Understanding Dogen

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[@tcort]

Understanding Dogen (the short version): just sit

[@HardcoreZen]

There's that too!

[@unholymethod]

I’ve only read bendowa… but that seems pretty accurate to his philosophy. And really what else is there to say but “go do the work”

[@snowflakemelter1172]

Do you actually know what that really means though ?

[@dr.jeffreyzacko-smith324]

Sounds like the perfect topic for a PODCAST to me! 😊

[@baizhanghuaihai2298]

I finally shelled out for the Nishijima Shobogenzo. Very well worth it, it’s a fantastic translation. Michael Leutchford also wrote a fascinating book years ago that compares Dogen with a translation of Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika, called Between Heaven and Earth. Great book.

[@WorldCrafterPrime]

Hey Brad! Have you ever read DUNE? Frank Herbert was allegedly into Zen Buddhism, and someone on Reddit the other day asked why there were so many contradictory themes and paradoxes in the DUNE series. I then got into a pretty good discussion about nondualism and how maybe that was Herbert's inspiration? I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on how DUNE is or isn't analogues with Zen philosophy.

[@HardcoreZen]

I've never read DUNE. I saw the David Lynch movie version. I still haven't seen the more recent DUNE movie.

[@WorldCrafterPrime]

@@HardcoreZen Lynch's DUNE is bonkers, the new movie is better but still not even close to the book. I bet you got quite the stack already, but it's quite possibly the greatest sci-fi novel ever they say! I've heard you mention Roger Zelazney before. He was good friends with Herbert apparently. Have you read any of his books outside of Lord of Light or his overtly Buddhist books? Oh and just as an example for some of Frank's writings, this is in the DUNE series: “Church and State, scientific reason and faith, the individual and his community, even progress and tradition - all of these can be reconciled in the teachings of Muad'Dib. He taught us that there exists no intransigent opposites except in the beliefs of men. Anyone can rip aside the veil of Time. You can discover the future in the past or in your own imagination. Doing this, you win back your consciousness in your inner being. You know then that the universe is a coherent whole and you are indivisible from it.” “The Universe is God's. It is one thing, a wholeness against which all separations may be identified. Transient life, even the self-aware and reasoning life which we call sentient, holds only fragile trusteeship on any portion of the wholeness.”

[@HardcoreZen]

@@WorldCrafterPrime Thanks again. Actually, I've never read anything by Zalazney. I've been meaning to read Lord of Light, but I still haven't. Nice quote from DUNE.

[@WorldCrafterPrime]

@@HardcoreZen No no, thank you! Have a great day!

[@edgepixel8467]

@@HardcoreZen “Never read Dune?” 🙀 Shocked Pikachu face

[@totallyfrozen]

I love the video quality of the beginning. 👍🏻

[@bokaratom]

Thank you! Like your videos!

[@HardcoreZen]

Thanks!

[@Duxzen_ji]

😂 just getting into dogen and his zen. Absolutely mind blowing but he says so much just to say “dude sit down lol”

[@austinpauley599]

Thanks Brad. Keep it up!!!

[@Riddlemewalker]

No fail! That was really helpful.

[@JimTempleman]

Apparent contradictions are rather common in Chan/Zen. Here's an example from the Diamond Sutra: "Subhuti, what do you think? Should one look for Buddha in all his perfect appearances?" No Most Honored One, one should not look for Buddha in all his perfect appearances. Why? The Buddha has said perfect appearances are not perfect appearances. Therefore they are called perfect appearances." I believe these cases can also be covered in terms of multiple (concurrent) views. But in this case it's just a matter of shifting between absolute & relative viewpoints.

[@HardcoreZen]

I'm not saying it's aliens, but it's aliens.

[@snowflakemelter1172]

Dogens writings can only be understood without thinking about them. But here you are.

[@HardcoreZen]

@@snowflakemelter1172 Don’t think of a pink elephant. Got it? Ok. Now don’t think about Dogen’s writings.

[@snowflakemelter1172]

@HardcoreZen no.

[@gerrykitt4145]

Very good very helpful!

[@Bejaardenbus]

Took a shot everytime he said "understanding Shobogenzo", am in hospital right now.

[@HardcoreZen]

I'm sorry!

[@Oi-mj6dv]

The missile knows what reality is by substracting what it isnt from what might be.

[@joeg3950]

Very cool intro and content. I downloaded the pamphlet. Also, mystic theologians tended to use a way to talk about the unknowable and god with concept called via negativa. Literally, by using 'way of negative', they would write or talk about what god is not, or where god could not be found, or known. It is an unpopular way of 'god talk' or theology. However, I enjoy it and have worked through many a text using this notion. This probably led to why I enjoy Dogen. Have a restful evening!

[@beebobalula]

Brad Dogen, da rockin' Zen master! 💥

[@TRLgoodvibesdotcom]

That’s a beautiful strat

[@HardcoreZen]

Thanks! It's a late 90's Japanese reproduction of a flowered Strat that Fender made in the 60's.

[@chilldragon4752]

Well Brad I recently bought your book Death To All Monsters and love it. I can't wait to pick up Gill Women of the Prehistoric Planet. Maybe sometime in the future you can write another fiction book.

[@HardcoreZen]

Thank you! I'm glad somebody has read those books!

[@JordanREALLYis]

Why do you set time limits for yourself, Sire Brad? All these fettered boundaries! Break free, like when John Murdoch walked out of that sling, wheel thing in Dark City! Release the hounds!!! 45 minute long videos!! I watch every single one of them anyway!!!!!! Thanks.

[@MrDogonjon]

I was a remote viewing guest dogonjon@ Hogon of the Dogon in Timbuktu. Sitting unbathed in our own excrement guarding the portal leading back to the Akashic Record, curious comers seek answers and ask questions of the Record. I make up answers to suit their curiosity and send them on their way. the Record is very small font and the entire content is a black ink that has viscous grippy tenacles that will rend your soul like the event horizon of a black hole if you dwell on it for too long... don't ask how I know that.

[@Teller3448]

"don't ask how I know that." You mean...dont ask IF I know that.

[@ACGomes1977]

So is action in the present moment "higher" than philosophy (subjectivism, idealism) and perceptions (objectivism, materialism)? That is, is acting different from materialism and idealism, and is Buddhism the "philosophy of action," as Nishijima puts it?

[@t.c.bramblett617]

My take: there is no "higher", but the body and perceptions (as a unity) together are more important than "philosophy". There's little need for "philosophy" in Zen, but it does help to integrate the experience of living and to understand what is happening. Philosophy has a role, but it doesn't transcend. Source - just a guy on KZbin,

[@GS-gq5is]

More like, "Show-man-bogenzo."

[@stephenfeldman8104]

Fullest expression.

[@EvanBerry.]

Wow, Ultraman on your t-shirt looks angry today.

[@opinion3742]

I notice the publication date of Hardcore Zen is 2003 but I swear I bought it before then. Is this possible?

[@Teller3448]

"This was Nishijima's innovation...the key that unlocks the door." Remember that scene in 'The Empire Strikes Back' where Luke is questioning Yoda about finding a great warrior. And Yoda replies..."Great warrior, hummm...wars do not make one great!" Same goes for the word INNOVATION. Just because an idea is new and innovative doesn't mean its TRUE. Are there any other zen masters who agree with Nishijima's innovation? Are there any who agree with his notion of sympathetic and parasympathetic samadhi? Are there any who agree with his view that Buddhism is just humanism? Are there any who agree that Dogen did not affirm the principle of rebirth? I suspect the answer is...nope!

[@jonwesick2844]

Good video. Are there other places we can see Dogen labeled according to SOAR?

[@HardcoreZen]

The only place I know of is in Nishijima Roshi's "Understanding Shobogenzo" (PDF linked above). In that pamphlet he gives detailed notes related to every chapter of Shobogenzo and how they relate to the SOAR system. Also my three Dogen books (noted in the video) go into it to some extent. How much more do you want?

[@jonwesick2844]

That should be enough. I have "Three Philosophies and One Reality" and picked a random Shobogenzo chapter to see if I could apply Roshi's interpretation. I probably need to try a few more.

[@donovansnyder2898]

Maybe not contradictions but rather an attack on duality.

[@gunterappoldt3037]

To be honest, I sense gross misinterpretations of Dôgen´s minde-set, as well as of philosophy, and of the constitution of human life-worlds.

[@t.c.bramblett617]

Love Dogen, his insights are fundamental. Some real practical tips in there. The Nishijima translation helps a lot.Your books and videos are also key to helping me pick the fruit. All in all, I need to sit more often. Ciao, thank you as always Brad.

[@wladddkn1517]

Oh, thank you...but, what if Dogen was just a schizophrenic? It's not an offence, no-no, just a guess.

[@HardcoreZen]

I don't see any evidence of that.

[@RC-qf3mp]

It seems like you, and other zen practitioners, are not really Buddhists but Dogenites. Not a criticism, just an observation. The Buddha and what he said and did seems far less relevant to you and zen than what Dogen said and did.

[@RC-qf3mp]

It’s really sloppy and offensive when the guy you quote makes sweeping false generalizations about western philosophy, or over simplifies Aristotle. I think a lot of eastern philosophy- or more so, Americanized devotees if it- love to wallow in contradiction and paradox because it sounds cool and sexy. Ultimately, 99% of the time, the contradiction is either nonsense or just apparently a contradiction, and so can be resolved. Big deal. Apparent contradictions happen all the time. Illusions happen. Things aren’t always as they seem. So what? Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein and Heidegger were all subtle thinkers who also recognized the limits of language and thought, and contradiction. It comes off as lazy and uneducated to pigeonhole an entire tradition and throw strawman claims about it. It’s too bad that’s what happens when people love western philosophy and science dismiss eastern thought, but the same can happen the other way.

[@HardcoreZen]

Read some Dogen, then we can talk.

[@RC-qf3mp]

@@HardcoreZen will do, and when I’m done reading Dogen, and you’re done reading Aristotle, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger and Wittgenstein, we can chat. Or… we can do away with the pretentious and just admit when we don’t understand something and make good faith efforts to learn from others, and other traditions, rather than dismissing the entire western philosophical history and its advances in understanding the relation of language to thought and reality.

[@bokidimi5215]

good intro! well! u a better guitar than bass! that was nice intro!