Practicing Without a Sangha

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[@TheTarutau]

Each person is my teacher. A book can also teach. As can life. Surrounded by a thousands of lessons.

[@bobbi2044]

I very subscribe to that idea as well. I tend to think that day today life is like a sutra, and that everything is like a sangha.

[@anoridinaryhumanbeing70]

@Julian Hofhine damn you!

[@intpete]

For some reason I really liked this particular Brad video, and he has done a lot of good ones. I have been interested in Zen ever since 1973, when I wandered into a used bookstore one summer night in my hometown of Geneva, New York. The book was A Glimpse of Nothingness by Janwillem van de Wettering. I had read about him and his journey to Japan on a freighter in a Newsweek article years earlier. I was really taken with the beauty of Zen thought and practice, having known nothing but Mandatory Methodism all my life. I joined the Air Force just two years later and was given a choice of duty assignments. I picked Japan over England and Italy, all because of my interest in Zen. I don't regret that one bit, although I didn't do much meditating and seemed to be working all the time. Fast forward 35 years, and at age 60 I finally got serious about meditation. That was eight years ago. I don't sit every day now, but it's good to know that the cushion is there when I need it. Thanks, Brad, for being a virtual teacher to even a lazy student like moi. INTPete.

[@djmileski]

It’s like that zen saying, something like: there isn’t a teacher until there is a student~there isn’t a problem until there is a question

[@RenanCengiz]

Thanks for this Brad. I'm living in a small German town, practicing on my own since about 10 years now. I've made attempts to join groups, but they're too far away. Since about a year and a half, I have this idea in mind to found a group myself. I've had my doubts about it, but these words of yours helped me to straighten some of them out. At least they felt kinda encouraging. If by chance anybody from around post code 47... is reading this and is interested, please leave me a message. Cheers to you, Brad, thanks for being there and being yourself, and best wishes to everyone around!

[@HardcoreZen]

I wish you music success!

[@RenanCengiz]

@@HardcoreZen Thaaaaaank you! :)

[@nge1556]

This is the most welcomed coincidence, I was wondering the same thing this afternoon: I live in Southern Italy, nowhere around where I live I could find a group or a Sangha to practice with, so I ended up reading whatever books I could find and practicing by myself as best as I could understand. This has always been a concern for me, because I feel something's missing: I'm trying to educate myself with the resources I have, but it's totally not the same. But anyway I can sit and breathe, which is no small thing :D Thank you for your efforts, I really enjoy the videos!

[@williamhecht984]

Great advise, thanks! So true about both directions.

[@HBCrigs]

This information finds me now at a time that I am thankful

[@lorenacharlotte8383]

Great sharing. Thank you!. To me: The Buddha, The Dharma and The Sangha is found first within and around ourselves. By having a direct experience of this, everything flow by itself. The tool used to produce that energy of awareness is mindfulness. Mindfulness helps me to stop in the present moment. By doing that one becomes like one with space and time. Anything that arises is lived as it is. There is not attachment to the expierence. One can feel a traveller as one with space and time.

[@mael-strom9707]

Keep it simple. For those starting on the path, go to the beginning. For those who have deviated from the path, go back to the beginning. Siddhartha Gautama laid the foundations and they are eightfold and been tested for around 2600 years. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

[@socraticproblem86]

Brad, this was very inspirational.

[@justinpollard9706]

Thank you for this video.^^ As a lay person who decided to start a sangha without transmission, it was good to hear your perspective. I have also seen some teachers who didn't recieve Inka, but they still tout themselves to be enlightened or masters who are a part of the tradition... That is some inescapable bad karma, lol. Even though I have never claimed to be a master and I make no false claims in my bio about receiving transmission, 22 years of practicing within conservative Korean or Japanese Zen traditions has given me a serious case of imposter syndrome. :P But as I looked at the world and I looked at how my style of teaching has helped some people start practice, I just felt like it was time. And, since I know that I am not acting inappropriately, my rational mind doesn't get too wrapped up in it. But, it does kick my confidence sometimes... Also, and this is just my opinion, but I feel that Zen needs to grow more into the lives of ordinary lay people. And after being an English teacher for more than a decade, I could never imagine teaching English the way that some teachers teach Zen, especially Rinzai. I mean, just imagine, I walk into the classroom and shout, "No 'don't have no!'" and then walk out. Ha ha ha... Although I do understand that there can be value in pushing students beyond their logical interpreting minds, I think that that kind of teaching really alienates beginners because it refuses to meet them where they are. Although I still refuse to 'explain' certain things because they need to just be discovered within ones own practice, I feel that some 'training wheels' explanations for new people is really helpful. And once they understand some basic mechanisms of Zen practice and how it can help them in a practical way, they feel much more interested in pursuing it on their own. Anyways, i'm curious about how you feel about this point of how traditional Zen teaching styles are or aren't engaging with this modern world that we all have to be a part of... Thanks again for your work. ^^

[@blackbird5634]

In order to make tea you need tea leaves, a tea pot, some hot water and a cup. You don't need a cadre of chefs, waiters, busboys, etc.

[@ZyozyoPadilla]

Appreciate the warning against pretension and letting things get to your head if you lead any kind of spiritual group! For some people, a formal sangha is really necessary to their practice, and I'm one of them. But yeah, I do get the "the world is my sangha" thing too, but living in the dusty ashtray of Metro Manila, it's easy to not feel that and turn misanthropic in a crowded bus during rush hour. So for someone like me, a formal sangha helps me see the world as our sangha.

[@HardcoreZen]

I get that. I've had some kind of sangha for most of my years of practice. Although sometimes they annoyed me!

[@ZyozyoPadilla]

@@HardcoreZenI get that too! So sometimes after zazen with a sangha, I leave right away. :)) Keep creating, man!

[@bxvzky2361]

Thx! 🙏

[@bobbi2044]

thanks for the advice.

[@martinratcliffe5987]

The fruits of practice are a support.

[@connorwolden3861]

Great vid, thanks a lot!:)

[@TukenNuken]

You say you were shy, but you still managed to move to Japan to teach English in front of a class. I wouldn't have had the balls to do that at that age. I'd hesitate to do that even now.

[@djmileski]

It’s like how u can’t tell anybody to be believe u about anything. They have to see it for themselves. They will research, read till they are blue in the face(looking for someone to tell them what to do) but none of it will take. They will (hopefully) eventually are what is causing the suffering for themselves (see it for themselves). Thinking creates problems and then looks for answers to those problems (subtle or extreme). That is suffering. But saying that means nothing to anyone unless they see it. Thinking is not bad, it can be bad if there is misuse obviously

[@TheOriginalWheatLoaf]

Practicioner without sangha here. My sangha dissolved somehow - the man responsible for it got cocky and arrogant after the dharma transmission and started teaching new agey mumbo jumbo stuff, majority of people left and I have no clue what happened to the rest of the sangha. I'm not in touch with any of the exmembers apart from one (and he switched to another teacher).

[@HardcoreZen]

That's too bad...

[@chazmcleod802]

I've been doing zazen on and off for about 5 years on my own. I've read your books and zen mind beginners mind a few times. I've only been to one zen group meeting.. I saw you were doing a talk in London about 3 years ago so I travelled up from Brighton. I was really nervous about that! I don't know why.. It's just the unknown I guess. It was great though. Had a few beers, you signed my book 🙂 (not the typical group sitting you're talking about here I know). I think the difference is though, I don't call myself a Buddhist or try to preach to anyone. Obviously anyone can practice zazen. But If you're going to call yourself a Buddhist or associate with the zen tradition- I think you have a responsibility to take it seriously. Maybe have a teacher and be going to a zen group. Everyone (especially on social media) seems to think they know best with all their zenny comments and arguments but I'm pretty sure a lot of them are in no position to be trying to explain zen to people. That should be left to the pros, like yourself. I live in New Zealand now. The nearest zen group I've found is about a 3 hour drive away. I'm pretty happy sitting on my own but I might make the trip to try sitting with other people. The Internet is great but it's not real life is it!

[@fffbti]

You can pre order the new book on Amazon do in effect you can buy it today

[@michaelgehrmann9351]

Anybody know the book "Zen Without Zen-Master" by Camden Benares?

[@didierlason6453]

Thank you so much for your love and support. We have to practice no matter our situations. Sometimes we are forced to practice zazen in isolation, which can be enlightening in and of itself. However, ideally, we should seek out a sangha at some point in time for encouragement and teachings (online is good, too!). Sanghas are important, unless we are already a highly-realized being (99.9999999% of Buddhist practitioners are not). May you and all find everlasting happiness and enlightenment.

[@otorishingen8600]

Haha youre description of youre roommate 👌🤣 Sounds like a comedy

[@sceptre1067]

so the house you describe re the bands and parties. Have you watched Dogs In Space? good Aussie movie that some how summarizes that house

[@HardcoreZen]

I have not. I'll check it out!

[@charliebigred]

Hey! When were you in Chicago, and whereabouts did you live?

[@HardcoreZen]

Roger's Park. It was a long time ago, though. late 80's until about 1990.

[@osip7315]

when you "outgrow" your sangha they will get rid of you pretty quickly, happened to me clones only allowed

[@marcblonde3800]

I would sit with you. And then we could eat ramen noodles together on a park bench. We would laugh at things. Oh, the way we'd laugh.

[@osip7315]

@@marcblonde3800 it doesn't work like that

[@marcblonde3800]

Not a ramen fan?

[@osip7315]

@@marcblonde3800 nup, hardly eat any wheat flour, but basically when you get ejected from a group nobody is with you, i've been both sides and seen it, you're either with the group or against it, i haven't regretted staying with the group when another person has been ejected, why should i buy into their problems, i have enough of my own

[@danielpinojr.8312]

You don't need other people to do Zazen. You don't need other people to practice at all.

[@HardcoreZen]

True. But some people enjoy company when they sit.

[@blorkpovud1576]

@@HardcoreZen you have also said that it is almost necessary to be a communal practice, though right?

[@youneedonlyknowthenameofgo7786]

The three refuges would like a word with you

[@bashopoem]

It very much helps to have an experienced teacher, though.

[@edgepixel8467]

A dojo is a good catalyst for sitting through the whole session and giving it your sustained uh... effort. At home, you can quit anytime and daydream all you want. Since everything is interlinked, the more "committed" atmosphere of a temple/dojo/place of practice will influence your zazen. You'll take it more seriously because everyone else is. With a sangha, there will be someone able to correct your posture. There will be someone able to offer guidance. And there will be challenges for your ego. At home, the ego will stay cushy and pampered.