Martin Goodson
The Tricky Relationship between Practice and Insight
The Gateway Talks
Master Rinzai tells us that if we want to act we should just act, but how can we do that when so much of Zen practice prevents me from doing just that?
Venerable ones, I cannot these days cease from using a lot of words, and come out preaching many inept things. But do not let yourselves be deceived! As I see it, there are not really so many principles. If you want to act, just act; and if you do not want to act, then rest. It is said that the Six Paramitas and the ten-thousand practices are the Buddha-Dharma. I say they are both methods for spiritual adornment and for carrying on the Buddha’s work; they are not the Buddha Dharma.
(The Zen Teaching of Rinzai tr. Irmgard Schloegl)
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In this podcast:
• The relationship between teachings and insight
• Bodhidharma’s famous verse as a summation of the Zen approach is also a middle way.
• Being our ordinary selves is not always easy
• The Six Paramitas as a foundation for Mahayana Practice
• The Parable of the raft is the prescribed medicine when it comes to this relationship between teachings, practice and insight.
