*_“Zen is a liberation from time. For if we open our eyes and see clearly, it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant, and that the past and the future are abstractions without any concrete reality.” ― Alan Watts_*
Life Progress - ideas for a better life TV Living in the NOW removes the power that the past or the future hold over you. Easier said than done but, when you can achieve it, it works. ✌️
@ first of all, I suggest you look around you--that is exactly what we are doing anyway without being guided by Zen. Secondly, no sooner is a problem solved than another arises. Finally, human beings are still pretty much assholes to each other if only because they are self-centered, greedy, and inconsiderate, so there is no change in behavior either. You're not wrong, but I think the point Watts is making is a bit different: he's saying that you must focus on the single moment in which you exist. If you want to, you can solve problems in that moment, but only by acting--not just thinking about what you're going to do. Living in the single, continuous moment is the point. I don't know whether that makes life any better or not, but what I do know is that we have a blind belief in 'progress' and we are rushing towards something without knowing what it is, and the past is over--he is being literal there--it's not real anymore. The only time you can do anything is right now. Not later, and not yesterday, and that is actually the only way to change or improve whatever it is you're talking about.
@ are you reading the same statement I am, because Mr. Watts is talking about complete, immediate awareness--the opposite of 'brain dead'. So, what kind of awareness do you profess to practice or possess?
@ You just read his definition. Instead of dwelling on the past (which is completely different than knowledge of history or knowledge of any kind), and instead of looking/hoping towards the future, your consciousness like your physical being should exist only in the current moment. Your physical being has no choice but to be here, but your consciousness can focus on yesterday or tomorrow instead of now. He is saying the current moment is the only time you actually have to do anything, so it is where your consciousness (focus/energy/power) should be--everything else--past and future--are before or later, so don't expend energy/consciousness on those things because they are not where you are. Aren't before and later 'there'? Isn't now 'here'? You don't exist in before or later. You existed before and you will exist later so you only exist NOW--that's why it's called being present, because you are in the present moment/present tense, and that's what he's saying. In the past you were somewhere else and in the future you will be somewhere else. What you do with the present--what you do with now--is entirely up to you. He is not encouraging people to be ignorant or brain dead--he's encouraging people to be in the present moment and to make the most of it, so they can influence/decide what happens next, so they don't regret it after it happened.
If you've finished your meal (reached your idea peak) then clean your bowl (empty your mind). A bowl with contents is only as useful as the contents within. A bowl is most useful when it is empty.
Chase Robertson why is it that you always find what you are seeking in the last place that you look. I remember years ago in the days that I was searching and becoming more and more lost. I was reading a book written by a guru, I forget his name. The book was titled, ‘I Am That’. It was the most tedious book, people where asking the guru questions and he was answering as guru’s do with the answer of no answer. All of a sudden, I put the book down, I cannot say what it was other than a realisation that all of the answers combined showed me my answer. Now I do not seek, I do not even remember the things that I was seeking. In that instance my past disappeared, all of the books, all of the discussions paled into meaninglessness. Now I just wake in the morning, go to work, look forward to the weekend, the look forward to going back to work. It is enough, I don’t need to search for my purpose, I just make every minute of my day purposeful.
Zen is the best method to understand that one cannot understand. It's been a guiding light in my life. Alan watts is an excellent introduction for western minds. To the outsider it may sound like nonsense. And they would be right. And wrong. That's Zen ☺ interesting timing as I'm preparing to make a similar video. Hard things to define
@@PBryanMcMillin yes it's like the saying: there are things we can know, things that we know we dont know, and things that we dont know that we dont know.
@Ascended Master it's easy to think that at certain times in our lives weve figured it all out...but I guarantee you will have doubts during your journey. I once believed in the love and light nonsense until I realized it was a trap. There is no such thing as infinite Bliss, for Bliss is only one side of a coin Anybody who makes a claim they know the only way to enlightenment never understood it in the first place. You are still caught up in the symbols. Your ego even makes you think you are and ascended Master. Perhaps you need a little more Alan Watts 😃. But thanks for letting us know the sole purpose of Our Lives. I'll ponder that while i sip my coffee.
I would honestly say that “zen” is a form of self control as it lets someone let go of their personal perceptions holding them back from doing whatever they want. Shame, guilt, even happiness, it feels good to let go of everything, like perhaps you could think back to your middle school days and dismiss certain aspects of it that still affect you, change your perception at any given moment, (go from sleepy to wide awake and perhaps superconscious, or go from superconscious straight back to being sleepy), it’s just all about how you control yourself. Nit picking at what is real and fake, what is right and wrong, what bad memories or fears you have, and realizing that there isn’t an answer for the final one, which would be to ask the question of where everything came from. Asking that is like asking what is more north than the North Pole. Nobody can answer it because the universe cannot have created itself out of its own matter which is as far as you can define because you can’t confirm the existence of anything else because it’s not like you. Even if you could tell me where it came from, at one point the chain would have to break at there being no answer.
Ascended Master random spammed bs about your religion with lots of emojis and horrible grammar isn’t a good way to persuade people, only to annoy them.
The fact that this video eloquently and so simplistically explains something so complex in so few minutes is staggering and impressive. You, my friend, captured the essence of Zen in such a profound and concise way that I wish everyone who indulges in the school of thought sees this and is amazed like I am. Grand applause to those making this video. Thank you.
In old times, or in the early 1900’s, and you were a kid and you came up and asked a question like this, the elder would conclude that you must be hungry! So they sent you to go keep busy by sweeping floors or washing clothes! Asking questions like these meant you had too much free time on your hands! It was called idling, and meant you needed to be kept busy! 😹 apparently it’s the same in all cultures!
I think the meaning of the riddle is: There is no secret or one true answer to enlightenment/success, you still need to do your everyday work, live your everyday life. Enlightenment can only be achieved, over time, through hard work and life experience.
Enlightenment is an understanding of life. So, understanding that bowls need to be cleaned after they serve their purpose (containing the thing that sustains us) is a form of enlightenment. Keep going!
Entelechymonad that was extremely verbose. That amount of eloquent wording was laughably unnecessary. Your sentence looks like you desperately searched for as many big words as possible, and crammed all of your results into one sentence. So Paradoxically, by trying to sound smart you ended up sounding dumber. Nice try bud.
I can thank grandad, asking for my thoughts to be addressed direct, by 'drafting, and drafting again' (simplify what you're saying, so that others can understand). creativity - highlighted to me, new things are positive - and my awareness is my intention. Express ones awareness + make positive, of what is not - by speaking 'what is' I am, I do, I want, I will, shall, do, love, sing, i dont, i wont, i cant, I am not, the things that aren't, can't be, shan't not. And then relax, in to your senses. Express what is mind - and materialise ones intent. I cant imagine where this takes us - Here is to new things, making positive vibes! x
I love that even calling it, it... is an attachment. Healthy attachments, or impossible detachments, it's ok. This video has much love! Very appreciated! Thanks again for posting
The best compliment I can give is "your content justify your channel name". Thank you so much for making us a part of your learning journey. Best Regards.
This video is a Gem. For someone who is new to Zen, this video is a very intelligent portal, but you have to come with a key, in order to traverse the portal. I've been trying, with no little success, to live the Dao for many years, my Inspiration being Suzuki. But one has to keep one's bowl clean in order to stay on the Dao. Here's a tip to assist you: Watch kittens at play, with no other object, other than to enjoy the moment.
*Mysticism makes the mind to think and reflect,* thus giving more opportunity for the audience to interpret the message as it "suits" the audience. That's why mystics can be deep and mundane at the same time
carpo719 it is impossible. Just like it is impossible to describe how an apple tastes. The words do not do justice to the experience. Yet we need words so that we can convey something.
@@StefanHendriks exactly. It's that balance of knowledge and ignorance, of words and thoughts, the ineffable and the expressible.... the greatest things in life have no definition that is worthy. The best we can do is make comparisons. But some things have no equal
This quote has meaning to it. The meal represents your goal, either in life or an everyday one. The bowl represents the tools you utilized to successfully fulfill your mission. Cleaning the bowl readies the tools not only for the next person that needs them, but if you need them again, too. (remember you cant help anyone unless you are in the right position to) You are essentially achieving something, but not taking anything away from anyone. If you left the bowl dirty, the next person cant eat or needs to find a different new bowl. And that bowl isnt 100% certain for them to successfully eat their meal, because you havent used it and experienced it. Its about a level of respect for others also while ensuring your personal tools for success.
Nice video, thanks for the effort. I would like to add that, as a Zen practitioner, there is no sense in trying to understand koans without an underlying meditation practice and without a competent teacher that shows us how to practice with them. Koans are a beautiful tool, designed to awaken us to our true nature, using the Zen terminology. It takes great effort to start to see what this practice is about. I really encourage all of you to start a meditation practice. Find a teacher, a meditation group and start sitting. You won't regret it.
Gosh, I'm just stymied. This is the best general explanation of the zen. I've ever heard. And I've been studying it for years, and it's my first name. I seriously don't think I could do a better job. So thank you. Next time someone asks me the meaning of zen I'll just point them to this video.
Who is pursuit of wonder!? These videos are so well done in content and in production. The montage of images is painstakingly detailed. it must take your team a huge amount of time to do these and I really appreciate them. The text also is extremely thorough and thought-provoking. Thank you for your work!
Tone Poet not even joking this is the first comment expressing gratitude I have ever seen on TH-cam. Thank you Pursuit if Wonder and Thanks for restoring some of my faith in humanity to both of you.
You ate your meal, now you clean it. One thing comes after the other and it does so naturally. If you live by going with the flow at all times, never having to force your self against it, you are enlightened.
God damnit.. How much knowledge this guy has... I definitely would like to sit and listen his lectures or podcasts. One of the best channels I've discovered.
Vero I think there’s a difference. To have a mindset is to “set” your mind. To set your mind on not setting your mind is a mindset. But never setting your mind is not a mindset, because well... the mind isn’t “set upon” anything. It’s spontaneous living.
@Alexander Supertramp I'm not familiar with Zen but the rejection of God says a lot about a person. They reject a higher order and structure. Things are so rational that its blinding.
@Berzerker God This is exactly what I was talking about. Rejecting the psychological concept of god creates a disordered person. You're experience is purely subjective. It's a detachment from a root.
Zen is just another technique to catch and possess good feelings, which we always have only temporarly and fleeting which makes us crave them come back.
Thank you for sharing, you speak with much conviction. Although I do believe you might also fail to see the lesson of this koan. The easy way out would just be to assume that it makes no sense and declare it as such. This is the ego attempting to establish itself. But this is only a small part of the lesson. The very purpose of koans is being able to see through self inflated opinions. When you see it you will realize that there actually isn't any problem to solve. It simply points to the way. I can only show you the way to the gateless gate, but it is up to you to step through it.
I think this speaks to mindfulness, when you are truly mindful what happens next is a surprise. Clean your bowl was a jumping off point for his enlightenment, clean your bowl literally and mindfully, whatever happens next is the way.
this sounds more like a really worked out and rational way of giving up. we should always strive to know everything, the only thing you should take out of this is that there are things that we don't know but its only a matter of time and place.
He's an intellectual outsider ....he knows about it...which is important to know the thing..but to experience it overall is to realize an absolute reality that mankind chooses what they are not designed for....
@timwins31 I just feel like reaching out to others for help is something that takes a huge amount of courage at least for me. The monk wasn't enlightened because he knew that he knew nothing, he was enlightened because he made the decision to reach out to those around him
Zen is not about having no general concepts ideas but to stay fluid in them. If something contradicts what one believes or is paradoxical or is uncomprehendable then one shouldn't disregard them but acknowledge them without needing to fully understand why something is or isn't. In the end all that's important is that it exists therefore it is.
The point of the Koan is to simply teach us, their is no single path to enlightenment, no correct way, just go about life however you do it man. We all arrive at the end one way or another ❤
Recently I have been too attached to the good days of past. It really causes depression. As I was thinking I am not the kind of person to feel pastsick, this video came up. Thanks to Allah.
Even more perplexing is the fact that Buddhists practice zazen. They flow down the river by sitting. It’s irony and hilarity is almost too much to bear. “Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.” Suzuki Roshi
Maybe the meal represents the rewards of life, the wisdom you receive in time, the parts of life that we work our absolute hardest for to enjoy. Maybe washing the bowl represents the work you have to put into whatever you want in life, the hardships in life you must face to receive the things you want and need in return, eating your food (Getting what you want and need in life) means you have to wash the bowl so that you can eat out of it again (Work hard to get the things you work towards in return) The more work you put into cleaning the bowl, the healthier and cleaner the bowl will be to eat out of, or maybe it’s just a question that instantly gets your brain into thinking about life to be able to answer the damn question in the first place, it makes you focus on your thoughts and internal self on accident...The world may never know.
Maybe the meal represents a meal, the bowl represents a bowl, and the guy was told to clean his bowl because the best way to "understand" Zen is to not bother trying to understand it and focus on what you should already be doing.
Bloody awesome .. we need to stop asking questions ...haha .. I like this . We r trying to create order amongst the chaos, of course that bloody stresses everyone out .
Yes, we are trying some many things....I like a lot what Alan Watts says about life that it is like music or dancing: you do not enjoy dancing by aiming to a particular place in the floor, although it is great fun to go along changing your place and body posture as you just feel at each moment. To ask questions about oneself or whatever game of thoughts that we could play aiming to arrive somewhere could be pleasant if we remember that it is ever a dance. And you only follow a dance if you are enjoying, isn't? ;)
I feel lile the "clean your bowl" thing does have a clear point. You eat, therefore you take on the responsibility of cleaning the bowl. Life begets responsibility.
The meal is trying up till the point of giving up (seaking outwardly) The cleaning of the bowl is cleansing your heart/mind of failure and searching for what is, has been and always will be ...now
I would love seeing a video on how to remain in the "zen" state. I organically fell into this state of experience/perception after a full ego death, and then again after a near death experience. Or.. as Alan Watts would call "the blown out state" lol. Staying like that, while attempting to take part in this show we call life has been difficult to say the least..and in all honesty ive lost 75% of it both times. I had zero fears, anxieties, or concerns and life was truly bliss. Unfortunately the people around us are not in this state. Add that to the fact that when we are in bliss, we have very little drive to take part in lifestyles that dont align with these principles and a paradox quickly forms. Its as though we need to join the shit to take part in this mass experience. After multiple times experiencing this state of being, years of studying others experiences, and years of studying myself... i feel like we werent meant to stay in that mode for too long here. This life is an oppourtunity to gain wisdom, empathy, learn to love more, and work on becoming a cohesive unit rather than separate ourselves from eachother. I dont know if we can do that while living either the pure bliss lifestyle or monastery lifestyle. Every sword needed to be heated up and smacked by a hammer to because an upgraded and beautiful creation. Im very curious to hear your thoughts on this and either way.. i hope all has been well on your path : )
There is no Zen state. If it was a state you can go in and out of, it is not what Zen (or Buddhism) is pointing at. It goes so much deeper than what this video has hinted at. If you're interested in deepening your experiences, I would recommend you find a good Zen teacher and practice with them. Depending on where you live, I can recommend some names. Good luck with your practice :)
@@pablocatalanfdez Sure, I would love a recommendation, thank you. And i believe I should have said the state of Satori, not Zen. Zen is hard to word or describe now that i think about it. I want to say lifestyle and teaching system but i dont even think that works. Satori is definitely a state though and what Allan Watts called the "blown out phase". Also hard to describe with words but when in it, there is no misunderstanding it.
@@BattlesOne I practice with Jeff Shore (beingwithoutself.org/jeff/), who lives in Kyoto but regularly goes to Europe and the States to hold retreats. He's very good, but of course I'm biased :) Additionally, and although I haven't met them in person, I personally trust Meido Moore (www.korinji.org/about-korinji), Guo Gu (tallahasseechan.org/about-us/teacher/) and Dosho Port (www.nebraskazencenter.org/our-teachers.html). All of them are honest people and are doing a good job of transmitting the Dharma. Contact emails should be easy to find within the websites I linked. I wish you all the best :)
It seems very similar to the vanishing point metaphor. How you can always get closer and see more, but if you think you’ve arrived you’ve only lost sight of the horizon. We are made to exist in continuous motion but with calm stillness like being carried by the flow of the river. This is a great humility exercise to receive intuitive thoughts and bypass the lizard brain.
Just wanted to say ur videos are brilliant and it takes more than being a TH-camr to get anywhere close to that level of understanding. And dont worry about ur views because not everyone in this modern world seems to care or understand such complex theories. It takes more than the normal humans to appreciate the complexity which, I am not going to say I am- because that would make me normal which is paradoxical in itself, given I am quite normal but dont necessary feel so. Besides I am unique, however I am also a normal human in every other sense, so am I normal (which I am) or am I unique (Which is also true) If I am normal and unique then wtf.ajsknjlda;sdl HOW IS IT THAT 2 CONTRADICTORY Items coincide in one point and- AND - ANDD-D- GOD DAMN. I keep getting such insane thoughts and unless I stop myself with distractions or smthn, I eventually fall into a bouncing loop of questions that intensify each time and eventually hit hardcore depression and I cant easily get outta itttt. Some questions dont have answers and while it might be fun to observe and satisfy our curiousity, we must know our limits- attempting to exceed it with our never ending curiosity WILL BRING PAIN, FOR THE ANSWER IS, that THERE IS NO ANSWER! GL AND TC Mind bending readers. I am done, proceeding further isnt good for me or u lol. Baii Have a nEYES dae STAR OUT! ~Star
You had the opportunity to eat and sustain yourself so show some gratitude and clean it for the next person or maybe yourself for later--- you got in, so put out. In the same concept of getting in what you put out. This is the Karmic laws of Energy
Thanks for this video, I've always heard people mentioning Zen meditation but never really understood what zen meant. And I guess in a sense, zen simply is zen. But thanks, this in insanely informative and reassuring in a way, keep up the great content!
Monk: "Will you teach me the way to enlightenment?" Master: (Chooses to hear nothing because the Monk asked a useless question to which having an answer would be an empty promise, a logical falicy) "Did you eat? Good go about your tasks"
It's a lot of people reacting to others that are trying to define zen, often in an "ugh they don't understand zen"-manner which implies that one knows zen better, but isn't that not in line with the philosophy itself?
Zen buddhism is a focus on the daily practice. So eat your food, wash your bowl, clean your room, meditate, ect. That is enlightenment, not finding a holy temple. If you find the temple, then someone else would have to wash your bowl, increasing their suffering. Reduce suffering, wash your bowl.
![กี่หมื่นฟ้า | Your Sky Series EP.1 [2/4]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qJbQs_nhjD4/mqdefault.jpg)
*_“Zen is a liberation from time. For if we open our eyes and see clearly, it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant, and that the past and the future are abstractions without any concrete reality.”
― Alan Watts_*
Life Progress - ideas for a better life TV Living in the NOW removes the power that the past or the future hold over you.
Easier said than done but, when you can achieve it, it works. ✌️
@ first of all, I suggest you look around you--that is exactly what we are doing anyway without being guided by Zen. Secondly, no sooner is a problem solved than another arises. Finally, human beings are still pretty much assholes to each other if only because they are self-centered, greedy, and inconsiderate, so there is no change in behavior either. You're not wrong, but I think the point Watts is making is a bit different: he's saying that you must focus on the single moment in which you exist. If you want to, you can solve problems in that moment, but only by acting--not just thinking about what you're going to do. Living in the single, continuous moment is the point. I don't know whether that makes life any better or not, but what I do know is that we have a blind belief in 'progress' and we are rushing towards something without knowing what it is, and the past is over--he is being literal there--it's not real anymore.
The only time you can do anything is right now. Not later, and not yesterday, and that is actually the only way to change or improve whatever it is you're talking about.
@ the fact that it offers nothing is the point 😂
@ are you reading the same statement I am, because Mr. Watts is talking about complete, immediate awareness--the opposite of 'brain dead'. So, what kind of awareness do you profess to practice or possess?
@ You just read his definition. Instead of dwelling on the past (which is completely different than knowledge of history or knowledge of any kind), and instead of looking/hoping towards the future, your consciousness like your physical being should exist only in the current moment. Your physical being has no choice but to be here, but your consciousness can focus on yesterday or tomorrow instead of now. He is saying the current moment is the only time you actually have to do anything, so it is where your consciousness (focus/energy/power) should be--everything else--past and future--are before or later, so don't expend energy/consciousness on those things because they are not where you are. Aren't before and later 'there'? Isn't now 'here'? You don't exist in before or later. You existed before and you will exist later so you only exist NOW--that's why it's called being present, because you are in the present moment/present tense, and that's what he's saying. In the past you were somewhere else and in the future you will be somewhere else.
What you do with the present--what you do with now--is entirely up to you. He is not encouraging people to be ignorant or brain dead--he's encouraging people to be in the present moment and to make the most of it, so they can influence/decide what happens next, so they don't regret it after it happened.
If you've finished your meal (reached your idea peak) then clean your bowl (empty your mind).
A bowl with contents is only as useful as the contents within. A bowl is most useful when it is empty.
It was already empty when I finished the meal.
Beautiful
More like: do you take care of what you had done?
What does idea peak mean?
@@josh2676 I'd say that's when certainty arises. When one has the feeling that his idea or concept about a topic is the true one.
I ultimately learned nothing from this video.
That's very Zen
Thas Zen af
You got the point.
Exactly.
and why should we care? youre just a nobody
Very well done! Extremely thorough and thoughtful! So much jam packed into this video without it seeming too rushed or chaotic. Thanks for sharing :)
It doesn’t seem rushed or chaotic because he’s so zen lol.
“We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.”
― Robert Frost
Justin So nothing?
s are you asking something?
Justin I don’t know. I guess I didn’t know where I was at the time I commented.
Entelechymonad coming in here like,
*Lemme B R E A K it down for you young dudes*
Entelechymonad I don’t understand yet, but when I do... I might not feel the same, mentally.
You are one of the few reasons why I'm still on TH-cam.
Please continue searching.
Same, and i use youtube for most of my music, haha. Do you know academy of ideas? It's another great channel that you might enjoy.
But searching makes one lost 😅💜
@@schilll it's amazing.
Chase Robertson why is it that you always find what you are seeking in the last place that you look. I remember years ago in the days that I was searching and becoming more and more lost. I was reading a book written by a guru, I forget his name. The book was titled, ‘I Am That’. It was the most tedious book, people where asking the guru questions and he was answering as guru’s do with the answer of no answer. All of a sudden, I put the book down, I cannot say what it was other than a realisation that all of the answers combined showed me my answer. Now I do not seek, I do not even remember the things that I was seeking. In that instance my past disappeared, all of the books, all of the discussions paled into meaninglessness. Now I just wake in the morning, go to work, look forward to the weekend, the look forward to going back to work. It is enough, I don’t need to search for my purpose, I just make every minute of my day purposeful.
A monk: What is the definition of zen?
Another monk: Yes it is.
Insanity Cubed 6:30
I have achieved enlightenment
Monk 1: “What is the meaning of life?”
Monk 2: “Flying like a cow turning green.”
monk: who told you to search for meaning?
@@srga1029
I felt a need to comment, but I didn't
Waking up and sipping my coffee to these videos in the morning is my favorite way to start the day.
yup love it
Zen is the best method to understand that one cannot understand. It's been a guiding light in my life. Alan watts is an excellent introduction for western minds. To the outsider it may sound like nonsense. And they would be right. And wrong. That's Zen ☺ interesting timing as I'm preparing to make a similar video. Hard things to define
@@PBryanMcMillin there is no right or wrong, friend, only your perception of such as a function of the ego. Much love to you all
@@PBryanMcMillin yes it's like the saying: there are things we can know, things that we know we dont know, and things that we dont know that we dont know.
@Ascended Master it's easy to think that at certain times in our lives weve figured it all out...but I guarantee you will have doubts during your journey. I once believed in the love and light nonsense until I realized it was a trap.
There is no such thing as infinite Bliss, for Bliss is only one side of a coin
Anybody who makes a claim they know the only way to enlightenment never understood it in the first place. You are still caught up in the symbols. Your ego even makes you think you are and ascended Master. Perhaps you need a little more Alan Watts 😃.
But thanks for letting us know the sole purpose of Our Lives. I'll ponder that while i sip my coffee.
I would honestly say that “zen” is a form of self control as it lets someone let go of their personal perceptions holding them back from doing whatever they want. Shame, guilt, even happiness, it feels good to let go of everything, like perhaps you could think back to your middle school days and dismiss certain aspects of it that still affect you, change your perception at any given moment, (go from sleepy to wide awake and perhaps superconscious, or go from superconscious straight back to being sleepy), it’s just all about how you control yourself. Nit picking at what is real and fake, what is right and wrong, what bad memories or fears you have, and realizing that there isn’t an answer for the final one, which would be to ask the question of where everything came from. Asking that is like asking what is more north than the North Pole. Nobody can answer it because the universe cannot have created itself out of its own matter which is as far as you can define because you can’t confirm the existence of anything else because it’s not like you. Even if you could tell me where it came from, at one point the chain would have to break at there being no answer.
I don't understand what the heck this thing is, but it sounds too interesting to overlook.
*_Just when I thought I couldn't love this channel any more you make a video on Koans
I’m
P⁰
"fools may think they are wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool" this sums up Zen I guess. Haha
Italian Americans have unconsciously mastered Zen because a Zen Koan is just another way of saying: 'Fuhgeddaboudit'
it's all in the game, yo
*BA DA BING*
KingHalbatorix BA DA BOOM
@Ascended Master Relax...
Ascended Master random spammed bs about your religion with lots of emojis and horrible grammar isn’t a good way to persuade people, only to annoy them.
The fact that this video eloquently and so simplistically explains something so complex in so few minutes is staggering and impressive. You, my friend, captured the essence of Zen in such a profound and concise way that I wish everyone who indulges in the school of thought sees this and is amazed like I am. Grand applause to those making this video. Thank you.
Nah bro I was just asking if dude had eaten yet or not 🤷🏿♂️
Kenny Mack Forever, and clean up after yourself like I've told you so many times before.
In old times, or in the early 1900’s, and you were a kid and you came up and asked a question like this, the elder would conclude that you must be hungry! So they sent you to go keep busy by sweeping floors or washing clothes! Asking questions like these meant you had too much free time on your hands! It was called idling, and meant you needed to be kept busy! 😹 apparently it’s the same in all cultures!
But the Cosmic Buddha may have influenced you to ask that at that moment to convey "Live in the Present and Do what is necessary."
He was speaking while chewing, not very polite thing to do, so he was reprimanded and sent away.
🤣
This is arguably the MOST profound and articulate presentation on your channel by far... Excellent work sir...👌
Perhaps the answer is LIVING with no attachment to what it should be. Less thinking, defining, perceiving, and just experiencing. Great video! 💛🌅
I think the meaning of the riddle is: There is no secret or one true answer to enlightenment/success, you still need to do your everyday work, live your everyday life.
Enlightenment can only be achieved, over time, through hard work and life experience.
Enlightenment is an understanding of life. So, understanding that bowls need to be cleaned after they serve their purpose (containing the thing that sustains us) is a form of enlightenment. Keep going!
A Buddhist monk went to a hot dog stand...
He said, " make me one with EVERYTHING "!
Entelechymonad that was extremely verbose. That amount of eloquent wording was laughably unnecessary. Your sentence looks like you desperately searched for as many big words as possible, and crammed all of your results into one sentence. So Paradoxically, by trying to sound smart you ended up sounding dumber. Nice try bud.
@Entelechymonad problem is, in all of that, youve lost the ability to deliver your message
@Entelechymonad i personally think thats an inefficient and even, arguably, selfish way to approach communication
Hotdog vender gave Monk hotdog. Monk asked, what about my change? Hotdog vender said, "change comes from within".
And in that moment... everyone in line groaned
I can thank grandad, asking for my thoughts to be addressed direct, by 'drafting, and drafting again'
(simplify what you're saying, so that others can understand).
creativity - highlighted to me, new things are positive - and my awareness is my intention.
Express ones awareness + make positive, of what is not - by speaking 'what is'
I am, I do, I want, I will, shall, do, love, sing, i dont, i wont, i cant, I am not, the things that aren't, can't be, shan't not.
And then relax, in to your senses.
Express what is mind - and materialise ones intent.
I cant imagine where this takes us -
Here is to new things, making positive vibes! x
It seems like the teacher was telling the student he already had what he truly needed.
I love that even calling it, it... is an attachment. Healthy attachments, or impossible detachments, it's ok. This video has much love! Very appreciated! Thanks again for posting
The best compliment I can give is "your content justify your channel name".
Thank you so much for making us a part of your learning journey.
Best Regards.
This video is a Gem. For someone who is new to Zen, this video is a very intelligent portal, but you have to come with a key, in order to traverse the portal.
I've been trying, with no little success, to live the Dao for many years, my Inspiration being Suzuki. But one has to keep one's bowl clean in order to stay on the Dao.
Here's a tip to assist you: Watch kittens at play, with no other object, other than to enjoy the moment.
I would've commented on this video but that would mean I had to comment on this video
LOL!!! That's as simple as it gets!!! He asked for enlightenment and he got it! A vague request got a pragmatic response!!! Awesome!!!
*Mysticism makes the mind to think and reflect,*
thus giving more opportunity for the audience to interpret the message as it "suits" the audience.
That's why mystics can be deep and mundane at the same time
You said it ,Brother
I like how you try to explain the unexplainable, yet somehow get to a point without getting to fluffy about things.
It's difficult to talk about that which cannot be refined or defined
carpo719 it is impossible. Just like it is impossible to describe how an apple tastes. The words do not do justice to the experience. Yet we need words so that we can convey something.
@@StefanHendriks exactly. It's that balance of knowledge and ignorance, of words and thoughts, the ineffable and the expressible.... the greatest things in life have no definition that is worthy.
The best we can do is make comparisons. But some things have no equal
Just discovered this channel today. It's amazing💙 I'm addicted❤❤❤
His video about detached your self and you attach by it lol :) jk
Lol 😂 😂
This quote has meaning to it. The meal represents your goal, either in life or an everyday one. The bowl represents the tools you utilized to successfully fulfill your mission. Cleaning the bowl readies the tools not only for the next person that needs them, but if you need them again, too. (remember you cant help anyone unless you are in the right position to) You are essentially achieving something, but not taking anything away from anyone. If you left the bowl dirty, the next person cant eat or needs to find a different new bowl. And that bowl isnt 100% certain for them to successfully eat their meal, because you havent used it and experienced it. Its about a level of respect for others also while ensuring your personal tools for success.
words are non-reality a concept trap .... a prison within the prison of the mind and body
Nice video, thanks for the effort.
I would like to add that, as a Zen practitioner, there is no sense in trying to understand koans without an underlying meditation practice and without a competent teacher that shows us how to practice with them.
Koans are a beautiful tool, designed to awaken us to our true nature, using the Zen terminology. It takes great effort to start to see what this practice is about.
I really encourage all of you to start a meditation practice. Find a teacher, a meditation group and start sitting. You won't regret it.
I really enjoy watching your videos- the content and the voice speaking, perfect match!
Gosh, I'm just stymied. This is the best general explanation of the zen. I've ever heard. And I've been studying it for years, and it's my first name. I seriously don't think I could do a better job. So thank you. Next time someone asks me the meaning of zen I'll just point them to this video.
BRO, you did some amazing work in this video. very deep and articulate. congrats
"Some things in this Universe cannot be defined as part of a Question/Answer paradigm...and that's okay."
Not some, all things
Who is pursuit of wonder!? These videos are so well done in content and in production. The montage of images is painstakingly detailed. it must take your team a huge amount of time to do these and I really appreciate them. The text also is extremely thorough and thought-provoking. Thank you for your work!
Tone Poet not even joking this is the first comment expressing gratitude I have ever seen on TH-cam. Thank you Pursuit if Wonder and Thanks for restoring some of my faith in humanity to both of you.
You ate your meal, now you clean it. One thing comes after the other and it does so naturally. If you live by going with the flow at all times, never having to force your self against it, you are enlightened.
Your videos are impressive. Both the writing and the production are very well done.
God damnit.. How much knowledge this guy has... I definitely would like to sit and listen his lectures or podcasts.
One of the best channels I've discovered.
Arnoldas Skulskis my thoughts exactly
It’s fascinating how living life never setting on one mindset is a set mindset in of itself.
Vero I think there’s a difference. To have a mindset is to “set” your mind. To set your mind on not setting your mind is a mindset. But never setting your mind is not a mindset, because well... the mind isn’t “set upon” anything. It’s spontaneous living.
@Alexander Supertramp I'm not familiar with Zen but the rejection of God says a lot about a person. They reject a higher order and structure. Things are so rational that its blinding.
@Berzerker God This is exactly what I was talking about. Rejecting the psychological concept of god creates a disordered person. You're experience is purely subjective. It's a detachment from a root.
Two best channels of this time-
Pursuit of wonder & academy of ideas
Zen is just another technique to catch and possess good feelings, which we always have only temporarly and fleeting which makes us crave them come back.
*Can't say that I'm too familiar with zen. Interesting video!*
Thank you for sharing, you speak with much conviction. Although I do believe you might also fail to see the lesson of this koan. The easy way out would just be to assume that it makes no sense and declare it as such. This is the ego attempting to establish itself. But this is only a small part of the lesson. The very purpose of koans is being able to see through self inflated opinions. When you see it you will realize that there actually isn't any problem to solve. It simply points to the way. I can only show you the way to the gateless gate, but it is up to you to step through it.
The really funny one is the attachment to non attachment. I love how completely absurd life is.
I like desiring not to desire too 😁
I think this speaks to mindfulness, when you are truly mindful what happens next is a surprise. Clean your bowl was a jumping off point for his enlightenment, clean your bowl literally and mindfully, whatever happens next is the way.
Very true. We don't have to know the way for our ways to be more of a way to us
Very true. We don't have to know the way for our ways to be more of a way to us
It means a good life is one where you have what is needed to continue with life food and the ability to be willing to learn. There saved you thinking
A good life is a life of thinking anything else is being unaware and thoughtless.
I love thinking...stop trying to save me.
this sounds more like a really worked out and rational way of giving up. we should always strive to know everything, the only thing you should take out of this is that there are things that we don't know but its only a matter of time and place.
"Even holding onto the idea of not holding on to ideas. is holding onto an idea"
What's wrong with ideas? We would all be dead without them.
I’m still shook that the brain named itself I’m rewatching this video and every time I watch it, I begin to understand it more, good stuff
Do you kno de Dao?
Go away zen knuckles!
He's an intellectual outsider ....he knows about it...which is important to know the thing..but to experience it overall is to realize an absolute reality that mankind chooses what they are not designed for....
@@professoremerald3510
I'm guessing you missed the Ugandan Knuckles reference =)
Green science um.... r/whoosh?
Do you?
Thank you for the beautiful Zen messages you've sent us through this video.
Hello morning
The monk had the courage to ask for help. I think that's enlightening in itself.
@timwins31 I just feel like reaching out to others for help is something that takes a huge amount of courage at least for me. The monk wasn't enlightened because he knew that he knew nothing, he was enlightened because he made the decision to reach out to those around him
"If you immediately realize the candlelight is fire, then the meal was cooked a long time ago." Stargate sg-1
"Don't ask a wise man, ask a fool"
THANK YOU! I watched the video three times and will now proceed to watch it a few times more.
Manifest plainness
Embrace simplicity
Reduce selfishness
Have few desires
... Gather wood, draw water. Don't forget to breathe.
Melancholy of letting go and sitting by; yet so poetic and satisfactory
you solve the puzzle by accepting you'll never solve the puzzle.
mysterywhiteboy72 ah but did you really solve it by accepting you can’t? Haha
Solving this puzzle is to stop thinking about it. Any solution is the one which makes you forget the puzzle and move one with your daily life.
You don't even accept it. You just do. not. *Mind blown*
There is no puzzle to be solved
And yet you can't, therefore you did it!
Zen is not about having no general concepts ideas but to stay fluid in them. If something contradicts what one believes or is paradoxical or is uncomprehendable then one shouldn't disregard them but acknowledge them without needing to fully understand why something is or isn't. In the end all that's important is that it exists therefore it is.
moral of the story: stop asking 'why' and go with the flow
Why?
Because
The point of the Koan is to simply teach us, their is no single path to enlightenment, no correct way, just go about life however you do it man. We all arrive at the end one way or another ❤
There's no answer to anything except what you make of it and even that can blind you from seeing what's actually there.
Wait, if there’s stuff that’s actually there then there is an answer, it’s specifically the stuff that’s there.
You’ve had you share, show gratitude. That’s it.
I can’t explain how I get what this guy is saying. Wow, I’m proud of myself💁🏻♀️
Its called being a mature and pure hearted human being. It's called being a real Christian
The idea is centered on personal responsibility,etiquette,propriety,self respect,life respect and knowing one place
To me this is simple :) answer is he is already enlightened :) its the 'realization ' of knowing you are already enlightened :)🌈
Recently I have been too attached to the good days of past. It really causes depression. As I was thinking I am not the kind of person to feel pastsick, this video came up. Thanks to Allah.
Even more perplexing is the fact that Buddhists practice zazen. They flow down the river by sitting. It’s irony and hilarity is almost too much to bear.
“Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.” Suzuki Roshi
In Zen, you teach without speaking, you think without thoughts, and you move by sitting still :)
adelma01 only one of those was actually logically contradictory
@@feartheghus which one?
.
Maybe the meal represents the rewards of life, the wisdom you receive in time, the parts of life that we work our absolute hardest for to enjoy.
Maybe washing the bowl represents the work you have to put into whatever you want in life, the hardships in life you must face to receive the things you want and need in return, eating your food (Getting what you want and need in life) means you have to wash the bowl so that you can eat out of it again (Work hard to get the things you work towards in return) The more work you put into cleaning the bowl, the healthier and cleaner the bowl will be to eat out of, or maybe it’s just a question that instantly gets your brain into thinking about life to be able to answer the damn question in the first place, it makes you focus on your thoughts and internal self on accident...The world may never know.
Maybe the meal represents a meal, the bowl represents a bowl, and the guy was told to clean his bowl because the best way to "understand" Zen is to not bother trying to understand it and focus on what you should already be doing.
Bloody awesome .. we need to stop asking questions ...haha .. I like this . We r trying to create order amongst the chaos, of course that bloody stresses everyone out .
Yes, we are trying some many things....I like a lot what Alan Watts says about life that it is like music or dancing: you do not enjoy dancing by aiming to a particular place in the floor, although it is great fun to go along changing your place and body posture as you just feel at each moment. To ask questions about oneself or whatever game of thoughts that we could play aiming to arrive somewhere could be pleasant if we remember that it is ever a dance. And you only follow a dance if you are enjoying, isn't? ;)
I absolutely love this channel and your content, please DO NOT STOP MAKING THESE VIDEOS.
If everybody practices Zen, having the computer to watch this video on Zen would have been impossible.
Then you’ve missed the point
Ans lol 😂
and we all would have been better off
Is that so?
There is a profound peace found in these videos 😊
I feel lile the "clean your bowl" thing does have a clear point. You eat, therefore you take on the responsibility of cleaning the bowl. Life begets responsibility.
The meal is trying up till the point of giving up (seaking outwardly)
The cleaning of the bowl is cleansing your heart/mind of failure and searching for what is, has been and always will be ...now
No one:
Me at 3am: A rIdLE nO OnE CaN sOlvE
I DONT NEED SLEEP I NEED ANSWERS
your videos are underrated, your channel is underrated. I have realized many things in life thanks to you.
Same. It's like it teaches you the life advice or the things you have to know but was never taught
This gotta be the least Zen video ever made about Zen, lol
I would love seeing a video on how to remain in the "zen" state.
I organically fell into this state of experience/perception after a full ego death, and then again after a near death experience. Or.. as Alan Watts would call "the blown out state" lol.
Staying like that, while attempting to take part in this show we call life has been difficult to say the least..and in all honesty ive lost 75% of it both times.
I had zero fears, anxieties, or concerns and life was truly bliss. Unfortunately the people around us are not in this state. Add that to the fact that when we are in bliss, we have very little drive to take part in lifestyles that dont align with these principles and a paradox quickly forms. Its as though we need to join the shit to take part in this mass experience.
After multiple times experiencing this state of being, years of studying others experiences, and years of studying myself... i feel like we werent meant to stay in that mode for too long here. This life is an oppourtunity to gain wisdom, empathy, learn to love more, and work on becoming a cohesive unit rather than separate ourselves from eachother.
I dont know if we can do that while living either the pure bliss lifestyle or monastery lifestyle.
Every sword needed to be heated up and smacked by a hammer to because an upgraded and beautiful creation.
Im very curious to hear your thoughts on this and either way.. i hope all has been well on your path : )
There is no Zen state. If it was a state you can go in and out of, it is not what Zen (or Buddhism) is pointing at. It goes so much deeper than what this video has hinted at.
If you're interested in deepening your experiences, I would recommend you find a good Zen teacher and practice with them. Depending on where you live, I can recommend some names.
Good luck with your practice :)
@@pablocatalanfdez Sure, I would love a recommendation, thank you.
And i believe I should have said the state of Satori, not Zen. Zen is hard to word or describe now that i think about it. I want to say lifestyle and teaching system but i dont even think that works.
Satori is definitely a state though and what Allan Watts called the "blown out phase". Also hard to describe with words but when in it, there is no misunderstanding it.
@@BattlesOne I practice with Jeff Shore (beingwithoutself.org/jeff/), who lives in Kyoto but regularly goes to Europe and the States to hold retreats. He's very good, but of course I'm biased :)
Additionally, and although I haven't met them in person, I personally trust Meido Moore (www.korinji.org/about-korinji), Guo Gu (tallahasseechan.org/about-us/teacher/) and Dosho Port (www.nebraskazencenter.org/our-teachers.html).
All of them are honest people and are doing a good job of transmitting the Dharma. Contact emails should be easy to find within the websites I linked. I wish you all the best :)
Again a video I’m wondering why I watch
Channel's name: Pursuit of Wonder
You:...
*You have arrived*
Jordy 229 yea cause this not making since to my mind
Because you needed to. 😑
You are curious
@@carpo719 why
It seems very similar to the vanishing point metaphor. How you can always get closer and see more, but if you think you’ve arrived you’ve only lost sight of the horizon. We are made to exist in continuous motion but with calm stillness like being carried by the flow of the river. This is a great humility exercise to receive intuitive thoughts and bypass the lizard brain.
Just wanted to say ur videos are brilliant and it takes more than being a TH-camr to get anywhere close to that level of understanding. And dont worry about ur views because not everyone in this modern world seems to care or understand such complex theories.
It takes more than the normal humans to appreciate the complexity which, I am not going to say I am- because that would make me normal which is paradoxical in itself, given I am quite normal but dont necessary feel so. Besides I am unique, however I am also a normal human in every other sense, so am I normal (which I am) or am I unique (Which is also true)
If I am normal and unique then wtf.ajsknjlda;sdl HOW IS IT THAT 2 CONTRADICTORY Items coincide in one point and- AND - ANDD-D-
GOD DAMN. I keep getting such insane thoughts and unless I stop myself with distractions or smthn, I eventually fall into a bouncing loop of questions that intensify each time and eventually hit hardcore depression and I cant easily get outta itttt.
Some questions dont have answers and while it might be fun to observe and satisfy our curiousity, we must know our limits- attempting to exceed it with our never ending curiosity WILL BRING PAIN, FOR THE ANSWER IS, that THERE IS NO ANSWER!
GL AND TC Mind bending readers.
I am done, proceeding further isnt good for me or u lol.
Baii Have a nEYES dae
STAR OUT!
~Star
You had the opportunity to eat and sustain yourself so show some gratitude and clean it for the next person or maybe yourself for later--- you got in, so put out. In the same concept of getting in what you put out. This is the Karmic laws of Energy
Explaining koans is like dissecting a 🐸 ..
Both die when it's done 😄.•°
Thanks for this video, I've always heard people mentioning Zen meditation but never really understood what zen meant. And I guess in a sense, zen simply is zen. But thanks, this in insanely informative and reassuring in a way, keep up the great content!
Not to brag but uh, I still haven’t clicked on your illusions of free will video
Brilliant
Ideas can be useful as sign posts. The idea to not conclude/hold onto ideas is useful here. It’s the finger pointing at the moon
*The lips of WISDOM are closed, except to the ears of Understanding.*
Whats the true meaning ?
The meal and the bowl represent, starting a task, without thinking, and then taking the next logical step, without thinking.
This is good ..I’m just a passenger. Take it a lot less seriously .
Reese GET WELL CHANNEL Gully still take risks, be ok with failing, always get back up only sometimes if you feel like it, take a nap on the floor
Nobody can think for you but you can tolerate those who try to.
"that's not what i sad at all"
buddha
Life is simple, we as people overthink or analyze everything. Take things at face value but be aware of the dangers underneath.
Monk: "Will you teach me the way to enlightenment?" Master: (Chooses to hear nothing because the Monk asked a useless question to which having an answer would be an empty promise, a logical falicy) "Did you eat? Good go about your tasks"
Chop Wood, Carry Water
He actually meant
*Just don't leave your bowl unclean after you've finished your meal, clean that shit!*
Most of these comments consist of people describing zen 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
No they dont lol
It's a lot of people reacting to others that are trying to define zen, often in an "ugh they don't understand zen"-manner which implies that one knows zen better, but isn't that not in line with the philosophy itself?
Sam Mayahi they lost when they began the fight. The only winning move was not to play.
that's not.
Zen buddhism is a focus on the daily practice. So eat your food, wash your bowl, clean your room, meditate, ect. That is enlightenment, not finding a holy temple. If you find the temple, then someone else would have to wash your bowl, increasing their suffering. Reduce suffering, wash your bowl.
How can I contact you? I can't believe it, I've thought of all the exact same philosophies as you, ALL, I wanna join in the discussions you guys make.