiences I

had abroad, and to record the secrets of an enlightened teacher, so that they

may be heard by any practitioner who desires to hear them.

Shobogenzo Bendowa Nishijima and Cross translation

There has been a bit of scuttlebutt about internet teachers/communities versus real life flesh and blood teachers/communities that I caught wind of recently.

That, coupled with what ideas of mine of things like teachers and organizations that have been totally smashed, I would like to put forth that the argument either for and against is pretty lame.

First of I think this is a phenomenon that is primarily occurring in the western zen communities so that is where I'm coming from.

The first idea I'd like to smash is that there is a fundamental difference between the two.

Lets think about why we committed ourselves to this practice for a moment. It should not take very long. Most of us came to this practice because we know that something is not quite right and we want to get to the bottom of it. After a bit of practice most people (who are not mentally disabled, or acutely insane) figure out that it is themselves that is not right.

The more not right the person is or the more they are affected by this not rightness is frighteningly proportionate to how dedicated they are to the practice. So the most messed up people end up being zen teachers (or at least zen bloggers.) Just because they have become teachers doesn't mean that they have solved all of their problems either. From what I have seen Dharma transmission doesn't make someone a perfect human being. That goes for pretty much any of our zen sanghas weather online or physical here in the west. I'm sure there are exceptions, but the exceptions are pretty small and are likely not part of the echosphear. Anyone of these zen teachers who present themselves as being anything but a flawed human being is probably a U.S. Marine... unh no I mean a liar liar pants on fire. Yeah, they have likely been practicing for a while, they are likely well versed in dealing with their stuff (maybe) and most of them can actually be quite helpful in coming up with ways to help point you in the right direction for you deal with yours. You may even get really lucky and find a good friend that can point you to see things as they are instead of how you are.

In the interest of full disclosure, at the time of writing this, I have no pretty bolt of silk with a list of names on it to indicate I am a somebody in the zen community. After publishing this, I probably will never get one. Oh, I'd like one, but I think what I am doing right now is more important.

Ok, on to Dogen's bible, The Shobogenzo. While as my friend Ted pointed out it is only 95% complete, it is what Dogen left behind so that we could get the stuff from the guy who kicked off this whole tradition.

So, if you can get together with a group of folks, practice sitting-zen, and clarify the Shobogenzo for the benefit of all sentient beings (it's OK if your just doing it for yourself too, I think the sentient beings will benefit regardless), I think your going in the right direction. Along your way when the time is ripe, your probably going to run in to some guy or gal that might just help you out. They may not have anything to do with zen or be a kind of zen pariah, you may meet them in the flesh or out on the interwebs. But you are going to know when you meet your real teacher. I meet them everywhere.

BOOK REVIEW “KINDNESS”

BOOK REVIEW “KINDNESS”

I picked this one up from Amazon as it was suggested for children.
It did not specify age…

The subtitle says “A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents”

There are many wonderful stories in this book. Quite a few come from Jataka tales and many are similar to ones you may have read in “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” but there were a few that I could not readily identify the source.

While I enjoyed the message of the stories and value the content I do have some gripes with it. I had selected this book for reading at bed time to the kids, and there lies the problem. In the presentation of the stories a lot of difficult vocabulary was used. And in many of the stories I had to either think fast and use a word that fit the situation or stop to explain a complex word. While this may have been good for helping my children build their vocabulary, I fear that the message of the stories themselves often got lost in jargon. Which is in my mind a shame. So I would recommend this book for older kids and may give it to them as they begin to read more themselves, but I would not recommend it for reading to smaller children.

A note to people who write “Children’s Books”: never use a $64.00 word when a .25¢ word will do.

Hope that helps somebody!

BOOK REVIEW: IN BUDDHA’S KITCHEN

My Mom sent me this one, I was a little surprised that it was not, as the title seemed t suggest, a Buddhist cookbook. Nope, not at all. Not even a recipe.

It turned out to be a fairly well written Buddha Drama book. With the author being the subject, and the subject being a recovering academic and Chef. I could relate well to the food service parts of the book since I spent about nine years doing that bit for Mother Marine Corps. The setting for the book was a Tibetan retreat center, which was a refreshing change from all of the “Zen” oriented books I read. Actually Buddha Drama books are pretty nice too. It is a lot like reading one of the many practice blogs I like to read (and write) only edited and on paper instead of on my computer screen.

I have to say I never would have picked this book out for myself due to the Tibetan content so it kind of opened my heart up a little to those who choose that way of practice, which was probably needed more than I thought. So thanks Mom!

READ THIS AND FORGIVE

Click the link below and laugh, cry, or vomit a little bit in the back of your thought like I did.

I do think it should be read by anyone interested in the perception some people may have about Buddhism and why.


Book Review: From Buddha To Jesus, An Insider's View of Buddhism and Christianity

I am starting to get the feeling I should write a book, any offers to be my editor? Mostly you will have to change dose to does allot.

Book Review: Brad Warner's "Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate"

Ok, normally when I do a book review they are pretty simple statements of "I like this book" or "Good Book!"what not.

I guess this one is kind of like that but with more words.

"Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate" is a Buddha drama book. No that is not a typo or spelling error.

Buddha Drama, I guess is like a modern day Jataka tale, but not as well thought out, but very real at the same time.
Kind of like the Days of our lives or As the world turns soap opera for buddhists.

That is not to say that you don't get insights into the Buddha Dharma from reading a Buddha Drama book like this, quite the contrary, there are plenty of both indirect and direct insights to be gleaned from the book.

However, if you follow Brad's blog (I read it on the down low nowadays for zentertainment purposes mainly) you may be disappointed to find that most of the book was made up of things that he had posted on his blog over the last year and a half or so. However there is enought new and painful revalations in there that if you are in to schadenfreude or just a sadist in general you may get some pleasure from this book. Yes, I know I have sadistic tendencies, no, I don't really indulge in them too often unless someone is really asking for it, and yes, some people really do ask for it. No, I really did not enjoy the schadenfreude. I'm really a bit tired of it. I get enough of it from reading some other Neo-Buddhist blogs I also don't link anymore. But at least I can get my sadistic kicks off by writing this review, which I hope someone, anyone, even and especially me finds helpful.

Is there a place for this book? Is the question I have to ask. Or more importantly, is this a book I want to hang on to?

To the first question, yes. This book is a consumable, if you enjoy Brad's writing style this will be an easy one to read through. The Book is not to complex and does not contain a lot of tuff concepts for you to intellectualize about or wrap your head around. I got through it in about a day, and well I'm generally pretty slow. But unlike brads other books this is not one I think I will want to read again or even hang on to or keep on my shelf. If you want my copy let me know and we will figure out how I can get it to you. First come first serve. I only ask that when your done with it you keep passing it along because it dose actually have some good points in it about not idolizing Zen Teachers and stuff.

Anyway on that note Brad is a dork and a nerd, he says so in his book so I don't feel bad repeating it here.  I do feel a little bit of affection for him just like that red headed kid I used to give nuggies too way back in high school.

Also, I am still grateful to Brad for his first book, which helped my take my practice from the armchair to the Zafu.

And Brad, if you happen to read this, you are needed. Thank you for your efforts and practice. If you need a couch to crash on when you visit Portland, let me know. Just be forewarned that this house is inhabited by a spastic dog and demanding cat along with me my wife and kids. But no-one really talks about Zen here so at least you will get a break from that, and the wife and kids are big Godzilla/ Ultraman fans too. No, I am not, but I promise I will do my best to suppress the urge to give you a wedgie if you do show up.