teacher
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also master · student · teaching others · becoming a teacher · explaining Buddhism · giving talks
Summary
In these texts, a teacher is a real person, not a book or a theory, from whom we learn everything over many years, as in the ancient apprenticeship system. Dogen writes that we must take as a teacher a person who has experienced the Buddha's state. In teaching, we partly teach ourselves.
Part of ↑ teacher and transmission
The keywords right under it✦ Show in the night sky
To find a teacher, a real person. Not a book or a theory.
One Real Teacher and Simplicity August 2014 — Banský Studenec
The most important texts
- Freedom and the Teacher’s Character ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavanacopying the teacher · copying only the teacher's weaknesses · losing freedom as a Buddhist teacher · making the teaching one's own · Sawaki's strength before zazen · showing one's character clearly · subtle teaching beneath the teacher's character · teacher's character · Wittgenstein's students after his change
I tried to copy you. I wanted to be like you, your speech.
- Recognising the Marrow in Ourselves ●●● May 2012 — Nová Dedinkaeverything is teaching · making the teaching one's own · projecting onto a perfect teacher · recognising a true teacher · revering whatever teaches the truth · Zen masters' secret teaching
when we recognise truth in somebody's teaching, because we notice in ourselves, ah yes. Then we can make it our own
- A Buddhist Teacher Without a Plan ●●● June 2007 — Padmafarmabecoming a Buddhist teacher · teaching as opening oneself · teaching as teaching oneself · teaching is learning
the last one was how to become a Buddhist teacher. So I'd like to talk about that
- Dogen and Modern Life ●●● August 2012 — Dibbavanacopying the teacher · embracing lots of things · teacher more important than partner · teaching according to the people
I'm moving more and more towards embracing lots of things. Which I didn't think that I would be interested in.
- One Real Teacher and Simplicity ●●● August 2014 — Banský Studenecancient apprenticeship system · not having to like the teacher · studying with a teacher
this is the ancient apprenticeship system in all teaching
Other texts
- Just to Be Alive Is Enough ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavanadifferent societies, different teachings · Shunryu Suzuki
His name is Shunryu Suzuki. He never wrote any books, but his students published five books.
- Buddhism Through European Glasses ●●● August 2014 — Banský Studenecancient apprenticeship system · teacher who seemed crazy · teacher without glasses
if you want to become a potter or to make beautiful wooden bowls, you study with your master for maybe ten years
- Yunmen’s Lantern Without Mystery ●●● September 2009 — Earth Spiritmystification and hierarchy · teaching without spiritual attainment
‘mystifying’ it, gives the impression that there is teacher that has got the answer and that I haven’t and it’s kind of a hierarchical position
- Kodo Sawaki and Concrete Teaching ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavanaeverybody is in their time · severe view from a severe life
So there's a man in his time. So everybody is in their time.
- Gaku do yo jin shu - Practical Advice on Pursuing the Buddhist Truth ●●●fine wood and the carpenter · true master
practicing the truth depends on whether the master is true or not
- Introductions 2: Reality in Ordinary Moments ●●● Summer 2003 — Introductions to Shobogenzo Chaptersrevering whatever teaches the truth
he says anything that teaches us the truth, we should revere, whether it’s a cat or a tree, or child
- Ikka-no-myoju 1: A Pearl in Ordinary Things ●●● Summer 2006 — Ikka-no-myojumaking the teaching one's own
we find out whether what the teacher is teaching is true and we make it our own
- Ceremony and Everyday Life ●●● February 2009 — Cholíntradition learned from a real person
Tradition is something real that you really learn from a real person
- Buddhism Free from ‘Buddhism’ ●●● September 2009 — Earth Spirithanding responsibility to a perfect individual · spiritual leaders hiding their humanity
you give up your own responsibility to find out what your life is about to this perfect individual who is up there somewhere
- When the Mud Buffalo Dissolve ●●● August 2011 — Dibbavanaprojection onto the teacher
So we project onto the teacher or whoever, sometimes. Not always.
- Escape and Refuge in Zazen ●●● May 2014 — Banský Studenecinterpreting the teacher idealistically
my problem was I interpreted what Nishijima Roshi said idealistically
- Not Making Practice Special ●●● July 2021 — Skalní farahierarchy of special people · teaching only what we know
they have special people, and then there are more special people, and then you have a hierarchy, and up here is the guru
- Bendōwa ●●● Shobogenzotrue master
we must always take as a teacher a person who has experienced the [Buddha’s] state
- An Introduction to Shobogenzo ●●● June 2005 — Lotus Centrelistening to a little Japanese man · teaching as teaching oneself
talking, for me, is teaching myself. When I open my mouth and explain Buddhism, I hear it myself
- The Eight Truths of a Great Person ●●● June 2006 — Padmafarmateaching as teaching oneself
When I give talks, I'm teaching myself.
- Ikka-no-myoju 4: The Universe as Teacher ●●● Summer 2006 — Ikka-no-myojubuddhas as teachers of reality
So we can say those things or people or beings that teach us reality are buddhas
- The Empty Trappings of Transmission ●●● September 2009 — Earth Spiritauthority to teach
It doesn’t give me anything other than that piece of silk; I project the authority that I think that gives me
- The Map in Our Head ●●● May 2012 — Nová Dedinkarevering whatever teaches the truth
We should learn the truth from anybody or anything. Or if we find anybody or anything which knows the truth
- The Truth as a Cup of Tea ●●● September 2013 — Banský StudenecDharma transmission as affirmation
it's nice to have some kind of affirmation. So then, when things get difficult, you can think, Ah, it's all right. My teacher affirmed me
- Reading Dogen from Experience ●●● May 2014 — Banský Studenecstudying with a teacher
it's much quicker if you study with somebody who studied already, and who interpreted the meaning
- Zen Is Boring ●●●teacher who shatters illusions
If a teacher doesn't shatter your illusions he's doing you no favors at all.
- Introductions 1: Rules and Reality ●●● Summer 2003 — Introductions to Shobogenzo Chaptersteaching is learning
if we wait until we understand something completely before we teach it, we never start
- Introductions 5: Clear Explanation for Zazen ●●● Summer 2003 — Introductions to Shobogenzo Chaptersapprenticeship of a cabinet maker
you’d learn for example how to make cabinets from your master, and after fifteen years or so you’d become a cabinet maker
- Bussho 1: Having Buddha-Nature ●●● Summer 2005 — Busshoteaching as teaching oneself
So we can say that teachers teach themselves. Students allow teachers to teach themselves
- Bussho 3: Joshu’s Dog and Concepts ●●● Summer 2005 — Busshosincere question for a teacher
To have a sincere question is great if you are a teacher, because without any questions you can’t say anything
- Bussho 3: Acting in the Present Moment ●●● Winter 2005 — Busshostick instead of explanation
someone who strode around with a stick and hit people and didn’t say much
- Western Buddhism and Hierarchy ●●● February 2009 — Cholínteaching as teaching oneself
when I'm teaching, I'm teaching myself, or reminding myself
- Sacred and Ordinary Together ●●● July 2009 — Brnothrowing the words out
So it's like we throw the words out. Where they go, we don't know.
- Two Things, and the Rest Is Fashion ●●● August 2012 — Dibbavanaparents who are only parents
as we get older, we realise, oh, they're only my parents
- Dogen’s Teaching as a Way of Living ●●● September 2013 — Banský Studenecprojecting onto a perfect teacher
we find somebody who can be our teacher, and then we project onto them everything we want to be
- Buddhist State as Semi-Permeable Membrane ●●● September 2015 — Banský Studeneceverything can be a mirror
Yes. Everybody. Everything can be a mirror.
- Zazen Is Not Meditation ●●● July 2021 — Skalní farameaning of Zen master
But actually, the meaning is somebody who has mastered sitting in zazen.
- Life Itself Is Intelligent ●●● July 2021 — Skalní farateaching as teaching oneself
Well, this is therapy for me. I'm expressing unformed things, and I'm hearing myself say them.
Keywords
Ideas (22) teaching as teaching oneself6 making the teaching one's own3 revering whatever teaches the truth3 ancient apprenticeship system2 studying with a teacher2 teaching is learning2 true master2 buddhas as teachers of reality copying only the teacher's weaknesses Dharma transmission as affirmation everything is teaching meaning of Zen master projection onto the teacher showing one's character clearly subtle teaching beneath the teacher's character teacher who shatters illusions teacher without glasses teaching according to the people teaching as opening oneself teaching only what we know teaching without spiritual attainment tradition learned from a real person
Themes (20) copying the teacher2 projecting onto a perfect teacher2 authority to teach becoming a Buddhist teacher different societies, different teachings embracing lots of things everybody is in their time handing responsibility to a perfect individual hierarchy of special people interpreting the teacher idealistically losing freedom as a Buddhist teacher mystification and hierarchy not having to like the teacher recognising a true teacher severe view from a severe life sincere question for a teacher spiritual leaders hiding their humanity teacher more important than partner teacher's character Zen masters' secret teaching
Images and stories (10) apprenticeship of a cabinet maker everything can be a mirror fine wood and the carpenter listening to a little Japanese man parents who are only parents Sawaki's strength before zazen stick instead of explanation teacher who seemed crazy throwing the words out Wittgenstein's students after his change
People (1) Shunryu Suzuki