Big Think Interview with Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi | Big Think

[@bangbangdivine]

You should know: In August 1992, a group of 12 American Zen teachers sent a letter to Taizan Maezumi, expressing dismay about Merzel's sexual relationships with a number of female students, his lack of remorse, and his seeming inability to stop. He had a wife and kids throughout.

[@squamish4244]

It doesn't make his teaching invalid. But his behaviour has been a lot worse than that comment suggests - and what he was doing was still a violation of his Zen precepts. And people have decided to stop tolerating bullshit like that, or have men explain that he just "makes mistakes". The election of a certain sexual predator has changed a lot of things.

[@squamish4244]

And also the recent letter signed by 64 Zen teachers condemning Merzel's response to the scandal of 2011, when he admitted to sexual relationships with more students and yet refused to seek the treatment they advised.

[@israelgonzalez8703]

google "What's so wrong with genpo roshi" the hardcore zen post clears things up a bit

[@squamish4244]

Yeah he's got major personal issues, but his Big Mind technique is valid and there are others like it developed by people who don't charge 8 billion dollars or bang their students. Maezumi Roshi drowned drunk in his bathtub but that doesn't discredit the many great students he produced, like Bernie Glassman, John Daido Loori or Charlotte Joko Beck. Brad Warner has his own issues too and sometimes he sounds like a little kid stomping his feet.

[@pranaprana9375]

drowned drunk lol this is some funny shit, i think the art of zen was lost forever, lets just all smoke some dmt and start over, think of something else COZE THIS IS TOTAL SHIT!!!!!!!!!

[@pranaprana9375]

Omg Brad is a funny dude too, most of this mofos are funny as fuk really. Shinzen must be the realest of them all , adya is ok, mooji is fine but some of this mofos are trully trully fucked up i dumb asses fallow this dudes hehehehehe i will rather laugh then cry i guess. much love

[@squamish4244]

Shinzen is very real, very grounded, the best example of a modern teacher to me. Adya is real and grounded but not very good with practical advice. Many younger teachers are moving up the ranks who are changing the face of modern Buddhism for the better - they're just not quite in positions of real authority yet. But except new technologies, new models of growth, integration of psychotherapy and neuroscience. Things will look very different in 20 years or so.

[@austinhill5825]

Interesting. I just found out he’s teaching in Salt Lake City Utah. After reading about his extra marital affairs I’ve taken a broader interest in his career and why he’s still teaching.

[@BifurPoint]

Yeah the Big Mind process is amazing and Genpo is a great teacher, what he does in his personal life is his business!

[@squamish4244]

Not if it was abusive and manipulative, and caused a lot of harm, and it did.

[@pedrinaoliveira2812]

Boa noite, tem tradução de português?

[@Eurannmmiel14]

:) Thanks for this

[@paulmitchell5349]

Anyone calling himself a 'zen master' clearly has some way to go.

[@krissifadwa]

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