Being a Jerk and More on Buddhism & Politics

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[@Ooana]

"Hi fans!" Makes me laugh. 😆✌🏻 I feel you.

[@karlk9]

I'm a recent subscriber, but already a fan, and I appreciate your time and effort that goes into these VLOGs. Evidently, your Facebook detractor feels that if he is to have a Buddhist teacher, that teacher must always meet with his own, very strict, standards and expectations (I.e.no conservative family members). Good luck to him on finding a teacher who can ever live up to that . I have met a few politically conservative Buddhist monks, but politically conservative as an ideological counter to the oppressive, communist countries where they had lived and suffered. Those monks, though politically right leaning , did not lack empathy nor compassion.

[@VDOK7]

I should probably be meditating, or perhaps learning some new songs, but instead I am here. No regrets, for your insights are interesting. Thank you for these videos.

[@dr.jeffreyzacko-smith324]

One of your most important videos - my 4th or 5th listen. Maybe one to revisit (in general) someday?

[@AmericanShia786]

Your short talk was helpful. Will pick up this book.

[@stevecharles6208]

Wanted to really sincerely thank you. I recently had a unfortunate situation while living/training at a zen center and felt unsettled on how a "monks/nuns" could act like serious jerks. A bully in a robe is still a bully I have come to understand and the powertrip is a byproduct of their idea of "zen training". Thank you again, seriously.

[@eijingakuisuteian2396]

Perhaps you will be remembered for your terming of the phrase ¨don't be a jerk¨, I like it more and more_/l\_

[@edpicasso18]

at dawn we made the sun rise by opening our eyes. the world vibrated as we stepped into the ocean. my dreams were more vivid this time than anything here. there was running away & a mean dog & love making. the oldest parts of us are chanting. there are no more questions! we sink in.

[@rubiuzcategui8544]

Thank you so much for these videos. To me it's interesting to hear Dōgen teachings because is difficult to find books about Zen in this part of the world, so, thanks. I try not to make jerk things either and that makes me THE weirdo one, but it's OK, I'm used to it lol

[@foreverbalance1794]

New favorite channel!

[@Mari_Oh]

Wow. This was prophetic.

[@mattmcbrayer]

Please make a shirt with the dont be a jerk cover on it. I'll buy it. I'll buy 3.

[@arnelsaric4143]

I am definitely not a fan of VLOGs, but I can say you did a tremendous job. Also, what kind of laptop you use? That's a great sound you have there.

[@bradwarner119]

Just a MacBook Air. I used the built-in mic for this one. I've been trying different mics on each VLOG.

[@blackbird5634]

Philosophy becomes religion when it finds someone to blame, when it spouts doctrine that's when it becomes politics.

[@RC-qf3mp]

There’s a problem of any ethics in Buddhism once it becomes part of the essential doctrine that all is one, that every distinction is conditioned and so illusory. Good and bad, right and wrong would also be illusory conditioned distinctions and so there just wouldn’t *really* be good or bad action. And so no meaning or sense to anybody being a “jerk”.

[@peterg3947]

this was a good video

[@juliang3995]

Hey Brad, I'm sorry to hear about your family, that's not a very nice thing to do to someone at all, especially considering you had nothing to do with your cousin's endeavours. It's nice to see some maturity in regards to politics. As someone who used to engage in formal Zen practice at a Monastery, I would always catch the teachers being involved in bringing foreign affairs into awareness. But as far as I'm concerned, I don't think anybody was picking sides. With so much going on regarding Mr. Trump's presidency, there is quite a lot of jerkiness going on already. I think some of the attacks you've been getting from the Zen community just propagate the whole mess. Right and wrongness stem out of this whole fiasco. Anyways, I hope people can just chill the fuck out and observe the problem. Attacking people is never an answer. May the Lizard lords shield you from interweb drama.

[@bradwarner119]

Thank you! I shall await the Lizard Lords' protection!

[@jonathanjeffer]

Your videos are interesting. Not the only stuff I listen too. Politics are kind of a mess right now. Left wing is conflated with anything not blockheaded and fundamentalist Christian.

[@ou-rb2gv]

ok...Time here, is a bad translation of the misunderstanding of karma? (idk if it is a misunderstanding. or more of Mahayana-Hindu hybrid religious fusion?) ...Kamma, can manifest as action, but, action is poor word for Kamma. Kamma is your own mental disposition. its not permanent. it can be extinguish in an instant.....ah fuck... did I just evoke a religious mud puddle conversation?

[@ou-rb2gv]

I'm not trying to pick a fight, or be persistent... I'm not somebody who just accords with dogma like math formulas... I was watching a clip the other day, and this Rinzai teacher is saying the cliche "I was it, everything was I." ok, its an analogy, the best the guy can do. fine. but the guy is talking about his universe. which, *from what I can tell*, is pretty myopic. in the sense that this "I" only extends as far as the "I" can see. I get that this I is a byproduct of the universe, or multiverse...logically... but is it? ....scrap all the fanciful titillating metaphors... i live in an apartment building. the only world I can know at any given time, is the shoe box apartment I'm stuck in(with like, the smallest bathroom a grrrl ever had to contend with)... even if the crazy ocd woman upstairs is flesh and blood like I am, I don't know her.... just because may be I can experience Nirvana doesn't mean I know everything in all of hell's creation. it might mean that I know what I need to know to pull through the day in my little shoe box apartment world, but it's not like I can predict a meteorite that's headed for LA. or even stop it for that matter.... I hate ch'an tou! ppl get stuck in that shit for an entire lifetime! SOMETIMES LITERALLY THEIR ENTIRE LIFE! SMUGGLY EVEN!

[@ou-rb2gv]

doesn't saying that "you are the universe" encourage being a jerk?

[@SonofSethoitae]

Not necessarily. Although one understands how it could

[@KlaasKlar1984]

so all you wanna say is, that you are no leftwing and dont want to critizise your brother publicly?

[@HardcoreZen]

No. I don't have a brother.

[@craigphillips-1]

What a shame that you constantly have to defend yourself because people don't LISTEN to what you say. Don't let the bass-turds get you down.

[@edpicasso18]

{{responding with a poem, as a poem be, is my way. as teachers for each other, i worry that your engagement with the world necessitates explanations so often as to leave you with little time yourself - too much time in the ocean and your lips go blue!!]] n.

[@bradwarner119]

That's for sure!

[@MilesD33]

Sheep or sheep.

[@mts5716]

Wow! Brad Warner, less than 15000 Abbos. Cool guy!