Secular Buddhist Podcast - Jundo - Religious-Secular Buddhism: The Best of All Worlds

[Heisoku]

Hi Jundo and all
I am reading Stephen Batchelor's take on this in his book After Buddhism. Wonder if anyone else has read it? I am still in the early stages. An interesting approach.
Gassho Heisoku
Sat today.



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[Jundo]

Hi Jundo and all
I am reading Stephen Batchelor's take on this in his book After Buddhism. Wonder if anyone else has read it? I am still in the early stages. An interesting approach.
Gassho Heisoku
Sat today.



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Hi Heisoku,

I have not read this new book (it is on the list!) and only his earlier writings on the topic. As I say in the Podcast, I am generally a big fan, but sometimes Batchelor seems so intent on stripping Buddhism of anything that he feels is not "what the Buddha originally taught" that it is also a kind of fundamentalism reduced to a system of ethics.

Also, he was a Zen monk for a time in a Korean monastery, but the opinions and experiences regarding Zen which he garnered from that time do not resemble much the Zen Buddhism I know. I wish he had a wider and more accepting view in some ways.

More after I actually read this book!

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Heisoku]

Thank Jundo. I do get such a feeling with this current writing, but will remain with an open mind.
Gassho
Heisoku


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[Jyukatsu]

Bravo Jundo, so well presented......this is why I feel at home in this Sangha : Thank You
Gassho,
Marina sat today

[Getchi]

Many thanks for this Jundo

SatToday
Geoff.

[Jakuden]

Good to hear/read this again, thank you Jundo! [emoji120]
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


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[michaelw]

Trying to catch up here.
The link to the talk has expired, is there another place I can pick this up?

gassho
M
sat.

[Kotei]

This one works for me:

https://secularbuddhism.org/episode-233-jundo-cohen-religious-secular-buddhism-the-best-of-all-worlds/

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

Trying to catch up here.
The link to the talk has expired, is there another place I can pick this up?

gassho
M
sat.

[michaelw]

Kotei

Thanks.
I tried the original posted link and it is also working.
Strange.

gassho
M
sat

[Kotei]

Kotei

I tried the original posted link and it is also working.
Strange.

Not strange at all, I've updated that one ;-)
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Nengyoku]

This was a good listen

Do you still call them Liests from time to time?
Or have they been given a new "Liest" on life?

Gassho,
Nengyoku
Sat

[JohnS]

Very interesting and insightful take. I take what is useful for me from it, and discard what isn't, keeping to Buddha's instruction to question things and not just take them on authority alone, which you exemplify here. Thank you for this teaching.

Gassho

John
SatTodayLAH

[michaelw]

Another circular journey.
Reading Jundo’s tribute to Gudo Wafu Nishijima I was reminded by point 8 of some of the writings under the Secular Buddhist heading so decided to do some research. It turns out I live within one hours drive of both Batchelor and Danvers two UK based advocates of Secular Buddhism. I have read Danver’s writings on the Exeter Meditation Circle website and currently reading Buddhism without Beliefs by Batchelor. A little more research brought up Jundos talk on the SBA podcast that neatly put the subject into perspective.
A lot of the ideas Batchelor and Danvers are advocating have a familiar ring to them. It feels like a flickering of the Perennial Philosophy flame with added humanist content. Very little emphasis on just sitting and more towards mindfulness and guided meditation with Transpersonal Psychology themes thrown in.
Danvers draws on Buddhism, Christianity, Heraclitus, Epicurus, Plato, David Hume, Existentialism and Dogen in his writings.
I think Jundo has summed up Batchelors position better than I could.
Finally, I wonder what an upates Jundo would have if giving that today?

gassho
M
sat
ps I was in receipt of someone else lah.

[Jundo]

I think Jundo has summed up Batchelors position better than I could.
Finally, I wonder what an upates Jundo would have if giving that today?

No real updates. I have a new interview by Stephen to listen to this week. In the meantime, I still feel that he has gone overboard. He has stripped so much out of Buddhism, and somehow it leaves me cold.

I will report again if anything changes my opinion.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Huichan]

I know Batchelor has a lot of critics but I feel like I would have never gone down the Buddhist path without reading his books a few years ago. He made me feel like I can practice Buddhist ideas but not have to believe in a lot of of the superstitions to do so. It was his direct and clear voice around these subjects that caught my attention and made me curious enough to start looking into Buddhist ideas more where many other Buddhists, who are also skeptical, seemed to be a lot more indirect and unclear when talking about them. That was just my perception then and aren't saying either way is better than the other, just spoke to me personally more.

Gassho
Ross
stlah