Walking the Zen Christian Path

Mercy Center Burlingame
25 Apr 201127:00

Summary

TLDRThe speaker, a Buddhist Christian, reflects on his spiritual journey that began in California and led him to Japan, where he immersed himself in a different consciousness, culture, and religion. As a 'marginal man,' he identifies as a bridge between cultures, facilitating the integration of Eastern wisdom into Western lives. His experiences with Zen meditation, teaching, and haiku writing have deepened his understanding of Christianity, emphasizing the primacy of direct experience and mindfulness.

Takeaways

  • 🌏 The speaker's name, 'Hung Dole,' symbolizes accompaniment and crossing over, reflecting his journey and role as a bridge between cultures.
  • πŸ“š He was born in California and entered the Jesuits at a young age, seeking a spiritual path rather than a career as a priest.
  • πŸŽ“ After 15 years of Jesuit training, he became a priest and embarked on a physical and spiritual pilgrimage to Japan, aiming to immerse in a different consciousness and culture.
  • 🏫 In Japan, he helped establish a junior senior high school in Hiroshima and identified as a 'marginal man,' living on the fringes of both Japanese and American cultures.
  • 🧘 He discovered his true calling in directing retreats and transitioned to become a spiritual director, delving deeper into Zen Buddhism and its meditative practices.
  • 🀝 The speaker sees himself as a bridge, facilitating the crossing over of Westerners to gain Eastern insights and integrate them into their lives.
  • πŸ“ His experiences in Japan led to a profound understanding and teaching of mindfulness, meditation, and the direct experience of reality, as exemplified by haiku poetry.
  • 🏞️ He built the 'Path of the White Dragon' in Japan, symbolizing his love for working with the earth and creating spaces for meditation and contemplation.
  • 🌱 The concept of the 'Pure Land' in Buddhism aligns with the Christian idea of forgiveness through sincere repentance and turning to God.
  • πŸ•ŠοΈ Hakuin's poem emphasizes the transformative power of meditation, where sins or waywardness are annihilated, leading to a state of purity and connection with the divine source.
  • πŸ’‘ The speaker's identity as a 'Buddhist Christian' highlights the integration of Buddhist insights with Christian beliefs, enriching his understanding and practice of spirituality.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of the name 'Hung' in the speaker's life?

    -The name 'Hung' signifies 'to accompany' in the speaker's life, reflecting his role as a companion or guide, particularly in helping people cross over or integrate different aspects of life and culture.

  • What does the term 'pilgrim' mean in the context of the speaker's journey?

    -In the context of the speaker's journey, 'pilgrim' originates from Latin and means to go to a place away from one's own field or home. It represents a spiritual journey, which for the speaker, was his move to Japan and the subsequent exploration of a different consciousness, culture, and religion.

  • Why did the speaker initially join the Jesuits?

    -The speaker joined the Jesuits because he was interested in a spiritual path, and the Jesuits were the most accessible religious community at the time. He also had friends who were joining, and he tagged along despite feeling insecure about the decision.

  • What role did the speaker play in Hiroshima after moving to Japan?

    -The speaker was sent by the California Jesuits to help build and start a junior senior high school in Hiroshima. He taught there for six years and was successful in bringing students to national championships in English speaking contests.

  • What does the term 'marginal man' mean to the speaker?

    -The term 'marginal man' refers to someone who is on the margin or edge of different cultures, languages, and religions. The speaker identifies as such because he feels he is on the margin of both Japanese and American cultures and religions, which allows him to be a bridge between them.

  • How does the speaker describe his experience with Zen?

    -The speaker describes his experience with Zen as a profound learning process that began with a gut feeling to attend a Zen group at an old temple called Jo Myoji. His Zen master guided him to integrate Zen practices with his Christian faith, leading to a deeper understanding of both.

  • What is the significance of the name given to the speaker by young religious people?

    -The name given to the speaker, combining 'Han' meaning 'to accompany' and 'Dope' meaning 'to cross over', signifies his role as a guide who accompanies people in crossing over or integrating different aspects of life, similar to the concept of a bridge.

  • How does the speaker's experience with teaching English in Japan relate to his spiritual journey?

    -The speaker's experience teaching English in Japan, particularly teaching haiku writing, reflects his fascination with the Japanese consciousness and the direct experience of reality that haiku represents. This ties into his spiritual journey by emphasizing the importance of mindfulness and meditation.

  • What is the concept of 'Pure Land' in the context of the speaker's meditation practice?

    -In the context of the speaker's meditation practice, 'Pure Land' refers to a state of being where one is free from waywardness and is fully immersed in the flow of life force coming from the divine source. It represents a state of purity and enlightenment that can be achieved through deep meditation.

  • How does the speaker's understanding of Christianity been influenced by his experiences with Buddhism?

    -The speaker's understanding of Christianity has been profoundly enlightened by his experiences with Buddhism. He has integrated Buddhist practices such as meditation into his Christian faith, leading to a deeper comprehension of what Christianity is about and identifying himself as a 'Buddhist Christian'.

  • What is the significance of the labyrinth that the speaker built at the Mercy Center?

    -The labyrinth built at the Mercy Center is a physical representation of a spiritual path. It is designed to take people out of their linear thinking, allowing for deeper insights to arise. The labyrinth is a place where many have had profound spiritual experiences, reflecting the speaker's belief in the power of meditation and contemplation.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Journey to Japan and Spiritual Pilgrimage

The speaker, named Hung, shares his personal journey to Japan, which he describes as a spiritual pilgrimage. Born and raised in California, he joined the Jesuits at a young age, driven by a quest for spirituality. His journey to Japan was not just physical but also a deep dive into a new consciousness, culture, and eventually, a different religion. He reflects on his experiences in Japan, including establishing a school in Hiroshima and identifying as a 'marginal man,' straddling the line between two cultures. His narrative is a testament to the transformative power of travel and cultural immersion.

05:02

πŸŒ‰ Embracing the Role of a Bridge

The speaker discusses his identity as a 'bridge,' someone who stands on the margins of both Japanese and American cultures, as well as between different religious beliefs. He views this position as enabling him to facilitate connections and understanding between East and West. His attire, a blend of Jesuit and Zen monk elements, symbolizes his role. He emphasizes the importance of being a bridge in fostering cross-cultural dialogue and learning, particularly in his work accompanying Westerners to gain insights from the East.

10:03

πŸ§˜β€β™‚οΈ The Zen Path and the Primacy of Experience

The narrative continues with the speaker's immersion into Zen Buddhism, which he pursued with a deep sense of purpose, despite not fully understanding his motivations. His introduction to Zen meditation and the associated discipline were transformative, leading him to a profound realization of the interconnectedness of all things. He also discusses his teaching experiences in Japan, including instructing students in writing haiku, a form of poetry that he believes embodies the spirituality of direct experience and mindfulness.

15:08

🏞️ The Path of the White Dragon and the Labyrinth

The speaker recounts his passion for creating paths, beginning with the 'Path of the White Dragon' in Japan, which he built around a valley over several years. This endeavor reflects his love for working with the earth and his belief in the spiritual significance of paths. Upon moving to the Mercy Center, he continued this practice by constructing meditation and contemplation paths, culminating in the creation of a labyrinth designed to encourage non-linear thinking and facilitate deeper spiritual insights.

20:12

πŸ•ŠοΈ The Concept of 'Sins' and the Pure Land

In this section, the speaker explores the concept of 'sins' from a Buddhist perspective, explaining that it refers to waywardness or being off the mark, rather than the Western concept of offenses against God. He discusses the transformative power of meditation, which can erase these wayward tendencies and align one with the fundamental life force, leading to a state of purity akin to the Buddhist 'Pure Land.' The speaker also draws parallels between this state and the Christian idea of forgiveness through sincere devotion to God.

25:15

🌟 Buddhist-Christian Synthesis and Enlightenment

The speaker concludes by reflecting on how his engagement with Buddhism has enriched his understanding and practice of Christianity, leading him to identify as a 'Buddhist Christian.' He believes that the insights gained from Buddhism have deepened his spiritual life and provided a more profound comprehension of Christianity's essence. This synthesis of Eastern and Western spiritual practices represents a personal journey of enlightenment and a testament to the value of interfaith dialogue.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Pilgrim

A pilgrim is traditionally defined as a person who undertakes a journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion. In the context of the video, the term is used metaphorically to describe the speaker's lifelong spiritual journey, particularly his journey to Japan, which was both a physical relocation and a deep dive into a new culture and consciousness. The speaker identifies as a pilgrim, indicating a continuous quest for spiritual understanding and growth.

πŸ’‘Jesuits

The Jesuits refer to members of the Society of Jesus, a religious order within the Catholic Church known for its educational, missionary, and spiritual work. In the video, the speaker mentions joining the Jesuits at a young age, indicating the beginning of his formal religious and spiritual education, which significantly shaped his life's path and identity as a spiritual seeker.

πŸ’‘Zen

Zen is a school of Buddhism that emphasizes the practice of meditation and intuitive understanding as methods to achieve enlightenment. The speaker's encounter with Zen in Japan represents a pivotal moment in his spiritual journey, where he integrates Zen practices with his Christian faith, leading to a unique perspective he calls 'Buddhist Christian.'

πŸ’‘Mindfulness

Mindfulness, derived from Zen practice, is the quality of being attentive to the present moment. The speaker emphasizes the importance of mindfulness as a means to experience reality directly and is a core component of his teachings, illustrating the practical application of his spiritual insights in daily life.

πŸ’‘Haiku

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry characterized by its brevity and use of nature to evoke emotions or ideas. The speaker's fascination with haiku reflects his appreciation for the art of capturing direct experiences and the spiritual path it represents, as it is a form of expression closely tied to Zen aesthetics and the experience of the present moment.

πŸ’‘Marginal Men

The term 'marginal men' is used by a fellow Jesuit to describe the speaker's position as someone who exists on the periphery of both Japanese and American cultures, languages, and religions. This concept is central to the speaker's identity, as it allows him to serve as a bridge between cultures and to integrate diverse spiritual insights.

πŸ’‘Bridge

As a 'bridge,' the speaker identifies himself as a facilitator of understanding between different cultures and spiritual traditions. His unique position on the margins enables him to mediate and integrate Eastern and Western perspectives, particularly in his teachings and writings.

πŸ’‘Kokoro

Kokoro is a Japanese term that translates to 'heart' but also encompasses the concepts of mind and spirit. In the video, the speaker discusses presenting his kokoro, or sincere intentions, to his Zen master during a ceremony, highlighting the importance of genuine intent in spiritual practice and discipleship.

πŸ’‘Zen Meditation

Zen meditation, or zazen, is a seated practice aimed at cultivating mindfulness and self-realization. The speaker's commitment to Zen meditation is a central part of his spiritual journey and his teachings, as it represents the core of his experience and the means through which he achieves insight and integration of his faith.

πŸ’‘Labyrinth

The labyrinth in the video is a spiritual tool used for meditation and contemplation. The speaker's creation of a labyrinth at the Mercy Center reflects his belief in the power of walking a path as a metaphor for spiritual journeying, offering a physical manifestation of the inner quest for enlightenment and understanding.

πŸ’‘Pure Land

Pure Land is a concept in Buddhism referring to a realm of ultimate bliss where one can attain enlightenment. The speaker relates the concept to the state of mind achieved through deep meditation, suggesting that through focused practice, one can access a state akin to the Pure Land, illustrating the convergence of Buddhist and Christian spiritual goals.

Highlights

The speaker's name, Hung Dole, symbolizes accompaniment and crossing over, reflecting his journey as a spiritual pilgrim.

The concept of 'pilgrim' originates from Latin, indicating a journey away from one's place, resonating with the speaker's spiritual quest.

The speaker's initial attraction to the spiritual path led him to the Jesuits, despite his initial uncertainty.

A deep dive into Japanese culture and consciousness during his time in Hiroshima, where he co-founded a school.

The realization of being a 'marginal man', straddling the boundaries of different cultures and identities.

The speaker's role as a 'bridge' between Western and Eastern spiritual insights, symbolized by his attire.

His transition from teaching to spiritual direction, reflecting a deeper calling to guide others on their spiritual path.

The transformative experience of engaging with Zen Buddhism, which enhanced the speaker's Christian faith.

The importance of direct experience and mindfulness in spiritual practice, as learned from Zen.

Teaching meditation and the integration of Zen principles into Christian spirituality.

The speaker's unique approach to teaching English through the medium of haiku, a traditional Japanese form of poetry.

The spiritual significance of haiku as a form of direct expression of reality and experience.

The construction of the 'Path of the White Dragon', symbolizing the speaker's connection with nature and spiritual journey.

The creation of meditation and contemplation paths, culminating in the building of a labyrinth for spiritual exploration.

The profound impact of Hakuin's poem on the speaker's understanding of the transformative power of meditation.

The concept of 'Pure Land' in Buddhism and its parallels with Christian understandings of purity and forgiveness.

The speaker's self-identification as a 'Buddhist Christian', embodying a synthesis of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions.

Transcripts

play00:01

the first character for my name is hung

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which means to accompany and the second

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is taught or in the compound it's

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pronounced dole that means to cross over

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people in Japan are not at all bashful

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about asking where you're going where

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you're from and when they ask me about

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myself

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one of the major self identifications

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that I give is that I'm a pilgrim and

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the great pilgrimage of my life was to

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go to Japan in fact a pilgrim is a very

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interesting word it comes from Latin

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pair odd jer your field your place and

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pair means to go to a way away so when

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you go away from your field in your

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place you're a pilgrim and without

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realizing exactly why I was going to

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Japan I was on pilgrimage the whole time

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I was there in fact I've been on

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pilgrimage all my life the field that I

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went from is California I'm a native

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Californian I was born in an

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unincorporated part of San Mateo County

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right here and did all my schooling

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until I graduated from high school and

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government college prep in San Jose and

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then I entered the Jesuits I wasn't even

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18 years old in 1938 and at that time I

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even then I knew that what I was really

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interested in was a spiritual path I

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wasn't interested in becoming a priest

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and I was really interested in

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spirituality I was even a pilgrim on

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this pilgrim path even at that time and

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that meant for me my first two years of

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high school I was going to become a

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Cistercian brother a Trappist monk but

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that dream faded and then in my last two

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years of high school I realized that I

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really didn't know where

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wanted to go and the Jesuits were the

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closest accessible religious community

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to go into and some of my number of my

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friends were also going in so I just

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tagged along and I was insecure I wasn't

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sure but it was the right decision

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and then after 15 years of Jesuit

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training afterward nation is a priest on

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the 8th of August 1953 I sailed through

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the Golden Gate I went on a cargo liner

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to Manila and then Hong Kong and then

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Japan going to Japan just physically was

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by no means the real pilgrimage the real

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pilgrimage was going into an entirely

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different consciousness an entirely

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different culture a different language

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and eventually into a different religion

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from the very first moment in Japan I

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was fascinated by the Japanese

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consciousness I knew that there was

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something different and it was something

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that I wanted of course although I say

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that I really didn't know why I went to

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Japan that's on the interior level on

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the external level I was sent by the

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California Jesuits to help to build and

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start a junior senior high school in

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Hiroshima and we did that and one day

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when I was even teaching there I taught

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there for six years I was walking with a

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fellow Jesuit a man by the name of Tom

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Charbonneau sociologists and we were

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talking and suddenly he said you know he

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said we're marginal men and that is

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stuck with me ever since that's one of

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the ways that I really identify myself I

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was very aware that I could never really

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be a middle-of-the-road

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ordinary Japanese

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so that I'm on the margin of Japan I'm

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on the margin of the language I'm on the

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margin of the culture I'm in a margin of

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the religions and on the other hand I'm

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really on the margin of being an

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American I'm not an ordinary

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middle-of-the-road American I'm kind of

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on the margin there and even in the

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Jesuits I'm somewhat of a marginal

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person although I with all my heart I'm

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a Jesuit and there's all many facets of

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my life where I literally have one foot

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here and one foot there and that is why

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I can be a bridge and so that that is

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one of the major identifications that I

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have of myself is that I'm a bridge even

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the clothes that I'm wearing this bottom

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half this kind of skirt that I use for

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sitting in meditation is the bottom half

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of a Jesuit cassock and the top half is

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a Zen monks work aa coat and so that in

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itself is a very symbol of what I am and

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to be a bridge then you have to have a

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margin in one side and the other side

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and this is well brought out in the name

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that so some young religious gave me

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we're having supper and I said look

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couldn't you give me a Japanese name a

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way of writing my name and real Japanese

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because you can take my name hand cannot

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be pronounced in Japanese

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the hair is not a Japanese sound it has

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to be ha hung and the no Japanese word

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ends in a consonant like D and so it

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turns out to be handle and so they took

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han and dough and gave me two beautiful

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characters and the upper character means

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to accompany and the second character

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dope the upper character is Han the

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second one is dope and that means to

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cross over so I accompany people

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crossing over that also has the bridge

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idea crossing over so that I even now my

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main work is to accompany Westerners to

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cross over get some of the insights from

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the East and integrate them into their

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lives so I was teaching at Hiroshima and

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I taught from the very first students

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that came in the first little boys

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coming into junior high school and I was

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very successful teacher and even brought

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kids to national championships in in

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English speaking contests and things

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like that but I don't know how many

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times I stood at my window and the

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Jesuit residents there on the campus

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looking down on the ball field where the

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kids were playing in the road where

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their parents were coming up the hill to

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the school and I just said to myself

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this isn't be

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and finally after six years I just

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couldn't stand it anymore I said I just

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knew this isn't me this is where I'm

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supposed to be so one day I stopped and

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I said well what is me and I reflected

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that every time I had directed a retreat

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and I was given retreats made in English

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in Japan all those those first eight or

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nine years every time I had given a

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retreat almost without exception I

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literally stood at a window and looked

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out just reflecting and saying and said

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to myself this is me and so it was very

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clear that that's what I was supposed to

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get into and just at that time sure

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enough the Jesuit provincial superior

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came through and ice told him this story

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and he said look would you like to go up

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back to the language school and be the

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spiritual director of the language

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students and I said yes and there at the

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language school I was able to do more

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study of the language got more learned

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more about the consciousness that

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created the language and it was from the

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language school building and then that

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during that time that I walked down down

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the literally walked down the road to an

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old temple called Joe Miyagi where the

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Zen group that I entered was sitting at

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that time and began the study of Zen the

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great learning process of my whole life

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so when I walked down the hill to go

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into the Zen though I really didn't know

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what I was going to do what I was doing

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again I was just following my gut

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feeling it was the first step in the

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great battle to take me out of the my

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head and the Jesuit training that had

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kept me in my head for so long this was

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bringing me down in a very real sense to

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my gut at any rate it was not easy ever

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to go to the zendo

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and it was very hard work but I just

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something drew me to me and it reached

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the kind of a clarification when at the

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end of about three months when I had

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gone through all the introductory

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lectures and I had shown that I was

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earnest about sitting I went through the

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little ceremony called show Ken show

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means mutual and can mean seeing so the

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Zen master sees me and looks at me and I

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look at the Zen master from that meeting

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I become his disciple in all things

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concerning Zen and so we went through

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the little ceremony I remember there was

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a candle there were about three of us

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and we all gave candles or something and

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then each one of us was individually had

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an individual interview with the Zen

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master and his only real question was

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about my kokoro sake which means the

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intention of my heart what was that what

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would my aspiration for Zen and I really

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didn't know as I said I I didn't know

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why I had gone there I just knew I had

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to go and so I finally came up with I

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gave him the answer finally I said well

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cold Oh which means integration and he

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didn't know what I meant and I didn't

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know what I meant

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and so I says well I'm a Christian I

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intend to live and die as one but

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there's something here in Zen forest oh

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he says yes he says you're a Christian

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he says yes there are two kinds of Zen

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there's Buddhist Zen and with all the

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statues and all the sutras and all the

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teachings all of Buddhist and then

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there's just them real deep meditation

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he says you do them and you'll be a

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better Christian and that's exactly what

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happened what I'm teaching is what I

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learned in you in in Zen

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the primacy of experience and that means

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the primacy of awareness becoming aware

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of reality and the the great experience

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the primacy of experience the great

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experience is mindfulness and meditation

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is a concentrated training and

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mindfulness and so that's what I'm doing

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I'm teaching meditation the last nine

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years of I was in Japan I taught at a

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junior college and while I was there I

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was teaching English of course but I got

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into teaching these Japanese students to

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write haiku in English their own native

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one of their major types of poetry in

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English and it was a lot of fun but that

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only was a manifestation of the

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fascination I had had for many years

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with with haiku and so even to this day

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I still read haiku a lot more than right

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and appreciate them and I teach haiku

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writing in English but above all I teach

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the spirituality of haiku haiku as a

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path a spiritual path because a haiku

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comes out of out of direct experience a

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haiku is direct experiences directly

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expressed take for example the most

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famous of all haiku writers Bashaw when

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de Bosco was on one of his travels up in

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the northern part of Japan and he was up

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in Yamagata prefecture and came to what

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is simply called yamadera the mountain

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temple and it was a summer day very hot

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and the only thing that was moving

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were the wings of the cicadas making

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their summer sound and he sat there and

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was totally taken over by the silence

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and by the sound and so he wrote a haiku

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Shizuka saya II wanna see me earu Cimino

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Koya Shizuka Zhou is all the stillness

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in even Ashima arrow into the rocks it

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Pierce's Cimino koi the sound

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the cry of the Sakura all the stillness

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into the rocks it pierces the cry of the

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Saqqara now that little poem is a good

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example of the oneness of all creation

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because any direct experience of reality

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at any real depth will come to see the

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interrelatedness the actual oneness of

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all reality so that there is only one

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flow what is it that pierces the rocks

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that is the one action the stillness

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pierces the rocks the cry of the cicada

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pierces the rocks so you have stillness

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and Secada coming together in one action

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and all things come together in one flow

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that is the spirituality of hike would

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it was while I was still living at a

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language school there and Iike Makara in

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Japan and the foothills I started

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building a path I love to go out and

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work in the earth in fact my middle name

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is George and George means worker of the

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earth we had a fairly good-sized piece

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of property there for Japanese standards

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and it was all on the side of a hill and

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a little valley and so I made a path all

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the way around that valley and it took

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me about six or seven years and I named

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it the path of the white dragon' at that

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time I was fascinated by dragons and

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there was a little cave down in the

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valley there this tiny valley

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where there was lots of water and that's

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where dragons are supposed to live ever

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since that time I've been building paths

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everywhere I go so in the 15 years that

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I've been here at Mercy center I've made

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paths all around the property which are

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meditation paths contemplation paths

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right to this day it culminated in the

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building of the labyrinth we use no

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machinery just human energy so it's full

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of good human energy and now the

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labyrinth is literally truly a spiritual

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path you go this way and then you go

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back that way then you go sort way this

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way and then you go way around there and

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so you're taken out of your linear

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thinking and when you're taken out of

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your linear ordinary thinking there's a

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chance for deeper insight to arise

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literally hundreds of people have

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already walked that labyrinth and come

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to real experiences in fact in the

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retreat that we just had about two weeks

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ago

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a lady walk the labyrinth she came to

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the big stone that we put in the center

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and she put her hands on the stone and

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everything dropped away and then she

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came back and the stone and she were one

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and then everything and she were one a

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real deep fine literally as n-type

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enlightenment experience the texts that

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we have been using for these Wednesday

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night talks is the famous

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poem really written in rather for the

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time ordinary Japanese by the great 17th

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century Zen master Haku in he says for

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the person who does one sitting one

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sitting session one hour of true zazen

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the accumulated immeasurable waywardness

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sins to me sins

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we'll all be annihilated what is he

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speaking about the main thing is to

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remember what sin means to a Japanese

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Buddhist do a Buddhist in general we

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have to get out of our Western idea of

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sin because we were taught as little

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children that sin is an offence against

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God and in a sense it makes God angry

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and then we've got to pay back and do

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something to atone for that sin that's

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not what sin means here it doesn't mean

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sin in the Western sense it means

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basically waywardness being off the mark

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and so when he says that all your sins

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are wiped away by one sitting he means

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that all our waywardness are simply gone

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horrible means to perish there they're

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gone and where are our sins every action

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that we perform goes into our individual

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human energy form field as into a memory

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bank every action that you have ever

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done good or bad is still part of your

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energy field your being your isn't it

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also goes into the universal human

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energy form field everything that you do

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and ever done in your life ever will do

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influences the whole of the human race

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and so that is there in the field

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however if you sit and really go into

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true meditation you go into what we like

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to call the flow there's one great

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movement it is our fundamental life

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movement our life force in action and

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that movement comes directly from the

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formless divine source and is we are

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nothing but that movement manifesting

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and in this hour of sitting and when we

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forget all our waywardness we forget

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everything and just allow our heart the

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attention of our heart to bring us into

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that one flow then we're pure

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we are impeccable and I was thinking

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about this today and I realized that

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when I was in theology studying theology

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up near los gatos for four years we were

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taught that if a person really turns to

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God with all their heart and just really

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turns to God by that very act all their

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sins are forgiven and then well

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legalistically in the church loves

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legalism legalistically you should go

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and submit those sins to the confession

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but they're already all forgiven they're

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all forgiven and then it's interesting

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that Ocwen uses the very word Pureland

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joel Dolson hwacha toca Raza which means

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the Pureland

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indeed the Pureland is not far away you

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have already come into that state

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to which you are trying to to go

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Pureland means that is the Buddhist

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heaven and it's called pure because

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there is no way word miss there and if

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we allow ourselves in meditation to

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really let everything go and just by

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watching your breathing by saying that

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Jesus Prayer by doing centering prayer

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whatever your focus of attention is if

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you really do it forget everything else

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and just you will be taken into the Pure

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Land you have already reached where you

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are trying to go and the reason why we

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have to keep doing is because we don't

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stay we slip back but it show it's a

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beautiful text today this evening to

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show us what a wonderful thing it is to

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sit so as I always say at the end let's

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sit Buddhist insights have had a

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profound effect upon me and to such an

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extent that I have literally not only

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become a better Christian in it that I

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meditate and so forth better but that my

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whole understanding of Christianity has

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been enlightened profound enlightenment

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and I'm a much better have a much better

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and a much deeper understanding of what

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Christianity is all about because of

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Buddhism and so that's why I call myself

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a Buddhist Christian I'm a Christian but

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I've got a lot of Buddhism in me and I'm

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very happy to be such a person

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you

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