Knot Zen: Recent Episodes
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Knot Zen: an episodic podcast in which The Gang attempts to sneak a peak behind the (seemingly) enigmatic curtain of the classic Zen Koans.
We're back and we're bold! In this Episode we tackle the first half of the second chapter of the
Zhaunzgzi! Get ready for some heady, complicated, funny, philosophy!
Welcome back! In this episode Jay, Jim and Kevin talk about use and uselessness, myopic imaginations, and radically different readings of the Zhaungzi! Is Daoism meant to be read as a liberatory text, or a more hermetic interpretation? Niether? Come on in and decide for yourself!
Tune in to this episode for some CRAZY Daoist wisdom as two dudes with really, really, cool names go head to head on the topic of... er... what the diets of virgin-like spirits are? No, no, really, we really stumble into some awesome insights this episode, specifically around the "Dao Of Forgetting," which blew my mind! Anywho, for those interested this is the third story of the first Chapter of the Zhuangzi, staring Shoulder Self and Unk Linkin. The translation of the Zhuangzi is done by none other than Brook Ziporyn. Check him out!
This week we continue with the stories from the first chapter of the Zhaungzi, 'Wandering Far and Unfettered'! It's basically a conversation between these two based rulers of ancient China talking about even more ancient and based rulers of ancient-er China. If you are interested in how one RULES things, and whats the deal with all these titles we give ourselves, you should totally check out this episode!
Hey, there listener! Long time no see! Welcome to the Zhuangzi Arc of Knotzen! We decided to breathe new life into the podcast by studying what is NOT Zen... so we took up the classic of Daoism, the infamous, the long-winded (and convoluted), Zhuangzi! We also have a new guy, and he's bloody smart. Anyway, today we are looking at the very first story from the very first chapter of the Zhuangzi, "Wandering Far and Unfettered." If you like fish, birds, and philosophies that are radically skeptical towards any sort of conventional, or non-conventional, essentialism, then you're gonna love this episode!
Contemplating - a tough topic to think about! We do it anyway, so does that make us knot zen? Let the fans decide
Bb's all alone??!! Oh no, he climbs the peak and stumbles down. Expect minor coherency and haughty analysis.
1 sickewk and two tired dudes get on the case of the case of the fist; bringing their best with rants on modern interpretations, amoeba imagery and confused textual analysis.
James questions, ewk rants, brian Rhymes , and scott...well, I'll let you find out about scott.
Stop thinking, or maybe not, as we mount Sumeru the mysterious mountain.
James and Ewk take on a few memes and topics brought on by the density of the case in question.
How does Yunmen's explanation of emptiness: "hearing the sound of the bell", differ from Wittgenstein, and religious concepts of emptiness?
Our very second Foyan cast. Foyan was much more of a lecturer than the Zen Masters which taught using Cases, and here he outlines the two sicknesses which he sees in the Zen school.
Are you deaf, but wonder how you are going to listen to Knot Zen? Tune in and find out.
After 500 hours of podcasting we finally made it to the Fox Case.
A complicated case in which there's many things to grab on to: cause and effect, rebirth, violence., and if you're lucky, you might regret listening.
What is outstanding action? Here, it's kicking over a water bottle. Although, Mumon says the guy who did that: "could not jump out of the trap".
The gang talks through the case and then debates what it means to instruct and whether the case is an example of instruction or something else.
How do you find a parched pasture, a place where no grass blades?
Do you look outside the "gate", inside the "gate"? What even is grass..no, no, Steve, that's not what they mean...we think.
Join The Gang for a dharma talk about 3 Zen masters mysteriously weighing in on a metaphor presented by the most prominent among them: Dahui!
Our most cujo-esque-ian episode yet ...the puppy returns! Is Mu meditation? What is this "concentration" that Mumon calls for?
Joshu usually keeps it laconic, but in this saying he sermonizes at length...which means the gang goes along and weaves in many topics, ideas, and controversies!
A Knot Zenner gave this sweet version of the case: Huangbo: "You people are all eating out of the dumpster. When are you going to have your own meal, don't you know there's nobody that cooks for you in all of china?" Monk: "What about all the cooks" Huangbo: "They're not cooking for you".
The Gang clears up the case by touting the treasure when two translators try to untangle the verbal knot tied by Joshu's tongue.
Again, we are reading from the first chapter in the Blue Cliff Record! This time focusing on Xuedou's verse!
The Gang adds "frost on top of snow" by bringing up a koan that's as cold as the weather in Texas (and the person writing the description uses the sort of Verbal Irony thrown around in the commentary).
Welcome to the Sanga
The great casters, studious as ever in their endeavors, take a stab at birds. One Zen Master sees ducks, one plays "Duck, Duck, You...", and Yuanwu maybe disregards the integrity of either approach in a in a revisionist eulogy.
How BOUT them ducks? When you see them take flight, where do they go? Where have they ever gone?
Welcome to the Sangha.
Scott, Brian and Ewk, weathering the winter woes and summer blues bring some five start level philosophizing in this latest cast about...food.
Does the cook do the cleaning?
The Gang ponders the classic Case where Joshu congratulates a monk for eating breakfast before reminding him to do the dishes.
Joshu comes across some hermits throwing a fist. Is it out of respect, a threat, a fist-bump? None of the above? All of the above?
The Gang explores Joshu's seeming different take on two hermits doing the same action and where the water is deep and shallow.
How would you respond to being left hanging by Joshu?
Welcome to the Sangha.
The Gang does some quickmaffs in counting Yunmen's cards and examines why he'd use such specific numbers as an answer to a monk's question.
One two, skip a few, how far do you want to go?
Welcome to the Sangha.
Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'" - Kurt Vonnegut
This week, The Gang gets maybe more than they can swallow as they explore Dongshan's exchange with a monk on this question of "why, why, why?"
Regardless of whether it be like dis or it don't, Dongshan says 'it is for your benefit'. Some intense words, Dong!
When life brings cookies, baskets, or caskets, why? How could this possibly be for anyone's benefit?
Welcome to the Sangha
Spook alert!
Join in for Knot Zen's first Halloween episode where The Gang discusses a ghost story told by Zen Master Foyan and whether the protagonist get tricked or treated by two scary ghosts.
Who has the right to the candy in the bag? Are you the candy? Are you the basket? What can you eat when ghosts have devoured you?
Chewing it may sustain you, but what you don't swallow might haunt you...
Welcome to the Sangha.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... why is he doing that...?
This week, The Gang chews on this strange hypothetical in the 5th Case of the infamous Mumonkan where a man is hanging from a tree by... his mouth?
Get a taste of whether this Case has to do with trusting oneself and why on Earth the man would choose to hang so high above it in that fashion.
When you're stuck relying on nothing but your mouth, how will you handle when it's time to stop biting the bullet?
Welcome to the Sangha.
Blue Cliff Record: Case 4
The Gang picks up Deshan's story where they left off in Episode 5: Ryutan's Candle. Somebody warn Zen Master Guishan: Deshan's coming to visit!
Looks like Deshan ain't lettin' nothing stop him from having his showdown with the old man, and he comes crashing in before crashing right back out.
What bundles do you carry? What do you do with them once you meet a Zen Master? What to do when you find yourself being "so coarse"?
Welcome to the Sangha.
Oh no! In Mumonkan’s Case 11, an elderly woman seems to be schooling all the monks on their way home! This is far from the first time that the elders of China ask tricky questions to the poor young monks!
Go straight ahead as The Gang investigates Joshu’s investigation: fighting fire with fire and having a gander at this goose!
And, if you do walk the walk, at least talk the talk.
It’s the 26th Case of the Blue Cliff Record:
A monk gets hit, where does it land and why...Dharma combat, extordinary affairs...all the fun stuff
Where did they come from, why did they go???
This week, The Gang invites Zen Master Ming from the capital, but apparently it would miss him. :(
Join in and maybe you’ll be able to bring Ming out of his shell!
What to do when the haters hate, hate, hate?
Do Zen Masters teach shaking it off?
The Gang investigates this question as they examine the excerpt from the Diamond Sutra about the scorn of others for wicked deeds!
Is anyone beyond redeemable? Are you?
Welcome to the Sangha.
Thought Mind was Buddha? In Mumonkan's 34th Case, Nansen demands to differ!
The Gang guesses the reasons for Nansen saying "Mind is not Buddha; Reason is not the Way" and tries to think of ways that Nansen differs from his teacher and his sayings'.
Don't mind the Buddha, don't fear the reaper, and don't think you'll get Zen by the way you reason!
Welcome to the Sangha.
Size of the boat? Motion of the ocean?
Join in as The Gang investigates Mumon's bold move when he says the 6th Patriarch himself was wrong when he told the men debating some Newtonian Physics that neither the flag nor wind moved: it was your mind that moved.
If a plane's wings are shaped to make the air going over the top move faster than on the bottom, why can they fly upside down??
Welcome to the Sangha.
What’s black, white, and full of holes? According to Boddhidharma, not even the holy truths!
The Gang discusses the first Case of the Blue Cliff Record: the infamous exchange between the Emperor Of China himself and our good old grumpy grandpa, Boddhidharma.
Join in as we discuss why our first Patriarch may have been so laconic in his answer to Wu’s question regarding the highest of holy truths.
As for you, what merit have you brought to this kingdom?
Welcome to the Sangha.
Boddhidharma shows up the Second Patriarch by pacifying his mind with both arms tied behind his back!
In this episode, The Gang discusses this visceral 41st Case of the Mumonkan where Huike (the Second Patriarch) stands, arm cut off in the snow, chit-chatting about his inability to find his mind when he searches.
Join in on this cold night and join in the question: "Let it go? Let it go?"
What's brown and sticky? According to Yunmen, it's Buddha!
This week, The Gang tries scraping back the bullshit behind Yunmen's seemingly cryptic answer when asked by a monk what this "Buddha" is.
Feel free to light some candles, turn on the fan, and drink plenty of coffee to prepare for this (maybe not as gross as it seems) discussion on why Yunmen would call Buddha "Kanshiketsu".
Make Way, here he comes, ring bells, cloth-cover the drums!
The King himself comes to greet one of our favorite Zen Masters, Joshu! He is a bit surprised at Joshu's seeming lack of greeting him in return.
Tune in and join The Gang as they question who the King might be, if Joshu is just too lazy to get out of a chair, and why he says who he will meet where (just make sure you don't slight The King).