Posted inMC Podcasts

Teisho: Bodhidharma’s Zen Part 1 of 2

April 14, 2016

Description: In this talk, Henry explores the origins of zen as it moved from India, to China and finally Japan.  This penetrating teisho grounds us in Bodhidharma’s view of zen which is rooted in four simple but profound characteristics: a special mind to mind transmission outside scripture; not relying on words and letters; directly pointing to the human mind; and becoming Buddha. Henry discusses Bodhidharma’s Outline of Practice, or the “Two Gates” to entry which are Principle and Practice. Henry first explores the “principle” —  non-dual, oneness, simply being what is– which is simple but extraordinarily difficult to grasp.

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To help us, Bodhidharma offers four “practices”: suffering injustice and adversity, adapting to conditions, seeking nothing and practicing the Dharma, as means to get to the essence of Zen’s fundamental principle.

Post Image Credit: “… real meaning of non-duality…,” by Wonderlane, CC BY 2.0
Featured Image Credit: Ox and Herdsman Vanished, by Tensho ShubunPublic Domain, {{PD-1923}}

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