True Words: A Shingon Buddhist Podcast

This week’s topic is, Buddha Nature, in sanskrit: tathāgatagarbha (如来藏). All sentient beings are considered to be in possession of the Buddha Nature, the potential to attain enlightenment. In this episode we discuss a bit about how to understand this concept, and compare it to philosophical ideas of human nature, and its connection with morality. Queen Srimala sutra: http://www.bdkamerica.org/book/sutra-queen-śrīmālā-lions-roar-and-vimalakīrti-sutra See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Śrīmālādevī_Siṃhanāda_Sūtra

In this week’s Podcast we look at Buddhism as practiced traditionally in Asia, as compared to forms popular in Western nations.  In our ongoing advocacy for traditional Buddhist practices, we make the case for maintaining the entirety of the Buddhist tradition, rather than selecting a small portion, one specific practice, or removing ideas or concepts that may initially seem outside what we’ve come to understand as Buddhism.  Maintaining the entirety of the Buddhist tradition offers us opportunities for future growth and understanding we may not initially know we need or are capable of.

In this episode we discuss “esoteric” Buddhism. There are many misconceptions regarding Shingon as a school of Buddhism, most often discussed in terms of “secrecy”. Often understood to be a completely secret school of practice, or generally withheld from public view. In this episode we discuss this misconception, and attempt to explain Shingon, that as like many schools of knowledge, require pre-requisuted to be understood and effectively practiced. Any body of knowledge, whether scholastic, or a specific trade, requires certain foundational knowledge. Shingon is no different from this.  While there are a tremendous number of practices a person can walk into a temple and begin practicing, there are others that depend on knowledge of Buddhism, experience with meditation, and direct instruction from a teacher.  Shingon relies on the same foundation sutra’s and commentaries as other traditional Buddhist schools, while utilizing additional texts that explain practices and perspectives on practice and path toward, and about the nature of enlightenment.  Many practices are hinting at those texts and knowledge. Acquiring the proper foundational knowledge is important to avoid misunderstanding, unhelpful practices, and the practitioner becoming discouraged.

Is there a role for faith in Buddhism, and if so what is that role?  How is faith developed?  How did Faith, become the “f” word of Western Buddhism? In this episode we discuss the importance of faith, how it differs in Buddhism from some other traditions, and how it can be a powerful support for our practice, and benefit our lives. Texts mentioned in the Podcast include: The Awakening of Faith in Mahayana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awakening_of_Faith_in_the_Mahayana Kalam Sutta: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta  

In episode 18 we discuss Buddhist retreats.  Often presented as vacations, or spa-like experiences, the traditional Buddhist retreat or temple experience is generally geared at creating a highly structures environment that is at once transformative, as well as educational. Sometimes compared to military or other highly structured programs, the monastic experience provides an atmosphere in which teaching and meditation is delivered, but also where the participant is presented with opportunities to confront assumptions, are areas of discomfort.  Rather than being an escape, the Buddhist retreat should provide an environment in which the participant confronts assumptions, ideas about themselves, their needs, and desires.