Tag: zen

The Book of Enoch - It Is Not!

Hereford [1986]: Zen of the Wonky Table! (16.11.2024)

Eventually, “Phil G” left the college and moved down the road to become the “Rector” of St Barnabas Church (situated in College Road). He would invite myself and my friend (a Catholic Priest from Eire) for tea every Sunday afternoon for probably about six months (around 1986). He asked me about (Japanese) Zen Buddhism – and I lent him the book entitled “Zen Buddhism” by Christmas Humphreys [Unwin – 1984] (I have written on the many issues surrounding this man elsewhere). This book had casually come into my possession and became very popular amongst the Student Body at that time. As others wanted to borrow it – I bought up the subject of this book being returned whilst visiting the flat of “Phil G”. He initially said he did not know where it was and had a problem finding it.

Continue reading

Many Good Points - A Number of Bad!

Emails: Exposing the Catholic [Anti-Soviet] Ignorance of Abbot Andre Louf [1929-2010]! (19.5.2024)

This is despite the anti-Soviet nonsense he spouts on page 114 – a line of Vatican propaganda that sullies a man who tolerates a qualified “atheism” in his monastery! Of course, this type of anti-Stalin invention can be dismissed by studying the Collective Works of Stalin (Stalin trained in the Seminary before becoming a Revolutionary) and the historical (academic) work of EH Carr, Alexander Werth and Grover Furr, etc. EH Carr does mention that following the Bolshevik Revolution, monks and priest were not allowed to vote in elections until after 1922 (the founding of the USSR) – but prior to 1917 – no one (ecclesiastical or lay) was allowed to vote for any reason outside the closed circle surrounding the Czar – and the oppressive feudal system he administered. Just as Catholic monks live under the “Dictatorship” of God, the Pope and their Abbot – monks and priests in the USSR possessed absolutely no rights prior to 1917! Andre Louf, as a professed Catholic monk, was NOT permitted by the Catholic Church to vote in any election. When the reality of his position is fully understood – then the magnitude of his ignorance becomes fully revealed. Even monastic masters are inclined to “lie” – perhaps that is what their God requires.

Continue reading

Goju Ryu Karate-Do

Karate Kid Movie [1984] Blu-Ray – “Mr Miyagi” Reconsidered! (14.1.2024)

The authors of the film ‘Karate Kid’ (1984) had a paradox to overcome. On the one hand they wanted a traditional ‘Okinawan’ Karate-Do master – who at the same time had NOTHING to do with Okinawa either before or during WWII! This entire idea is racist and disrespectful to the hundreds of thousands of Okinawan men, women and children who died being trapped between the Imperial Japanese Army and the invading US Marines – and those who died fighting the Americans or were murdered by US troops after surrender. Of course, many thousands of Okinawan women and girls were raped by US troops once captured. Although Mr Miyagi had to represent everything ‘martial’ that defines Okinawan history – including its stand against the invading US Forces – he also had to be completely ‘detached’ from everything ethnically ‘Okinawan’ so as not to disturb the Eurocentric sensitivities of the average US audience!

Continue reading

Richard Hunn: The South-Paw Guitar Player! (15.10.2023)

his is how I ended-up training under Mangala Thero (in 1996) at the Ganga Ramaya Temple (in Beruwela) – situated in Sri Lanka. I have subsequently discovered that Mangala Mahathero has passed away after spending the last decade of his life living and meditating in isolation. I am told that Richard Hunn would sit ‘still’ for hours on end in various Zen Temples throughout the Kyoto area. Although outwardly he was practicing ‘Zen’ – inwardly he was practicing ‘Caodong’ Ch’an – the preferred lineage of Master Xu Yun (1840-1959). Although none of us know how long we will be on this Earth – we must remain vigilant and use our time effectively and productively! Not a single second must be wasted when it comes to self-cultivation! Instead of reading this board – look within! Richard Hunn was my academic and spiritual teacher between 1989-2006. He taught me to read and translate properly every modern and traditional Chinese language ideogram – whilst also conveying to me the teachings of the authentic Chinese Ch’an Buddhist tradition!

Continue reading

Venerable Old Master Xu Yun [虚云]: No Difference Between a Monk and a Lay-Person! (14.10.2023)

For instance, by cross-referencing the below May 1955 Dharma-Talk with the text of ‘Empty Cloud’ for that year – a more all-round picture can be built of exactly what was happening and how Master Xu Yun was reacting to it. To be clear, Master Xu Yun was adamant that an ordained Buddhist monastic must follow ALL the rules of the Vinaya Discipline and that a lay-person must follow a least five, eight or ten of the basic vows contained in the Vinaya Discipline. This is a practical distinction Master Xu Yun upheld – as he rejected the Japanese Zen tradition of monks being allowed to eat meat, drink alcohol and get married. Such individuals are ‘lay-people’ and NOT monks. This being the case, what is Master Xu Yun referring to when he states that there is ‘no difference’ between the ordained Sangha and the laity?

Continue reading

1 2 3 4 … 9