Podcast appearances and mentions of lin chi

Steve and Nick's special guest for this episode is Sujata Setia. Sujata is a multi award winning photographer and artist. As well as her family and materity photography, Sujata also has her personal projects that combine both photography and art. Her personal work includes "Changing the Conversation", a startling body of work of images of people with challenges including burns survivors and rare conditions. Her latest project, "A Thousand Cuts", is an extraordinary project where Sujata, using a combination of photography and art, has produced powerful images of domestic abuse survivors from South Asia. The title of the project is a metaphor from the ancient form of torture known as Linchi. Sujata has received numerous awards for A Thousand Cuts, including winning the creative category for the Sony World Photography Awards in 2024. Sujata's family and materity photography, under the brand of But Natural Photography has a gorgeous warm and high class style and has led to her building a successful business in Kent, Essex, London and surrounding areas. This show is one of two podcasts Steve and Nick will release as part of the build up to International Women's Day on March 8th 2025. But Natural Photography : https://butnaturalphotography.com/Sujata's personal website : https://sujatasetia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butnaturalphotography; https://www.instagram.com/sujatasetia/Nick Church and Steve Vaughan are professional wedding photographers based in the UK. They both use Sony Alpha cameras and lenses. Nick's website : https://www.nickchurchphotography.co.uk/Nick's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/nickchurchphotography/Steve's website : https://www.samandstevephotography.com/Steve's Wedding Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/samandstevephotography/Steve's personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevevaughanphotographyAny technical information given by the presenters is based on their understanding and opinion at the time of recording

Episode 0906 - On Authenticity, I (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Introductory comments on the concept & reality of Authenticity. Lin Chi and personal relevance, levels of illusory identity (conscious mind, soul, Atman, Source), differentiations of True Nature & the matter of Selfhood. Greek etymology and views of Authenticity from fields of Philosophy and Psychology.

Episode 0907 - On Authenticity, II (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Continuing discussion on the concept & reality of true authenticity. Lin Chi and personal relevance, levels of illusory identity (conscious mind, soul, Atman, Source), differentiations of True Nature & the matter of Selfhood. Greek etymology and views of Authenticity from fields of Philosophy and Psychology.

Episode 0904 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXXII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0905 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXXIII [FINAL] (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita

Episode 0903 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXXI (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra Material,

Episode 0900 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXVIII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0901 - December 2024 Update & Lin Chi, XXIX (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta,

Episode 0902 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXX(Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra Material,

Episode 0899 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXVII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.  References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0898 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXVI (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0897 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXV (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0896 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXIV (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0892 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XX (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0893 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXI (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0894 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXII(Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0895 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XXIII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0887 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XVI (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0889 - Chiang Mai Floods & Lin Chi, XVII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta,

Episode 0890 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XVIII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0886 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XV (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0882 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XI (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0883 - September 2024 Update & Lin Chi, XII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta

Episode 0884 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XIII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0885 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, XIV (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0880 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, IX (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra Material,

Episode 0881 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, X (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra Material,

Episode 0879 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, VIII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0864 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, III (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0865 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, IV (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.   References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0866 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, V (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra Material,

Episode 0867 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, VI (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching.  References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra

Episode 0878 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, VII (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen -- Lin Chi's life & teaching. References from Pali Buddha-Dhamma, Bhagawan Nityananda & Advaita Vedanta, Ra Material,

Episode 0863 - Lin Chi & Radical Freedom, II (Click on the above link, or here, for audio.) Extensive commentary on Lin Chi, Chinese Mahayana Buddhist theory & practice, and the ways of essential freedom. Concluding the essay, "Lin-chi and the True Man without Rank," core teachings & right view. From Indian Theravada to Chinese Ch'an & Japanese Zen.   References from Pali

"Anoche soñé que volvía a Manderley..". Así empieza Rebeca, una de las obras más inquietantes del maestro Hitchcock. Un cuento de hadas fantasmagórico en forma de drama, romance, muerte e intriga, donde Hitchcock juega impasible con la mente del espectador. Analizaremos, opinaremos y discutiremos de esta película con la mejor compañía posible, con Rita Salazar y Linchi, del podcast La Camarilla. Contenidos: [00:02:57] Entrevista a Rita Salazar [00:21:34] Rebeca --------------------------------------------------------- La Taberna del Irlandés es un spin-off de Un Memento y Volvemos. Puedes seguirlo a través de este canal junto al resto de programas del podcast, o de forma individual a través de su propio canal, suscribiéndote en la siguiente url: https://www.ivoox.com/ajx-suscribirse_jh_927023_1.html Los podcast de Un Memento y Volvemos están disponibles en Ivoox, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Pocket Cast, TuneIn, Podimo, Overcast, Radio.es, y los principales podcatchers actuales. Nuestro equipo de habituales está formado en orden alfabético por Pascu, Pol, Rodri, Sergi, Txivani, y Vele. Vías de contacto de LTDI: - Nuestro EMAIL de contacto (de vez en cuando lo consultamos): latabernadelirlandespodcast@gmail.com - Síguenos en TWITTER: @TabernaIrlandes - Suscríbete a nuestro canal en IVOOX: https://www.ivoox.com/ajx-suscribirse_jh_927023_1.html Vías de contacto de UMYV: - Nuestro EMAIL de contacto (de vez en cuando lo consultamos): unmementoyvolvemos@gmail.com - Síguenos en TWITTER: @Mementovolvemos - Únete a nuestro canal público de TELEGRAM donde podrás hablar de cine y series, participar en nuestras encuestas, y estar atento a nuestras novedades: https://t.me/Mementers - Suscríbete a nuestro canal en IVOOX: https://www.ivoox.com/ajx-suscribirse_jh_496940_1.html - Email de COLABORACIONES: vele666@gmail.com

Una storiella zen e un'interessante conferenza da ascoltare: https://open.spotify.com/episode/28ltCX1lQWZPSC2mSvvzSh - Portare avanti la passione senza illusioni - Vitarka-vicārānandāsmitānugamāt samprajnātah (sūtra 1.17) - Virāma-pratyayābhyāsa-pūrvah samskāra-shesho'nyah(sūtra 1.18) - Cosa è il samadhi.AVVISO: la richiesta di supporto di 1€ al mese è decaduta, dal momento che il podcast, dal 51° episodio in poi, è passato sulla mia pagina Patreon. Si può seguire versando una quota mensile o annuale, nella quale sono incluse anche le lezioni live di approfondimento. Ci vediamo lì?

Rinzai or Soto?It does not make much diff'rence —if you are sincere.* * *In the last segment, we ended with Matsuoka Roshi's cautionary tale about overreacting to the menu of Zen and other meditation teachers on offer today:In all the world now there are many genuine teachers and many more pretenders. The popular Zen teachers of today may fade in a year or two.He goes on to point out that with Master Dogen, and other teachers in the so-called unbroken face-to-face lineage from Shakyamuni on down, many of their stories are subject to revisionist history, which further amplifies his point on history as a great deceiver:Of course, if you were a slightly dishonest scholar of the Sung era who wanted to justify the Lin Chi sect's use of koans, it would be handy to make a venerable canon testify to that prior practice. This story, and that of Dogen, are just two specifics from modern Zen research to remind you to distrust historians a little. With bad information, it is easier to let yourself believe some embellished legends, and then wonder why they do not make sense in your own life.Why should the history of Zen Buddhism be any different, after all? As soon as any record is written down, as usual by the victors, it is subject to error, intentional or accidental. While we have the ideal of the separation of church and state as a contemporary meme, it was not always so. Those who do not study history may be doomed to repeat it, but we cannot take for granted that the written record is any more than an approximation of what actually happened, and why. The who, how, where and when are often questionable as well. Not to be too paranoid, but Zen Mind is one of few things we can trust:There is of course a second thing to distrust. There is nothing that is static, so do not look for an unchanging Zen tradition any more than you would look for an unchanging you. In examining Zen as it has been taught in all the different times and places in the last 2,500 years or so, the form has changed, and changed, and changed again. The original vinaya, or monastic rules, as set down by Shakyamuni Buddha to his disciples are no longer all practiced in the monasteries of modern China and Japan, and yet, the Zen practice is as authentic as the first practice of the historic Buddha.Here is a fundamental koan on the history of Zen: its form changes but its essence does not. It is based on the innate quality of the buddha, or awakened, nature, as being natural, the birthright of all humans. The method, that is the only concrete thing that is transmitted in Zen, is what fosters this realization. It does not matter, in this sense, what the historical details really were. We do not claim the performance of miracles, for instance, other than awakening to the miracle of existence itself.After going into tighter focus on the history of Zen in 9th century China, mentioning some of the standout “monsters” of Zen, as we like to refer to them, and remarking their differences, Sensei includes verbal and visual pedagogy:Each of the three schools [Ikyo; Ummon Zen; and Hogen Zen sects] was based upon meditation practice and upon the use of verbal or diagrammatic means to reveal the light of inherent wisdom. Wei Yang of Ikyo Zen and his disciples used a series of circular figures that they would draw in the sand. By means of these illustrations and the terse descriptions that accompanied them, and by question-and-answer, called “mondo,” the Ikyo masters worked for the liberation of their disciples.Socrates was not the only master innovating non-traditional teaching approaches. We are challenged to do likewise today.Wrapping up his brief survey of this century-plus of Ch'an, Sensei summarizes:Of the five schools of Zen, these three vanished. What is ironic is that Yun Men, founder of the Ummon sect, was the most popular of all the founders of the five houses of Zen in that century. And yet, the Ummon sect vanished. The two Chinese houses of Zen that lasted, and later crossed the shore to Japan, were Rinzai and Soto. These two I will discuss in a little more depth.Matsuoka Roshi, like many of the early pioneers of Zen in America, was steeped in the history of Zen, developing a near-encyclopedic memory of teachings and the exchanges between the great ancestors. But for our immediate ancestors, the history of Zen was inseparable from the history of the country, Japan, itself. In our case, they may appear as interesting — if somewhat irrelevant — stories from a remote part of the world. Imagine what it would be like if they were intertwined with the story of America, from its founding to the Revolution, and the subsequent establishment of the Republic. Master George Washington. Fully enlightened Thomas Jefferson, Zenji. James Madison, dai osho. John Adams, Roshi. Brother Ben Franklin, that iconoclast rogue monk. Householders all. But I digress:The Master I Hsuan (Gigen in Japanese) of Lin Chi Temple is credited with being the founder of the Lin Chi or Rinzai Zen sect. Lin Chi, as I Hsuan is also known, was a very intense, driven and severe disciple of Huang Po (Obaku Kiun in Japanese). He used beatings, shouting and other severe discipline in conjunction with koan practice to open the eyes of his followers. Although others before Lin Chi used these methods, under Lin Chi's guidance, they became a most skillful means of teaching to obtain immediate enlightenment. Lin Chi also discoursed on more doctrinal issues, like the four propositions of Indian Buddhist logic; but such discussions were the common interest of Zen disciples in China at the beginning of the Five Dynasties period. Despite his strict and somewhat brutal methods, Lin Chi was also well able to discourse on the dharma in public debate, a teaching method now sometimes called “dharma combat.” After Lin Chi, however, the teaching style of the sect became more formalized, and less spontaneous. Nonetheless, it has proved itself to be a vital and effective teaching.Where others see and tend to stress difference over sameness — the current political term of art being “divisiveness” — Sensei, and Zen teachers in general, tend to stress sameness over difference. The ultimate resolution of this binary is found in Sekito Kisen's Sandokai — Harmony of Sameness and Difference. Matsuoka Roshi had friends who were priests in the Rinzai sect, one of whom visited the Zen Buddhist Temple of Chicago, and was the guest speaker. Since it was in Japanese, I do not remember the content. But afterward, if memory serves, we began striking both shoulders with the kyosaku, the “wake-up” stick, instead of only the right shoulder. Sitting with a Rinzai group in Japan in 1987, I asked for the stick, and they struck down the back on both sides of the spine, rather than on the shoulders. I suspect that Matsuoka Roshi adopted the double strike as an influence of Rinzai, but do not know for sure.He goes on to compare Rinzai with Soto, the tradition in which he trained at Sojiji, Keizan's monastery:The original Ts'ao Tung sect does not bear much resemblance to the modern Soto sect. In fact, old Lin Chi Zen is closer to modern Rinzai than Ts'ao Tung is to modern Soto. The masters Liang Chiai of Tung Shan monastery, and Pen Chi of Ts'ao Shan monastery are credited as being cofounders of the Soto sect, although Liang Chiai died thirty-one years before Pen Chi. Again the main practice was zazen, but the “finger pointing to the moon of enlightenment” took the form of the teaching of the five ranks.The five ranks were a system of symbols used to differentiate among the levels of enlightenment. The ranks were the prince; the minister; the prince looking at the minister; the minister returning to the prince; and the prince and minister in harmony. Additionally, the idea of “host and guest” were used interchangeably with those of the “prince and minister.” Circular symbols in black and white as well as kua from the I Ching were also used to try to communicate this abstruse and complicated scheme of teaching. As those of you who have practiced Soto Zen know, we do not discuss the five ranks. Instead, we practice zazen-only Zen.So here we find the reduction to zazen-only, the hallmark of simplicity of Soto praxis. Tozan's Five Ranks constitute one of many such models that the ancestors designed to help their students visualize the big picture, while putting their main effort into the reality before their faces. The next sentence is a classic of stating the obvious, but with the resonance of Zen's encompassing worldview:Time passed, and change occurred. The Soto and Rinzai sects also changed. By the middle of the twelfth century AD, Rinzai had become the more popular Chinese Chan sect. The koan system became a regular feature of Rinzai practice. The word “koan” (kung-an in Chinese) translated literally means a “public case,” in this instance a public discussion of the truth of Zen. The koan were alogical problems which were given to disciples to solve. The solution of the koan could only be arrived at with an experience of satori, or some realization of enlightenment.Sensei goes on to demystify this thing, the koan, explaining that,…no intellectual solution to the koan is acceptable to the Rinzai masters because mental antics or logic are the chatter of the superficial self. Only after a hundred and eight thousand or more surface mind answers is the logical mind brought to a frustrated impasse. Then, and most suddenly at that moment, the eye of enlightenment sees with all certainty the solution to the koan.Sensei traces the origin of the schism that developed between the two systems:Two great Zen masters lived in the twelfth century China: Rinzai Master, Ta Hui (1189–1163 AD) and Soto Master, Tien T'ung (1091–1157 AD). These two contemporaries criticized each other's version of Zen teaching. You will hear their positions repeated today, so it is instructive to know what they said.And concludes his gloss on the history with a reconciliation of the conflict on the personal level:When Tien T'ung died, his Rinzai dharma combatant, Ta Hui, hastened to attend his funeral rites. Soto and Rinzai Zen of the Sung dynasty ending time is fairly much how Rinzai and Soto are practiced today.Puts one in mind of other famous contemporaries and their deaths, such as Huineng and Shenxui, of the so-called Southern and Northern schools of Ch'an. And, more recently, that of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who famously passed within hours of each other on July 4th, 1826.Sensei then brings us to our present lineage founder:It was not too long after Tien T'ung's death that Dogen Zenji was born in 1200 AD in Japan.We will not be able to fully cover this in-depth exegesis on the ways of Zen in the time we have available. I will share a few of the nuggets, with the hope that you will follow by studying the whole chapter and book. In concluding his remarks on Soto versus Rinzai pedagogy, Sensei uses some striking imagery:Rinzai Zen moves from the outer world to the inner world like a fearless hunter questing for an elusive quarry. If, however, you can understand… Dogen's “practice and enlightenment are the same”; and my “Five minutes of practice, five minutes a Buddha!”; you will know that Soto is just the opposite Zen of Rinzai.The original nature is already present and shining… In Soto Zen, when we sit, we let this original nature shine as it is. When we simply stop interfering, this original nature will melt all our hardness; will untangle our confusion; will blunt all our sharp and jutting angles; and will balance us perfectly without any effort of the small self directing an assault on the great and enlightened self.I think that this sudden enlightenment of the old Rinzai masters seemed so sudden because the way of koan inquiry into the original nature is not the way that the original nature is and acts. The practice of koan Zen applies an extra and angular energy to the primal radiant nature. It pits the small self's desire for peace and harmony with all its own turbulence against the great and silent original mind. Only when the Rinzai practitioner succeeds in exerting a 180 degree polar opposite and artificial energy, does the seat of consciousness turn about on its axis. Suddenly, like two out-of-phase magnets that flip and lock together with inseparable force, the original nature and worldly nature become one, fused inseparably. It seems sudden and violent because koan Zen moves against the outward and outpouring current of radiant enlightenment.All the while, the gradual Soto practice of zazen allows the original nature to dissolve the small, suffering and separated self, breath by breath. The end result does not seem, perhaps, as striking; but it is more sure as a Dhyanayana. No matter whether gradual or sudden, first remembering, then bringing the enlightened nature back into pre-eminence is the way of Zen.Sensei concludes with an exhortation for Americans to practice the gentler approach of Soto Zen:Today, I can absolutely recommend Soto Zen to you as the upaya and Dhyanayana of our time. If you are half-hearted, it will produce no ill effects; and, in fact, will improve some areas of your life physiologically, emotionally, or mentally. If you are sincere and determined to the end, Soto Zen will lead you surely, safely, and most harmoniously, to the supreme realization and to the subtlest Samadhi in this life.Note the definition of zazen Samadhi as the “subtlest,” Master Dogen's “fine mind of Samadhi,” or “subtle mind of Samadhi.”Please take Sensei's compassionate plea to heart. Just sit still enough, long enough, to let your true colors come shining through.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

Today's passage, “When you meet Buddha on the road, kill him” – this verse was reportedly said by Zen Buddhist master, Lin Chi who died in 866 A.D. If we are searching for answers outside of our inner knowing, we are abandoning our agency to adopt the ideas and beliefs another. Sufi Master, Rumi said, “What you are seeking is also seeking you.” Meaning, everything you seek has been within you all along.Remember, Tony Robbin's 2016 documentary aptly titled, “I'm not Guru”? Same  idea. There is no duality.  If we believe we are separate from others, we begin to operate under a self-imposed limitation. Playing it small.Have you ever played small because you didn't believe in your own ability to succeed? I know in my 20s, I was asked by our department director to apply for a manager role and I declined because one of the young men I worked alongside was applying for that same role. I saw him as the Buddha, more capable and knowledgeable than myself.On the flip side, if you are a parent, are you parenting as the Buddha in your home? Is your parent-child relationship based on a hierarchy that requires obedience at all cost in strict adherence to your vision for your children's lives? Or, do you believe that your children developing their independence -their signature- is more important than their total compliance to your teachings? Will you kill Buddha or follow the paths of others?Connect with me: Instagram.com/megan_nycmom

Fun sketchnote session today! Great chat with Julia about life and art. Then the news that broke Chinese social media today!

"Si un hombre busca a Buda ese hombre pierde a Buda". Lin-Chi

Dharma talk by Eran Junryu Vardi Roshi of Eiryu-ji Zen Center on 11/25/18

Book III Reading, part 5(Click on the above link, or here, for audio.)Readings from Book III, Section III: Self-Healing, Freedom and Enlightenment.Chapters 3-5: Love, Pain, Cure; From Inner Seed to Outer Flower; Lin-Chi and the True Man without Rank. From love-lacking karmic formation to personal pain & opportunity for deeper learning of love by self-care -- pain as catalyst for spiritual cure. Commentary on Lin Chi's esoteric Buddhist Ch'an teaching.Source (Book III: Selected Essays 2001-2010): https://www.dropbox.com/s/6fsehffcir1wyxp/Book%20III%20rev-US.pdf?dl=0* Lin-Chi and the True Man: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ygx8n0k1i4nckv9/Lin-chi%20Essay-new%20-%20Copy.pdf* All free PDF files: http://talkswithscottmandelker.com/pdf_filesUploaded to YouTube on 10/2/2018

In diesem Vortrag, während des Herbst-Sesshin 2017 in Steyerberg, spricht Christoph Rei Ho Hatlapa von unserer Sehnsucht, wieder mit der Natur und auch mit unserer eigenen wahren Natur in Kontakt zu kommen. Wir sind durch unsere Form der Zivilisation sowohl von der äußere Natur als auch von unsere inneren entfremdet und suchen - mehr oder weniger bewusst - nach Hinweisen, wie wir diese Selbst-Entfremdung wieder überwinden können. Im Zuge dieser Suche wandten sich auch viele "Sucher" auf der Suche nach Authentizität an die Quellen aus dem Osten. Auf diesem (Um-) Weg versuchen wir uns wieder mit dem uns fremd Gewordenem vertraut zu machen. Meister Rinzai (chin.: Linchi) wirkte in diesem Sinne prägend, indem er den alten taoistischen Ausdruck vom "Wahrem Menschen (ohne Rang und Namen)" in die Zen-Überlieferung übernahm. Dieser Aspekt, der in jedem von uns verborgen liegt, ist es, der uns wieder in ein ursprüngliches Selbstvertrauen und in eine heilsam wirkende Tatkraft führen kann.

Dharma talk by Eran Junryu Vardi Roshi of Eiryu-ji Zen Center on 4/9/17

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Here is the news. President Xi Jinping has urged development of the country's forestry while attending a voluntary tree planting in Beijing recently. Xi visited an afforestation site in Beijing's Daxing District and planted saplings of different varieties at the site. Xi noted that the next five years marks an important stage in China's ecological protection drive, and forestry development is a significant measure to fulfill the goals. President Xi has called on officials at all levels to take the lead in voluntary tree planting campaigns to promote new development concepts with their own practices. He has stressed proper management of planted trees to make people's living environment greener and more beautiful. The president has called for an altruistic and down-to-earth spirit for such activities, citing the Chinese proverb "people plant trees so their offspring can enjoy the shade". Situated in Xihongmen Township in Beijing's southern Daxing District, the greens where the top leaders planted trees used to be a venue for logistic inventory and other low-end industries. The strategy of coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei area requires the capital city to eschew its non-capital functions. Thanks to the policy, the area has been reshaped into a park following economic restructuring. This is NEWS Plus Special English. More than 400 Chinese police officers died while they were on duty in 2015. The Ministry of Public Security says another 4,600 police officers were injured or disabled at work. The ministry published an article on its official website to mark the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day when people honor the deceased. The article says since China started the reform and opening up policy in 1978, almost 13,000 police have died, adding that police officers are a group that sacrifices the most in peacetime. During the three-day holiday for the Tomb-Sweeping Day, the ministry held a publicity campaign to commemorate the police officers who sacrificed their lives while on duty. The ministry asked police departments at all levels to visit the families of the martyrs and help them address difficulties in their lives and work. The official website of the ministry launched a link displaying the diseased officers for people to honor. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. A special operation launched in February to fight human trafficking has crashed down almost 3,000 illegal immigrants, mostly from Southeast Asian countries. These illegal immigrants were smuggled to Hong Kong by local traffickers. Many of the almost 3,000 foreigners arrived in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and were transported to Guangdong province before being taken to Hong Kong. Of those, almost 2,900 were from Southeast Asia and the rest were from South Asia. Police also said they had detained 142 smugglers from China and other countries, including 29 from Southeast Asia and South Asia. One of the largest criminal groups, a well-organized team led by a Hong Kong resident from South Asia known as "Little Tiger", attracted immigrants with promises of jobs. They were smuggled into the country through Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and then taken by train to Shenzhen. The Ministry of Public Security says the activities were well organized by professional traffickers, who had clear and specific responsibilities. They formed a human smuggling chain. Some criminal groups also routed the illegal immigrants from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to Guangdong province after crossing the border with Vietnam. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Chinese organ donors have been on the rise since voluntary donation was introduced in the country in 2010. As of March 20, China has recorded more than 66,000 voluntary organ donors, 6,600 of whom donated their organs, saving about 18,000 lives. China began a voluntary organ donation trial in 2010 and promoted the practice across the country in 2013. Now, it tops Asia in the number of organ donations per year. According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, 2,800 volunteers donated organs last year, with 7,800 large organs acquired. The number of organ donations exceeded 2013 and 2014 combined. Last year, doctors nationwide performed more than 10,000 transplants, with 74 percent of the organs transplanted from volunteers and 26 percent from relatives. Despite the growing number of organ donors, China still faces a great challenge in promoting organ donation as traditional belief holds that organ removal after death desecrates a corpse. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Education authorities in an eastern Chinese city plans to reduce its oversized classrooms, promising to build and expand 150 schools in the following two years. More than half of the city's classes in primary and middle schools have student numbers far beyond national standard. One school in Heze city in Shandong Province has more than 5,000 students, while an average class has around 80 students, almost double the national standard of no more than 45 for an urban primary school class and 50 for an urban middle school class. A provincial survey last year showed that more than 40 percent of classes in primary and middle schools were oversized in Shandong Province. Ten percent of them had more than 66 students in one class. East China's Anhui Province faces similar problems. In other regions, the overcrowding problem is even more striking. At a middle school of China's most populated province of Henan, an average class has more than 100 people. Three or four students commonly share one desk. Students at the back rows have to stand up in order to see their teacher, and the teachers have to use a loudspeaker. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Shanghai has around 4.4 million registered population aged over 60 by the end of last year, a year-on-year increase of 5 percent. The elderly people account for 30 percent of the city's total population. Those aged 80 and above reached 780,500 last year, up 27,000 from the previous year. Shanghai's life expectancy was almost 83 years last year. The city's life expectancy has kept above 82 for 6 consecutive years. Moreover, Shanghai has a total of 1,750 centenarians, including 420 males and 1,330 females. It is estimated that the registered population aged 60 and older in Shanghai will surpass 5 million by 2018, and exceed 5.4 million by 2020. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. You can access the program by logging onto NEWSPlusRadio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. China has issued a guideline for deepened reform of law enforcement in cultural market in a bid to safeguard the national cultural and ideological security. The State Council guideline says harmful cultural products and services are sometimes spreading in cultural market. The constantly emerging harmful information are undermining the cultural rights of the minors and the intellectual property rights, and causing a public outcry. The guideline says those major problems should be addressed by capable law enforcers in cultural market. As for cultural products, social benefits must be given priority over economic gains. The guideline is calling for further improving law enforcement. The reform aimed to build a law enforcement force in cultural market that conforms to the socialist core values and meet the needs of the modern cultural market system. The guideline says the reform will stick to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, spread the socialist core values, promote the rule of law and clearly define the power of different departments. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China will increase the allowance given to practitioners of intangible heritage, as many such items are in danger of dying out. According to the Ministry of Culture, allowances have been given to iconic figures of national-level intangible heritage items since 2008. The allowance will be raised to 20,000 yuan, roughly 3,100 U.S. dollars, per person per year from the current 10,000 yuan. It started at 8,000 yuan in 2008. The ministry says the money is not a living allowance, but is designed to support pedagogic activities. The increase aims to encourage leading figures to pass on their skills to the younger generation. According to official figures, around 300 out of 2,000 artists of national-level intangible heritage items have passed away. Intangible heritage includes traditional rituals, oral literature and other art forms. Acrobatics, for example, is a typical Chinese intangible heritage item. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Beijing will promote smaller tombs and ecologically friendly burials as it tries to persuade people to stop renting big tombs for the deceased. Cemetery operators in Beijing suggest that people not rent traditional ground tombs and instead, opt for burials that are good for the environment. The move has been taken under a five-year plan for the funeral service sector in the city. In Chinese tradition, many people believe that souls rest in peace with the bodies covered by soil. A traditional tomb involves ground burial and occupies several square meters of land. Large tombstones were once considered a symbol of high social status and were thought to symbolize the degree of filial piety of offspring. However, due to issues including land scarcity and pollution, people are urged to use new methods, including tree, flower and sea burials. Smaller tombs and replacing gravestones with trees are encouraged. Beijing offers 4,000 yuan, roughly 610 U.S. dollars, to each family who chooses sea burial for the deceased. Last year, 46 percent of burials in Beijing were eco-friendly. The local government wants to further increase the ratio to 50 percent by 2020. Another goal is to increase the cremation rate. This is NEWS Plus Special English. A giant postcard created by local authorities and students earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records when it was unveiled in Jinan, the capital city of east China's Shandong Province. Stretching almost 1,400 meters, the giant postcard contains 10,000 regular-sized postcards, all filled out by high school students in the city. The postcard has been certified for the world record. The event was organized by the city government and the China Post to promote the city as a tourist destination. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Chinese actor Huang Lei is playing the lead character in the Chinese adaptation of hit Japanese manga series "Midnight Diner". The TV series' official weibo account has released a set of photos showing Huang's portrait, playing the protagonist in the drama. Shooting of the 34-episode TV series began in mid-January. However, the cast had been kept a close secret. Midnight Diner follows the life of a lone chef who opens a restaurant that runs from midnight to sunrise. The restaurant has only one dish on the menu, but the chef cooks anything his clients ask with the ingredients he has on hand. The Chinese adaptation is directed by Taiwan director Tsai Yueh-hsun, who's also behind hit series including "Meteor Garden" and "Black and White". It has been reported that Lin Chi-ling, Barbie Hsu and Mark Zhao have cameo roles in the series. Midnight Diner has already been made into television series in Japan and South Korea. The two series are both very popular in China. （全文见周日微信。）

5.12.2014 Meister Rinzai's „Wahrer Mensch ohne Rang“ Gerade in den unruhigen Zeiten der ausgehenden Tang-Zeit, die geordneten Hierarchien des chinesischen Riesenreiches waren durch Rebellionen über den Haufen geworfen, bedeutete es eine Provokation, wenn Linchi (jap.: Rinzai) vom „Wahren Menschen ohne Rang“ als Ideal und Ziel des buddhistischen Weges sprach. Noch heute lässt sich in der japanischen Sprache, die sich an der alten chinesischen Kultur orientiert, kaum ein Satz sprechen ohne auf den Rang des Gegenübers Bezug zu nehmen. In seinem Vortrag stellt Christoph Hatlapa Bezüge zu anderen Dialogen in der buddhistischen Überlieferung her, in denen es um die Frage nach dem wahren Wesen des Menschen geht.

2.12.2014 "Wenn ihr den Buddha trefft, tötet den Buddha ..." Rinzai Roku Vorträge, Abschnitt 18 Christoph Rei Ho Hatlapa spricht in diesem Vortrag über den Gründer seiner Schule, Meister Rinzai. Linchi, wie sein chinesischer Name lautete, lebte in unruhigen Zeiten. Das Reich der Tang versank seinerzeit im Chaos einer Rebellion, die das ganze Reich auf den Kopf stellte. Und trotzdem empfiehlt Linchi (jap.: Rinzai) seinen Schülern, auf alle mentalen Konstrukte und vorgeblichen Gewissheiten zu verzichten und die radikale geistige Freiheit und Unabhängigkeit zu wählen. Es geht ihm darum, dass wir unsere Verstrickungen und Konzepte loslassen und wirklich in die innere Freiheit kommen, die uns immer offen steht. Es geht ihm darum, im Hier&Jetzt in die volle Präsenz zu kommen. In unserer Zeit leiden besonders die Schüler und Studenten unter Zwängen wie z.B.dem, in begrenzter Zeit bestimmte Credit Points zu sammeln und unter einem unbarmherzigen Zwang zur Anpassung, der es ihnen absurderweise beinahe unmöglich macht, diejenigen Qualitäten, die in den Betrieben gesucht werden, wie etwa Kreativität und lebendige Innovationskraft, zu entwickeln. Als Gegenbeispiel für solche Entwicklungen führt Christpoh Rei Ho Hatlapa den Japaner Masanobu Fukuoka an, der eine eigene Form der nachhaltigen und naturverträglichen Landwirtschaft entwickelte, die ihm auch noch Zeit für Muße, für Dichtung und Lehre ließ. Der Zen-Meister Linchi wie auch Masanobu Fukuoka erinnern uns daran, dass die Grundlage dafür, dasjenige zu finden, was wirklich wichtig ist: den "Wahren Menschen ohne Rang und Namen" in uns zum Ausdruck zu bringen, darin besteht, uns für die Kräfte der Natur und für das lebendige Leben zu öffnen.

Todayand#8217;s FBA Dharmabyte is a curious exploration entitled and#8220;Meeting Another’s ‘Environment’.and#8221; Sharing the teaching of Lin Chi on and#8216;environmentand#8217; and how we meet a whole container of history, memories, emotions when we meet another. With stories about Hakuin, the Samurai and the Order Member Saghasen in India, this little excerpt packs a punch! From the talk and#8220;The Bliss Bestowing Hands of the True Individualand#8221; of the and#8220;Tangling Eyebrows with Zen Mastersand#8221; series given at Padmaloka Retreat Center.

The strangest thing is going on in China's film market. The most criticized movie "Switch" made by Chinese TV producer Jay Sun now ranks the first in terms of daily grossing. Nine days after its release, the film has already secured 26 million yuan, in comparison, Hollywood blockbuster "Star Trek: Into Darkness", with higher ticket price on average, sold for just a little more than 33 million yuan in three weeks. It is an interesting phenomenon because "Switch" is widely considered an awful movie. Internet users on China's biggest online movie database Mtime give it a rating of 2.3 out of 10, making it one of the lowest-rated local blockbusters that somehow made to Chinese cineplexes. Part of the reason is the movie's sizeable 160-million-yuan investment. Unlike regular movies, the production of "Switch" was a commercial activity right from the start. Details of the film's budget and marketing strategy were outlined even before a script was ready. And based on my personal observation, the movie carries a dozen embedded adverts, such as for a domestic insurance company, an overseas cell-phone producer, a foreign automaker, a Chinese online shopping website, among many others. With this amount of input, the producer must have tried every means within his power to install it in Chinese cinemas. Meanwhile, the producers had reason to assume that their movie will sell. For starters, they included superstar Andy Lau and celebrity model Lin Chi-ling in the cast. The influence of Andy Lau is of course beyond any doubt. Lin Chi-ling is a better model than actress, but her huge fan base is always ready to be tapped. To reward their earnest support, Miss Lin showed off her exquisite body in more than 30 different outfits. And to complement Lin's presence and keep the audience constantly excited, more good-looking, female support actresses were seen wearing queer clothing and doing acrobatic fighting. Also, the amount of investment brought as much advantage as pressure. The director could squander to his heart's content on various luxuries. From Dubai to Tokyo and China's tourist city Hangzhou, the filming crew traversed half of the Eurasian continent to collect the most stunning pictures, and these include shots of the Hotel Atlantis and the Khalifa Tower as well as the movie debut for the Burj Al Arab luxury hotel. Director Jay Sun had had much experience making promotional videos for tourist cities, he could totally have done this blind-folded. Despite their confidence, the producers were well aware that their movie had a fatal flaw, that is, the story. The movie was meant to emulate a James Bond movie, in which a secret agent protected a valuable piece of national treasure. Normally a director would have filled the movie with action and get it over with, but our dear director seem to have decided that he wanted more than that. So he extended his beloved experiment of a film to include romance and thriller, yet wasn't able to find a focus in his scattershot pursuits, so the result was a movie that has puzzled, if not infuriated, many viewers. Director Jay Sun was very nervous before the film was released, and it was only after the bad movie became a topical one and brought in revenue by the millions that he started feeling relaxed. The popularity of "Switch" is creating trouble in the movie industry, particularly when owners of movie theatres are increasing its screening at the expense of low budget movies that are really good but can't afford an expensive promotion campaign. Perhaps the viewers should stop voting for the bad movies, otherwise they'll be left with no choice when more of bad topics take over.

An unmatched couple is perhaps humanity’s longest-living fairy tale. By unmatched I mean a rich, good looking wife and a poor homely husband. This type of combination certainly was rare in the age of arranged marriage, but even in our time, the 21st century, we can still find few examples. Personally I’ve seen none, except for those written in fictions or faked on screen. Taiwan romantic drama film “Say Yes” is the latest addition to the on-screen make-believe. In the movie, Huang Bo plays an unlucky construction worker who’s failed 99 blind dates, his hundredth belle is a beautiful musician, played by Taiwan model and actress Lin Chi-ling. The story begins with both characters living starkly different lives, but in roughly 100 minutes, they will hold each other’s hand and attempt their first kiss. It is the simplest of stories. First of all, there is a comparison of the couple’s appearance, financial status and social connections to imply that their relationship is nearly impossible. What follows is how they overcome the differences and turn the impossible into possible. Right after that there is twist, which everyone knows the couple will eventually get over. And finally it is the happy ending. However the movie is not as simple. At first a split screen demonstrates how the couple begin their regular, but different lives, up to the point of their first encounter where the spilt screens merge. Later on, equally ingenious cinematography and editing create a warm and colorful tone, quite fitting to the romantic theme. Plus, the pacing of the story is better than most Chinese films, so moviegoers would barely notice the want of story and originality. Meanwhile, such a story inevitably involves humor, and the actors haven’t failed to deliver that. Lead actor Huang Bo always seems to have a lucid understanding about his roles and very natural in presenting them, in this piece he is once again at the center of quite a few chuckles and laughters. However, he’s only played a fixed range of characters so far, I remain curious to see how he would handle serious challenges. Lead actress Lin Chi-ling was supposed to be there only for her looks, and the movie was supposed to be a motion photo album of hers. While the latter half is proven by the number of her outfits in the movie, she certainly contributed more than just her looks. Let’s say she didn’t wreck the film with all the posturing and probably did better than actress Shu Qi in “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons”. What more can you expect from a model slash actress? Lack of originality is the curse of Chinese films, “Say Yes” is no exemption from the cursed, but it certainly is a decent romantic comedy. I think it deserves a six out of ten.