Angel City Zen Center - Beginners Only Podcast

"When we are very, very quiet, sometimes we can perceive the entire symphony of life as a whole. ...even while we only experience only one note at a time, we can know for certain that the whole of the symphony exists." - Brad Warner

Brad unveils a brand new chapter from the brand new book he's been working on all about the intersection of non duality and ethics, which is to say, how to play our one perfect little note in the great cosmic symphony we call the universe. An in depth and freewheeling discussion ensues all about the ironies of feeling like an outsider in a practice of non separation, how to be a constructive contrarian in community practice, and how Brad personally tries to fulfill his late teacher's lofty aspirations for Buddhism even when he's not.

“If anything you say is going to be wrong, you might as well say it right” - Colin Young

Dave takes a Zen look at making choices - what are wise discernments and what is the delusion of discrimination? Along the way we get a dramatic reading of the Xinxin Ming, Sengcan’s classic treatise on choice and non duality, and some practical advice on how to deal with the annoying DJ in the apartment upstairs.

"Your life is predetermined. And to be free, you must first be aware that your life is predetermined, that it is conditioned, that all your responses are more or less the same as those of everybody else throughout the world…

But in going into it very deeply, you will also find that you can be free from all this conditioning…. You can be free from it all. Then you will know what it is to have an innocent mind, and it is only such a mind that can find out what is truth." - J. Krishnamurti

Brad Warner gives us an intricate look at free will in Zen and life in general. Does it exist? Would we notice if it did?? How much can we control and how free are we when we try??? Bonus rounds! Brad may have (or may not, but possibly) found us the quote that knocked Leonard Cohen off his depression. Also, what's the best Rush album?? Find out here!

“Whether or not you establish the Bodhi Mind and Nirvana for yourself is unimportant. If anything, they say you shouldn't do that, you should endeavor to save everyone instead.” - Brad Warner

Are there really definable levels of practice that we can achieve, and how would we know if we’ve attained them? Brad gives us a detailed look at early Buddhism’s take on the four stages of practice from stream enterer all the way up to full enlightened arhat, and then turns to Dogen for his take on whether or not those handy labels are applicable to Zen’s freewheeling ways. Also bonus round! Brad gives a sneak peak at a passage from his upcoming book with his own hot take on the controversy. What is "pleasant abiding" or the enticing (if a little disconcerting) sounding "rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal?" And who do we get to brag to when we've attained them? Find out here!