Zen Club Meeting
Little Bangkok Sangha
Sunday 11th August 2019 1:30-3:30pm
Arrive between 1:10pm and 1:30pm
@ The Shambhala Meditation Centre,
(in the Young Place Shopping Center) (see details below)
“There is no permanent state of enlightenment and there are no forever-enlightened beings…..It’s not that enlightenment is a finishing line, after which we’re all done. Our training continues forever.”
– Brad Warner, Punk-rock bassist, blogger, vlogger and Soto Zen Priest
Event overview
There is a long line of Zen masters who have broken social rules with unconventional behavior in order to teach Zen. Three examples: Tennen Tanka burned a statue of the Buddha; Joshu answered a koan (Zen question) by putting his sandals on his head and walking out of the room and when a monk asked “What is Buddha?” Unmon replied, “A dry shit stick.”
Join Bangkok Zen Club in an afternoon exploration of Brad Warner’s “Hardcore Zen” as we attempt to bore to the core of the modern unconventional Punk-rock bassist, blogger, vlogger and Soto Zen Priest’s Buddhist ethos. Brad Warner is iconoclastic, humorous, provocative yet respectful in his approach to Buddhism and in particular to Dogen, the 13th century ‘founder’ of the Soto Zen school. Sample chapters from Brad’s books we will chat about include: “Buddha is Boring,” Enlightenment is for Sissies,” “Zen and the Art of Wiping Your Butt,” and “Don’t Be Half-Assed.”
What is the purpose of these kinds of Zen teachers? Does it work? Come and explore these and other questions with the Zen Club. Brad would say, “Don’t be a jerk, a sissie or half-assed, and drag your butt down to the Shambhala Centre.”
There will be time for questions, discussion, and some Zen experience. There will also be a short meditation period.
Brad Warner
Schedule
1:10pm – 1:30pm: Gather at Shambhala Center (see map below)
1:30pm: Welcome and Zen meditation
1:45pm: Discussion of Brad Warner’s Hardcore Zen
2:25pm: Break – chat time
2:35pm: Listening to interview of Brad by Gary Rutland and discussion
3:20pm: Zen meditation
3:30pm: Ends
This event is free of charge, however, in line with welcoming and supporting Zen Club programs we do ask for Dana (donations) to help with the expenses of the event.
It is in English only.
There is limited room of about 15 persons, so if you want to ensure a seat, come early. Reservations are not accepted.
If you would like to do some reading before the meeting, these are some of Brad’s books:
These and other books, as well any and all information anyone could need about Brad Warner can be found at http://hardcorezen.info/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqFdpTQjCUc .
About the Zen Club
The Little Bangkok Sangha is open to Buddhists of all styles of practice. One type of Buddhist practice is Zen, which developed as part of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in China and then Japan. Zen practitioners now are spread around the world.
Zen has its own particular ideas and practices. The Zen Club explores these many facets of Zen. Each meeting focuses on a specific theme. Usually there is a presentation and discussion of the meeting theme. Occasionally Zen teachers have spoken at our meetings and also sometimes movies with themes related to Zen have been shown.
Some themes of past meetings are: the Four Noble Truths, Zen and the Eightfold Path, true self and original nature, Zen meditation, oneness, death, love, enlightenment, Zen literature, Zen koans, and the old Zen texts such as The Gateless Gate and the Blue Cliff Records.
Participation
Everyone who has an interest in the practice of Zen, whether they have any experience of Zen or not, is welcome. All a person needs is their inquiring mind and the willingness to look at oneself. In Zen, this is referred to as examining the ground on which one stands.
If you have any questions about Zen or wish to discuss anything about Zen, you can email Reggie Pawle at reggiepawle@yahoo.com
Facilitation
Our regular facilitator is Reggie Pawle and from time to time we are also fortunate enough to host guest teachers, like Gary Rutland for this event.
About Reggie Pawle:
Reggie Pawle PhD has been a Zen Buddhist practitioner since 1974. He has studied with Joshu Sasaki (Rinzai school) in the U.S. and with Sekkei Harada (Soto school) in Japan. He also sat with Buddhadasa Bhikkhu in 1989. He has a PhD in Buddhist causality, attachment and no-self. Reggie works as a psychotherapist, integrating Buddhism and Western psychology. Since 1999 he has been based in Japan. He lived for three years in Bangkok (2015 to 2018), teaching psychology and studying Buddhism. He has now moved back to his Zen roots in Japan and comes to Bangkok for meetings and study. His blog is at: https://reggiepawle.wordpress.com
Venue
The Shambhala Meditation Centre, 3rd Floor, Young Place Shopping Center, Sukhumvit Soi 23, Khwaeng Khlong Toei Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110
The Bangkok Shambhala Meditation Center is located on Sukhumvit Soi 23 on the 3rd floor in the Young Place Shopping Center. From the Asoke BTS station or even closer from the Sukhumvit MRT, you can walk (10 minutes) or take a motorcycle taxi. Website: http://bangkok.shambhala.info
Here is the map in English:
Shambhala Meditation Centre