The Mirror of Zen – Part 2
Originally appeared February 2025
The tradition regarding the Buddha’s words holds that he taught his disciples for forty-nine years. This tradition is sometimes viewed with regard to five kinds of teaching: the teachings that lead to good rebirth in human or celestial form; the Hinayana teaching; the Mahayana teaching; the teaching of Sudden Enlightenment; and the complete teaching on the Bodhisattva Way.
This is a topic we have discussed often, but it can’t be emphasized enough as it is easy to fall into the trap of confusing intellectual understanding with the complete turnaround of realization. With the concern for direct apprehension beyond words and letters, all too often a goal-oriented mindset can take over early in practice.
Read the Journal while Listening
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