The Zen of Aliens

[@brothermike316]

As the regional chairman and sole member of the Reformed Calvinist Christian Brad Warner fanclub, I can attest to liking all of your videos brother, regardless of politics. Authenticity should always win.

[@zigeunerart]

You’ll love this Irish vagabond and KZbin’s resident folk-occultist: Thomas Sheridan

[@marcas4664]

I came across Hardcore Zen in a drug and alcohol treatment center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. While searching for direction and guidance in what was essentially a whole new world to me that I did not understand and feared. Buddhism provided me with the training wheels I needed. And it started with that book. I later met you at a day retreat. You ran in Calgary... I can't remember the exact date. But I remember I was working at a scenic shop, and we had just worked on refurbishing a giant dinosaur in Drumheller, and I shared some pictures with you. Anyway, I still live with the basic principles I gained from Buddhism and have after a long absence from it started to look towards the practice again and found you again. Anyway long story longer, I can't tell you how refreshing and reliving it was to find that you have kept the "hard" core principles of your practice. As we say in the recovery community... thanks for sharing Brad.

[@blackbird5634]

I found Hardcore Zen in a bookstore when I was living in a homeless shelter. I used to sit in the store reading it because I couldn't afford to buy it. The book was life changing in that it had a ''how to'' chapter about meditation. That was 20 years ago and it helped me get up out of my situation. I'm still grateful to Brad for writing it. 🙃

[@marcas4664]

@blackbird5634 I found that he has a way making it accessible. I love the fact that you read the book bit by bit in the book store. That Johnny Cash song one piece at a time popped i to my head immediately 😂

[@blackbird5634]

@@marcas4664 $20 bucks was a lot of money when I was bunking with 50+ homeless guys in a shelter. I'd sit on my rack facing the wall for an hour every night before lights out. It got me some weird looks but they saw I was serious. It sedated all the squirrels in my head.🙂

[@pajamawilliams9847]

i found hardcore zen on a bookshelf in a punk house. i remember being taken aback because the dude on the back cover didn't have a giant mohawk. what a poser!

[@chrisd.4347]

Speaking about things whose existence cannot be proven or seems unlikely is both challenging and essential. This can lead to inspiring possibilities, but it also carries significant risks. Thank you Brad for sharing. 💚

[@Jigokucake-lg1xj]

Regarding Chapter 11 of The Lotus Sutra: the "precious 7" are the seven precious substances in Buddhist scripture. In the sutra they are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl, and carnelian. I've never thought of Prabhutaratna Buddha's floating stupa as a spaceship, but if you saw it in real life, it definitely would resemble one! Also, the idea of extraterrestrials in Buddhist literature brings to mind the devas, like Indra and his thousand-spoked chariot, wielding a thunderbolt (phaser?!) as a weapon. In general, I agree that Buddhism accepts the idea of many different worlds, dimensions, etc. And considering the universality of the Buddha-dharma, it's very possible that the entities behind these UAPs have their own version of it, although it wouldn't resemble our version very closely due to the difference in means. It brings to mind a section of the Vimalakirti Sutra where there's a Buddha in a different land who teaches the dharma through the sense of smell.

[@pajamawilliams9847]

ah yes, the stinky dharma.

[@brandon637]

Thank Buddha we are done with politics! I like your non political stuff.

[@gojuglen]

It’s interesting that many feel that these aliens haven’t traveled in craft, yet it seems clear that the military has retrieved materials of various kinds.

[@CaptMang]

Brad Warner on Ancient Aliens would be clutch.

[@pajamawilliams9847]

i saw a UAP that looked like a floating city while hanging out at a dog park in LA. the dogs didn't seem to care as much as I did.

[@HelenStickney]

Listening to your description of the aliens visiting the Buddha made me think of the "jellyfish UAP"... and now I'm recalling a lot of the Tibetan Buddhist iconography with parasols or pagoda-like things with streamers hanging down... curious about your thoughts.

[@jahvarino1770]

Also the story in Buddhism of the "wheel turning monarch" has some striking resemblances to aliens and even an ancient abduction that could have taken place!

[@ZenEndurance]

Brad, Brett here. We are a bit of doppelgängers. I have been teaching Zen from aboard a bicycle (and occasionally guitar) myself for 20 years in podcasts and KZbin. You were a huge influence. Would love to have you on. Let me know if that’s cool.

[@mantas9827]

People often ask me, 'Do ghosts exist?' Those who think about such matters are ghosts themselves." - Kodo Sawaki

[@sitandletgo]

8:01 - i am not saying it was bradliens, but it was bradliens!!!!!!!!!!!!! that would awesome!

[@TYPHON2713]

Funny... i just watched the Ancient Aliens episode where they STRONGLY SUGGESTED that Buddha was an alien😂

[@HardcoreZen]

@@TYPHON2713 I saw that one too! He was nine feet tall. I don’t know where they got that.

[@TYPHON2713]

@HardcoreZen My dad actually proposed that disclosure hasn't happened, not because the government is not ready, but it's really that the aliens haven't given them permission yet. 🤷‍♂️

[@pajamawilliams9847]

@@HardcoreZen it's the 32 marks of a great man. apparently he had webbed hands that hung down to his knees and all kinds of crazy stuff.

[@paulsagerman5111]

Given your skepticism on 'visitation', would be great to have your take on John E Mack's book, Abduction.

[@magpiecity]

Check out "A Very Short Introduction to the History of Catholic Debates About the Multiverse and Extraterrestrial Intelligence" by Paul Thigpen in Church Life Journal. It´s about Christian speculations concerning UFOs and aliens!

[@jahvarino1770]

I'm on pretty much the same page as you, Brad. I believe that there are "layers" upon layers of beings/realms and some are more "spiritually" advanced than others, but all of them are more or less still in this samsara based illusion. I'm sure you've already looked into this but check out the "devas" and their "vimanas" for more interesting parallels between Indian spirituality and aliens/ufos!

[@fchu2]

Maybe the UAPs do not contain beings at all but are just AI machines. Interstellar distances might be too great for biological beings to travel.

[@osip7315]

i can see an alien antenna and landing lights over your left shoulder, actually landing lights everywhere, surely the neighbours must notice ?

[@omalila7399]

Hi Brad, are you familiar with James Gilliland and his ECETI ranch? They get UFO sightings there all the time. I'd love to go but as a European it's a little far. Would love to see you have a conversation with James about the buddhist viewpoints.

[@joeg3950]

I always thought that aliens were, and are, just fact. Humanity's hubris is otherwordly. Now, let's move on and see if homo sapiens can somehow advance.

[@rhobot75]

I wanted this to be about the Xenomorphs. Wrong Alien(s).

[@sgtn-t5c]

I had a dream once that I was panting, and then this four fingered grey hand started petting my head. I looked up and there was a big eyed grey alien above me looking down at me. Then it dawned on me that I was a dog! And I was being pet on the head by a grey alien! I woke up and realized that if these beings are out there, the reason they don't explain their knowledge of the universe to us is because they see us the way we see dogs and they don't think we would understand shit. Like at the end when you are trying to explain to Ziggy the co-evolution of your human ancestors and his dog ancestors to demonstrate your interdependence. Ziggy is just like "Oh that Brad, making those strange and interesting sounds at me again." And Ziggy may genuinely want to understand your knowledge about his place in the universe. But he is a dog. And us? Well, we are Human. All Too Human.

[@HardcoreZen]

I think you might be right! I was once watching a TV show with a dog in it. And I thought, "That dog has no idea he is in a TV show. He doesn't even know what a TV show is!" Then I wondered if it's possible we humans might be doing all kind of things we are not even capable of being aware that we are doing. Like right now!

[@sgtn-t5c]

@@HardcoreZen We are cast members of The Human Show!

[@mcxi]

hi Brad. fyi it is now UAP (unidentified ANOMALOUS phenomena) ;)

[@petersmith5695]

All beings in the universe are subject to samsara, thank you

[@philmcdonald6088]

👍

[@causualloop]

Brad Warner a Cephalopoid disguised as a Human

[@ronmcbee4743]

The reference to the lotus suture and that it might be aliens harkins back to the 60s. I’m thinking of the cult, classic chariot of the gods and there were other books around the same thing so nothing new here. Let’s continue…..

[@sitandletgo]

sorry for the spam brad, you would be very interested in bashar!

[@Being_Joe]

Well I'm not saying it Alien Buddhist, but...

[@ronmcbee4743]

There are no repercussions for lying in front of Congress since the Trump era. Okay let’s continue…

[@jamesfellows5081]

Same as every Presidential Era, all Politicians and Presidents especially are Psychopaths.

[@kevindole1284]

People have been lying in front of Congress for as long as there has been a Congress. Sometimes people get caught, sometimes they don't. Trump is a liar, but I don't think he has inaugurated a new era of untruthfulness.

[@ukerocker]

Gort ….Klatuu barada nikto !

[@dillonarreo2232]

Hummmm, maybe the people who write about aliens should eat more fat and animal protein?

[@zaneivy]

...you might want to familiarize yourself with Paul Wallis and Mauro Biglino concerning Christian takes on "aliens" appearing in the Bible.

[@smoothrenunciation]

I believe there are other beings out in the universe. However, I hope they do not come here. If they are anything like humans we will be slaughtered.

[@chadbrito7880]

Plz write a Buddhists UAP book or ..... just make more videos thats cool too

[@windnomade]

sry.. did u say Aliens?😂

[@markbrad123]

One can only speculate that nuclear tests disturbed parallel universes which is why they started appearing around that period.

[@Diomedes99]

I liked ufo better than uap

[@marymidkiff7846]

I believe they didn't refer to themselves as God's but that early humans saw them that way because they were so much more advanced their technology seemed magical like the movie the God's Must Be Crazy could be both are true 🛸 the truth is out there 😜 42 don't panic