3D Dialogue: Zen Buddhism and Western Society

[mujaku]

Sensei Taigen Henderson is wrong when he brings the 'ego' into the conversation. Egoism is purely a Western invention. No a Zen master beginning with Bodhidharma taught about the evils of egoism. Zen master Joshu Sasaki Roshi said: “The Buddha said the true self is always illuminating as the Buddha "(Zen Notes XX, No. 5).

[amarmirza08]

Very condescending... maybe we aren't the only ones who need to let go of our ego's. 

[ruzickaw]

Why are you separating West and East? Asians have the same problems with their mind. They are as materialistic a Westeners. Just have a look at Hindues.

To survive in this world we need the ego. Only staying in a monastery you can do without it. Nearly everybody is so nice. But outside? 

[yozeroz]

This was very good. Good presenter as well, a very nice flow to the interview.

[pribadi8406]

@nianfochan,

I totally disagree with your assessment of the asian buddhists in general. There are many level of understanding among the devout buddhists in Asia. They go to temple and worship in various ways according to their level of understanding and knowledge of buddhism. The Westerners practice the buddhism to liberate themselves. THEY think that at their current circumstances and levels of understanding of buddhism, in this lifetime, they can become "awake".

Namo amitabha..

[nianfochan]

The interviewer in particular doesn't seem to be able to stop talking about the West in a negative way. The fact is that it is only in the West that lay people can practice meditative Buddhist paths like Zen. Lay Buddhists in Asia generally devote their entire lives to materialism and to their family and their job. Even when they visit a temple, they usually do so to pray for good luck for their family. The most devout among them pray to be born as a monk in their next life.

[qaplatlhinganmaH]

watch youtube vid:

TEDxBlue - Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. - 10/18/09

[qaplatlhinganmaH]

Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelt Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE

[qaplatlhinganmaH]

The new syncretic form of Buddhism expanded fully into Eastern Asia soon after these events. The Kushan monk Lokaksema visited the Han Chinese court at Loyang in 178 CE, and worked there for ten years to make the first known translations of Mahayana texts into Chinese. The new faith later spread into Korea and Japan, and was itself at the origin of Zen

[qaplatlhinganmaH]

Bodhidharma, the founder of Chán-Buddhism which later became Zen, is described as a Central Asian Buddhist monk in the first Chinese references to him (Yan Xuan-Zhi, 547 CE), although later Chinese traditions describe him as coming from South India.

[master2cul]

but...i thought zen is exactly not to control, but to let things happen. you can't control your mind,people think they can, 'cause they see the mind as a different entity,which is the illusion, we are our mind!!! but i'm confused about the controling of the mind they're talking about...

[Shizukabushi]

You are right in saying that zen is exactly not to control, but to let things happen, but the truth is that controlling your mind and not controlling your mind are actually the same thing. In the most simplest sense, the way to control your mind is lose control. Hope you understand. You probably will, because you seem to sort of get it anyway.

[tratandodevivir]

I've read some material about Zen Buddhism and I found it incredible interesting. Well, more than just interesting it seems like a philosophy written by people very aware of the flaws of humans living a society. Obviously Zen masters in Japan made right-on observations on why the human mind has a tendency to feel unhappy and pursue material goods and power.

Competition among each other is not the way. The Supremacy and the vanity around it leads to the whole ideology found in fascism.

[blade9z]

croscream, OMFG go read more and try not to let your Westrn Supermacy thinking take over. "Plato,Saint Thomas, Kierkegaard" all dated after Buddhism(2500BC). And if you think the western work is so righteos, did you read the part in the late 19th centry western world legalise the sales of opium to China?

Buddhist don't force you to give your 10% income, so they can't afford to build hospitals. the way private health care company screwing everyone over, hospitals is not the important part here.

[andrehme]

Yoga and meditation is the path for humanity to achieve better interactions among each other

[chodeshadar18]

It seems to me Buddhists could also learn from the West how to make the world better. I see Jewish and Christian hospitals, but no Buddhist ones. No "bridges", (real or metaphorical), no improvements in technology. Do they have a concept of a just society on Earth? Of lovingkindness, of pride in accomplishment? They seem to be all seeking the intangible, while ignoring the material, including the material needs of their fellow man.

[Zenstudent105]

No, that would be taking a side. The Buddhist needs material and tangible just like non-Buddhists need the material and tangible. They don't ignore. : )

[soupisgoodfood42]

Or perhaps the lack of Buddhist hospitals where you live is simply because there are not many Buddhists in your area? And perhaps you should do more to understand another way of thinking before you criticize it.

[lightenedthunder]

Buddha touch on 84000 aspect of life after he taught for 45 years tirelessly. There's nothing wrong with his teaching. His teaching is really profound. I grew up as a Buddhist and I used to think like what you think. It is the people who follow he religion never make the effort to have a clear understanding of the religion and they start to teach the deviate teaching.

[lightenedthunder]

Buddha did not tell us to renounce. But only for those who have enough parami and ready to do so. The rest of us still have to work, improve in every wayt. The Buddha kept reminding us to be skillful in whatever we do. on top of that he mentioned that we have to keep up with the pace of society. It is some Buddhists who do not fully understand the teaching that create this kind of problem today. Buddhists do not seek wealth as we believe it is the mind that create all kind of perception.

[ahsai1]

you still have to say tht you look back to ww1 the nazi the killed so many ppl just because the are not a christian

[croscream]

Good point. There are no Buddhist hospitals because Buddha did not teach love.

[134being]

Ego or false self is terrified of now,and so that false conceptual self has to die,the only death you will ever know.

[134being]

Now is the original and only state of things,Now is Nirvana,sadly most live in a dream,past now.

[thimoneus]

A student of Zen once asked his master what is the great meaning. The master put his shoe on his head.

[neothomist1275]

"Buddhism is not a creed, it is a doubt." -- GK Chesterton

[Russkidancer]

We love Buddha. Buddha's teachings makes

great role modeling men and women. Jesus

Christ christian followers are full of pedophiles,witches,and other criminal creeps. Curse the christian bible. Bless Buddha

and walk with BUDDHA.

christian bible. Bless Buddha and walk with Buddha.

[thimoneus]

There are more enlightened ways of making points.

[asmajk]

True self is no-self or not self. Not one seperate individual being exist

so when he talks about no separate beings but an interconnection between all people the only thing one can do is laugh.

It's all concepts and all conceptualisation is false.

Read the diamond sutra where Buddha repeats continuously that there is no "I" who liberates and no "they" who are liberated.

The only thing to do is to get rid of the false IDEA or CONCEPT of a real individual Self or Ego.

[italouruguayricano]

The worst enemy is fear.

[bhudamonk]

its all about egoless self mastery,such a nice place to be when you get their...great vid :)be free!

[NameFrUtube]

hahah

[morrink]

Really good clip. The sensei really personifies Zen, calm and confident.

[pdslt]

He looks like Richard Gere with a shaved head!!

[vortexcito]

yes indeed, i thought the same! lol

[OscarTurner]

Peace and happiness has batteries! I recommend using mirror technology X Oscar Turner (Personal assistant to HH Colin Lama)

[mikealangelo]

sorry but thats bs, true freedom is within each one of us wich ever philosophy/religion or life style one choses

[2coulin]

Sensei never said that buddhism is the only way to freedom - don't twist his words. A buddhist will never discriminate against other people's views, and never will. Buddhism is just one way of walking the path.

[XAytherxRedictusX]

Yes. YES. I totally agree. :D

[sthcrox]

you've got to be really really foolish to fall for this kind of misleading farce and dfallacy that this slf-made s.t.hendersen ries to tell. get a life man...

[geminilegend]

Get an education...

[sthcrox]

i vish i has educasin like ooo

[Broc22]

simontam has a very low level of consciousness..hell consciousness i assume that happiness has eluded him thus far!

[ministate]

Thank you for posting this clip. I enjoyed watching it.

[SGL1402]

It all dreams. Sleep more!

[stplf]

Sorry, SGL1402, but why you say "dreams"?

[SGL1402]

Hehe :).....Have you ever ask this question while you are sleeping and dreaming? If you ask then you aware that those dreams happening to you but you are not the dreams. It is your freedom to enjoy that state or to get out of it. It is a game I am not "for" or "against" but simply i am just feeling the fact.

[Nowitzki25]

Beware of the surface livers!

[weav8060]

"meditation" and "spirituality" are stolen concepts by Zen

[RinzaiBlue]

wha? how the heck do you steal meditation, could you tell me who owns it? Id like to pay them a visit and ask them if they minded. "How do you meditate", "you don't" "oh", so what was stolen? Sitting in a chair. HOLY! Better find the man who invented sitting in a chair, man, that's a mind blowing concept.

[simontam777]

Who do those concepts belong to then? Is there a copyright? Dumb!

[SJP3793]

Buddhism has much wisdom in it:-)

[aaron343432]

wow he looks like Richard Geere!

[Quietlydoesit]

It is reminiscent of the tatoos that gang members have to me. It has little to do with the hearts and minds of people. They seem to me a symbolic representation of difference which identifies them as being different and whatsmore...you from being different to them. It's like the uniforms of armies. The enemy is easily recognisable. It is an instrument of evil and division amongst humanity. Beware of these things.

[BillyHub]

There is nothing to fear if you seek peace in life.

[RinzaiBlue]

Except badgers. Vicious little sneaks.

[Quietlydoesit]

Actually there are the same things to fear in life whether you are peaceful or not. Most victims of violence are not themselves combative...the statistics of war show this clearly. People are aggressive, egotistical and aquisitive. If the meak do inherit the earth, I will be happy about that but don't hold your breath.

[Quietlydoesit]

You are quite aggressive and unpleasant simontam777. And this on behalf of the peace-loving Buddhists? Where has all this anger come from my brother?

Maybe you should take off your beads!

[simontam777]

I'm not a Buddhist. Anybody who claims religious clothing is a "instrument of evil" is a nut! You are quite arrogant and patronizing! Were does this stupidity come from My brother?

[Quietlydoesit]

Why do 'spiritual' spokespersons feel the need to have trinkets like beeds, crosses, stars, skull caps, hijabs and other outward presentations of their individualistic belief systems? What is the purpose of these things?

[tomwash1]

Do you have any mental issues? (I'm being serious.) Or do you have a hidden agenda?

[simontam777]

No, I was sarcastically replying to another post. But since the majority of you tube users can't pick up on very very obvious sarcasm, it went over your head!

[tomwash1]

Sarcasm does not go over my head actually, I'm British and we are known for our sarcasm, perhaps you need to watch some of our comedy to see how it is done. All Americans are highly intelligent. (that's sarcasm)

[simontam777]

Why do 'spiritual' spokespersons feel the need to have trinkets like beeds, crosses, stars, skull caps, hijabs and other outward presentations of their individualistic? belief systems?-Quietlydoesit It is an instrument of evil and division amongst humanity. Beware of these things.-Quitelydoesit

Does he have any mental issues? Wearing beads is an instrument of evil? I would say YES!

[badakhan]

Wonderful! Jesse Hirsh interviews scholars of different religions really a nice and neutral way.

[bunozen]

Wonderful ...

[Sparven77]

Thanks for the post!

[deetro5]

No difference between spirituality and regular life, yet "it's about getting rid of things without pursuing things?". What fantasy world does this exist in? Just don't put another head on top of your head. That's all. It's about not being deluded. These thoughts exhist, don't imagine a place where they do not exist. That's the delusion.

[ICR68]

The sensei is so right: I'm no expert, but am also very tired of the shallowness, materialism and the frantic rush to acquire possessions that typifies western society. There must be so much more to life than what we, in the west, regard as 'living'.

[Harpakhrad11]

Would you prefer a society of detached emotionless individuals that have become alienated from their own egos?

[croscream]

Asia is a spiritual black hole. Most of the great spiritual ideologies come from the west. Plato, Saint Thomas, Kierkegaard where all western people, not Eastern. Those where the people that matter to the western world.

[croscream]

Asia is shallow and materialistic. When an asiatic goes to university they will always choose the educations with which they can make the most money because they don't care living a good live. They only care about money, wealth and power. That's why most asiatic societies are so corrupt.

[asocaxiao]

Yeap, that is why lawyer is so popular in America and every American wants to get into a law school to make lots of money; that is why MBA program is in the largest department in most universities in America; that is why accounting is so hot now in America cause it is one of the easiest major to find a job; that is why more than half of PHD students in America are non-Americans... You can see how much Americans don't like money!

[croscream]

Maybe that is why Asiatics feel so at home in America. America is shallow and materialistical just like Asia.

[tratandodevivir]

asocaxiao:

I understand your frustration w/ this dude "croscream", but you can't put everyone in America as just one kind of individual. There are many kinds of people... not everyone wants to be a lawyer or an accountant. There are many writers, artists, teachers. And yes, those nasty ones in power like money. But there are many millioners exploiting people all over the world, including China, india, and Arab countries.

[asocaxiao]

I am an Asian. I think there are great thinkers in Ease and West. It is shallow for you to say that before you know it! Go home and read more!

[croscream]

I already got you where an Asian. Your bad sense of logic and your ranting about America already proved that to me.

[asocaxiao]

It is funny that you can't understand it. I was just ironic.

[croscream]

No, it wasn't. You people really believe the filth you are saying.

[teemingup]

Also good questions. That also really helps.

[morrink]

Great!

[00ARYA00]

wonderful interview and teaching. Thanks!

[golgofrinchian]

Thanks for posting this.

[jeffchronicles]

Great interview. Thank you for posting it.