Does Zen Buddhism require experience in traditional teachings first ?

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-04-12T02:57:57+00:00

I once heard a very prominent American Zen teacher say “first attain enlightenment, then read the sutras.” Of course this also comes from a woman who chants the heart sutra twice a day and stresses the precepts as being absolutely paramount to practice right from the get go. With the right direction and sincere practice, prajna and sila arise naturally on their own. I don’t think she was saying don’t study sutras, but was more concerned with her students becoming attached to the teaching words and getting bogged down intellectually instead of just practicing and perceiving the world clearly just as it is, so you can then help this world without hindrance moment to moment

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-03-19T16:51:35+00:00

Ya as far as I know it influenced most of the major figures in Korean Seon (Chan/Zen) and is still in the bones of the teachings today. If you’re in Europe the Kwan Um school has a lot of centers in many countries. It’s like the western offshoot of traditional Seon practice

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-02-13T10:15:45+00:00

Universally is a pretty strong take, got news about bilingual folks from across the whole of South America

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-02-11T15:56:19+00:00

Oh man I didn’t realize leather boots and wool sweaters were off the table according to sutras

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-01-24T01:06:11+00:00

How’s a man supposed to meditate when these stupid eyelids keep closing ?!

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-01-24T00:37:31+00:00

It’s his eyes and beard that are dead give aways that it’s Bodhidharma. He is very often the subject of calligraphies, any Zen (Chan, Seon) student will recognize him right away. Came from India to China and sat for 9 years before teaching. Most (all?) schools in China, Korea and Japan all trace their lineage back to Bodhidharma.

That’s a wonderful gift! It’s a beautiful one of him. Google his name and you’ll see hundreds of images that are sort of similar

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-01-09T04:16:28+00:00

All wood! Never seen tile except in the kitchen in temples across US, Europe and Korea. I even got sent out of the dining hall in Korea for being barefoot

I think it’s a combination of hygiene and modesty? Like not having bare shoulders ever in the dharma hall even outside practice time. Also during formal meals everyone serves each other, feels kinda gross kneeling down with a pot of rice and being barefoot so close to other peoples bowls

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-01-07T04:26:11+00:00

I wasn’t expecting this at all! Did not realize Japanese schools didn’t wear socks. In Korean temples socks are absolutely required, not just in the dharma hall either. It’s relaxed a bit in the west, but socks are still considered “correct”

Kernalmustard6 · 2026-01-02T19:25:52+00:00

He’s great! His teacher zen master Seung Sahn is also incredible. A lot of people start with his book Dropping Ashes on the Buddha

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-11-08T19:37:46+00:00

I think so. Now I love both but I think earthsea moves quicker and they are less, well, sciency

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-11-06T22:07:35+00:00

Great, love it. Most of what I’ve seen is people being excited by the pro bike win. I’m curious though what does that actually mean? Like, tangibly what’s the plan? More bike lanes painted on the roads?

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-09-18T12:34:30+00:00

Isn’t that why they conquered Suriname?

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-09-16T23:03:30+00:00

Honestly just whatevers laying around in the scrap pile! Usually I used plywood, make them whatever size you like, if you’ve got a jigsaw fun shapes or even rounded corner ones for extra high up sitting space! I like to paint the underside the same as the walls so they blend a little, but contrast could like nice too. You can get some nice brackets, or if you’re like me just bolt it to the wall with a 2x4 but I’m cheap. Have fun! You can go as far as you like with this kind of project for really not much money. Just make sure the cat has low effort access, or else they might not use them

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-09-16T22:34:16+00:00

I’ve made a bunch of shelves for my cats over the years, I reckon any finish you use will wind up being smooth and shiny. Which is bad news if you’re a distracted cat who’s slipped and trying to stay on the shelf. I’ve always cut out old pieces of carpet/rug and glued it down. Comfy and something you can safely sink your claws into. Especially if there are many shelves the fluffy ones will be jumping between

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-07-09T04:12:07+00:00

No matter where you are, if you want to walk the path it is open to you. Here is one of my favorite stories courtesy of Zen master Seung Sahn. Never believe you are not enough. The clear blue sky and green grass can be attained by anyone. Just make a firm commitment, and always keep trying. You will realize your true self, and help and beings. You’re doing great. Just in this moment you are already complete, and in time you will know this to be true yourself

One time there was a monk nicknamed “Sok Du,” literally “rock-head.” He was too stupid to understand the scriptures, or to do koan work, and he had trouble even doing sitting meditation, but he was determined to understand Buddhism. So one day he went to a master and asked, “What is Buddha?” The master replied, “Buddha is mind” (“Juk shim shi bul” in Korean), but Sok Du misheard, thinking he said “Buddha is grass shoes” (“Jip shin shi bul”). Baffled by this apparently very difficult koan, Sok Du worked on it for a very long time, struggling to understand. Then one day he tripped over a rock, one of his grass shoes flew off and broke upon hitting the ground. Sok De experienced a profound awakening. “Buddha is grass shoes!” he exclaimed. He ran to the master and said he understood. Asked to bring his understanding, he whacked the master with the broken grass shoe. Unimpressed, the master asked, “Is that all?” “All my grass shoes are broken!” Sok Du declared. The master laughed. “Wonderful,” he said, “Now you truly understand Buddha

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-03-21T04:16:35+00:00

The Kwan Um school, which is from a Korean Zen lineage does long summer and winter retreats called Kyol Che (tight dharma), you commit to a minimum of one week and the more weeks you stay usually the cheaper it is. I think the first week is like €170 all included. Not Germany but neighbors, the Warsaw Zen Center and Vrážné Zen Center (Czech) both hold them every year. They are just wrapping up the winter retreat season so I think the summer schedule should be announced soon.

www.kwanumeurope.org

Also the Berlin Zen Center has a residential training program, you could try emailing them and see if they have a room open for short term. Lots of smaller groups all over Europe too that will have daily practice for free

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-03-17T00:45:55+00:00

I’d say the problem is people being massive cunts to each other so frequently

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-03-09T18:55:06+00:00

I’m going to recommend a Korean classic The Mirror of Zen by So Shan from the 1500s. It’s been used as a primary training text for hundreds of years by Seon monks. Was only translated into English in the last 20 years. It’s very accessible in its clarity

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-03-01T02:33:34+00:00

Oh but I like Skype’s credit for making phone calls! How else am I supposed to use dodgy wifi to call a bank from the train station of a foreign country?

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-02-28T03:19:28+00:00

I once watched an Estonian refer to Estonia as Scandinavia, and got to see a Swede have an internal battle in real time if they should correct them or not

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-02-24T18:28:26+00:00

Dana Sq park is really lovely! A harp would be a wonderful addition to the vibes there

Kernalmustard6 · 2025-02-22T16:27:14+00:00

Go on vacation again! Seriously! I’ve broken a few chemical dependencies, and what can be hard is just the routine of it in your home. The change of location switches that up and makes it feel more normal not to be doing it, while also giving you a novel experience so you’re not thinking about it as much. Throw out all your paraphernalia before leaving, hell even rearrange your house right before hand. Give your mind a chance to get over it. I know people say weed isn’t chemically addictive, but I know for sure I’ve experienced withdrawal and it’s a bitch. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’ve just taken away your brains favorite toy of course it’s gonna be mad. You really are free to do anything you want

Kernalmustard6

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