Podcasts about Sutra

2025-06-09 | Depth In Practice | Vamalakirti Sutra by Appamada

We are back with another fantastic interview as we sit down with Damon and Kitsumi Lang, to talk about The Sutra of the Pale Leaves: Twin Suns Rising, a new Call of Cthulhu book from the combined efforts of the Sons of the Singularity and Chaosium. We dig into the inspiration behind the book, its creative development, and the striking influence of Kasumi's art throughout. Naturally, we couldn't resist bringing up Kevin and Steve, because of course we didn't. Love you, Jesse. Mean it.You can pick up a copy of The Sutra of Pale Leaves - Twin Suns Rising here at Chaosium;s website or support your local community by purchasing it from your FLGS. https://www.chaosium.comPlease check out Damon and Kasumi on their socials: https://bsky.app/profile/gamer-daemon.bsky.socialhttps://www.pixiv.net/en/users/75542993https://www.foriio.com/kasumikotonohahttps://bsky.app/profile/kasumikotonoha.bsky.socialhttps://x.com/kasumikotonohaYou can support Titterpigs for as little as 99 cents a month. Click the Support button on our homepage:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/titterpigs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/titterpigs?fan_landing=true&view_as=public⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠titterpigspod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with your comments, questions, or soundbites.Episode Intro by Dr. Mitch. You can follow Dr. Paul Mitchener on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTweedmeister⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for more ukulele goodness and also to check out his many TTRPG offerings. Most especially⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Liminal ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give us a follow on all our socials:Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Titterpigs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/Titterpigs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@titterpigs.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scott:Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HailOrcusdorkus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dice.camp/@orcusdorkus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@orcusdorkus.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OrcusDorkus' RPG Shenanigans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Keith:Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@DM_Modoc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dice.camp/@Modoc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@modoc.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and his blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rolling Boxcars Blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This episode's music: Music by DELOSound from PixabayMusic by Joel palahi gallego from Pixabay

2025-06-02 | Depth In Practice | Vimalakirti Sutra by Appamada

Možda nije velika godišnja prezentacija, ali zemljotres nije ništa manji: Džoni Ajv vraća se na novu veliku scenu, ali ovoga puta sa Semom Altmanom kao novom muzom. U ovom Sutra, razgovaramo koliko bi dva drugara iz kafića mogla da uzdrmaju industriju, a koliko je sve snažan PR. U rubrici razno, Signal nas čuva od Majkrosoftovih majkemi bezbednih skrinšotova, a Meta nudi revoluciju - iPad aplikaciju za WhatsApp. Hvala na slušanju!

The difference of thought versus experience; Samsara versus Clarity. What “is” or “is not” are both expressions of what can be, and nothing more. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

Prohibitions and “rules” were intended for specific stages of monks students in adjusting their attitudes and intent. All these were directed to propagation of the ultimate teachings. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

A five-week class co-taught by Linda and Greg on the Lotus Sutra during the 2025 practice period. This class is an introduction to the Sutra, emphasizing why it is essential in the Dogen Zen tradition and touching on some of the more important teachings and stories to be found therein. Their aim is to have … Continue reading The Lotus Sutra Class Three of Five →

You can find almost anything and anyone in New York, but you'll never find anyone that can dance, dive deep with you into anime, dominate you on the sticks, and take you back in time with 80s music like Kumar. We learn more about his early years, relationships forged from anime, and what exactly is keeping this man from pressing that "PUBLISH" button.RECORDED: 3/10/25HATS: https://lifewithanimepodcast.bigcartel.comMERCH: https://sakugaapparel.com/collections/life-with-anime-podcast/

2025-05-19 | Depth In Practice | Vimalakirti Sutra by Appamada

Mark and Nicole talked to the Chaotically Fascinating Burlesque performer, MUA, model and tarot reader Kira VonSutra on the latest Dark Mark Show Kira talked about how haunted Tulsa, Oklahoma was growing up, leading to spirits pulling her off the top bunk of her bunk bed, how she was able to follow her dreams of being a makeup artist to Hollywood leading to her eating lasagna with Danny DeVito at his home, being creeped on by Chevy Chase and making up Dan Aykroyd for a Saturday Night Live sketch directed by Ron Howard, and how she became one of the top burlesque dancers in the Hollywood Scene, despite being a bit of an outsider and having a predilection for having her pasties fall off mid performance. She talks about her fascination with the occult, how she astral projected in a friend's dream, which led to her starting to read tarot cards, the eternal appeal of Bettie Page, her punk rock and rockabilly past, what it is like being married to a metal musician, being “gender chaotic” and how she has video of her face changing during a very intense burlesque performance and so much more! To find out more about Kira, purchase her art and/or schedule a reading go to www.vonsutra.com. Get some Dark Mark Show gear Go to www.teepublic.com/user/dms1 for shirts, mugs, phone/laptop covers, masks and more! This show is sponsored by: Eddie by Giddy FDA Class II medical device built to treat erectile dysfunction and performance unpredictability. Eddie is specifically engineered to promote firmer and longer-lasting erections by working with the body's physiology. Get rock hard erections the natural way again. Using promo code DARKMARK20, you can save 20% on your Eddie purchase, and you and your partner will be chanting incantations of ecstasy together faster than you can say “REDRUM.” Go to buyeddie.com/DarkMark for 20% off your purchase using code DARKMARK20 today. Raze Energy Drinks Go to https://bit.ly/2VMoqkk and put in the coupon code DMS for 15% off the best energy drinks. Zero calories. Zero carbs. Zero crash Renagade CBD Go to renagadecbd.com for all of your CBD needs Tactical Soap Smell Great with Pheromone infused products and drive women wild with desire! Go to https://grondyke-soap-company.myshopify.com/?rfsn=7187911.8cecdba

A five-week class co-taught by Linda and Greg on the Lotus Sutra during the 2025 practice period. This class is an introduction to the Sutra, emphasizing why it is essential in the Dogen Zen tradition and touching on some of the more important teachings and stories to be found therein. Their aim is to have … Continue reading The Lotus Sutra Class Two of Five →

In this solo episode, your host and yoga instructor Kadie returns fresh from the glow of the Full Blossom Moon to reflect on the lessons of the latest moon cycle and wrap up Season 4 of Coffee & Crystals.Kadie dives into the intentions she set—from financial wellness to cultivating physical strength and presence—and shares the real, raw journey of what unfolded instead. She explores the creative breakthroughs that flowed through writing, home rituals, and upcoming yoga events, and how aligning with her sacral chakra brought new energy into every space of her life.

Chapter 7 on the Four Virtues, is a detailed reminder of the teachings of the Lotus Bodhisattva Mahasattva through the concepts of Actualizing and Sharing our practice in our daily activities and the influence of others. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

A five-week class co-taught by Linda and Greg on the Lotus Sutra during the 2025 practice period. This class is an introduction to the Sutra, emphasizing why it is essential in the Dogen Zen tradition and touching on some of the more important teachings and stories to be found therein. Their aim is to have it … Continue reading The Lotus Sutra Class One of Five →

[This episode originally aired on May 16, 2023]  I find it inspiring to discover wisdom in the midst of so many ordinary stories, even simple children's stories  •  the Wizard of Oz is one such story  •  the main character is Dorothy, whose life changes completely when she is swept up in a tornado and lands in a magical place called Oz  •  there she embarks on a journey of discovery, accompanied by her little dog Toto and three companions: a scarecrow, who is looking for a brain; a tin man, who is looking for a heart, and a lion, who is looking for courage  •  together, they follow a path called the yellow brick road, said to lead to the wizard himself — someone who can can give them what they feel they lack  •  but when the trio finally gets to the abode of the Wizard, they discover he is not the savior they were looking for at all; it was all just a show, a circus act  •  however, what the Wizard offered was actually better: he pointed out that each of them already possessed what they were looking for  •  I refer to this kind of twist as Buddhist humor: you need to follow that yellow brick road, go through all of its adventures and challenges, to realize you didn't need to do it  •  that's a perfect example of Buddhist humor — and a perfect example of how a teacher points out to the student their own nature.

Chapter 6 on the Virtue of the Name is a detailed reminder of the teachings of the Lotus Bodhisattva Mahasattva through the concepts of the “Maha” (Eternal), “Pari” (final or ultimate), Nirvana (cessation of Samsara). “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

In closing, the expression of Tathagata-field Potential, the “adamantine body” is the enduring influence of your Buddha-hood in the community of mankind. Unbound by physical survival, influence reverberates through the minds of encounters without end. This is especially manifest as the reward of protection and promulgation of the Wonderful Dharma (Lotus Teaching). “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

For many of us who have not encountered that wonderful Good Friend who can help us see into our own nature, it looks like it is up to us. And there have been many people who have tried to find just that relationship, however, it is rare to find someone who has not been changed by their position of influence over others.Read the Journal while listening

Support the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USBuy Grow kit: https://modernmushroomcultivation.com/This Band willl Blow your Mind! Codex Serafini: https://codexserafini.bandcamp.com/album/the-imprecation-of-animaEric KaufmannThere are moments when the world doesn't need another leader in a tailored suit with bullet points and buzzwords.It needs an elder.A mirror.A firestarter.Today's guest initiates warriors. He walks them to the edge of their identity, hands them the flint, and says: “Now light it up.”For over two decades, Eric Kaufmann has been guiding CEOs, founders, and senior leaders through the crucible—helping them break down the illusions of self-importance, shed the skin of performative leadership, and step into something real… something forged in the fire of clarity, presence, and sacred responsibility.He's the author of Leadership Breakdown and The Four Virtues of a Leader—books that don't just sit pretty on a bookshelf. They initiate.Eric's work is where Zen meets the boardroom, where ancient wisdom meets modern chaos, and where the rite of leadership is not handed to you—it's earned through trials. Through courage, grit, faith, and focus.This is not about optics. This is not about quarterly gains.This is about inner revolution.The kind that echoes outward and recalibrates the system itself.So if you're ready to trade comfort for consciousness…If you're ready to drop the mask and meet the mirror…Then hold fast.Because today, we're not interviewing a guest.We're crossing a threshold.Welcome to the show… Eric Kaufmann.http://www.sagatica.comINITIATION, THRESHOLDS & THE INNER FIRE 1. “What is the price of initiation—and how does one know they've truly paid it?”(Not with money, not with time, but with something that doesn't grow back.) 2. “In your experience, what is the pattern of the soul's evolution through leadership? Is there a universal map—or must each leader carve their own labyrinth?” 3. “When a leader finally sees the mask they've been wearing… what should they do next—burn it, bury it, or bow to it?”THE EDGE BETWEEN MIND AND MYSTERY 4. “You speak about wisdom as a path—how do you distinguish wisdom from intelligence, and how do leaders learn to trust one over the other?” 5. “What role does silence play in your coaching? And how do you teach leaders to listen to the silence between their thoughts?” 6. “Have you ever had a moment where everything you taught broke down in your own life? And if so, what did you rebuild from the ashes?”THE SPIRITUAL UNDERCURRENT OF LEADERSHIP 7. “You've lived in both the corporate world and the contemplative—do you believe great leadership is ultimately a spiritual practice?” 8. “What is the difference between ambition and sacred responsibility?” 9. “Can a leader be powerful without being dangerous? Or is danger part of the initiation into presence?”THE TENSION BETWEEN EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE 10. “We live in a world obsessed with credentials and performance—yet the deepest truths seem to come from experience. What have you learned in pain, in failure, or in presence that no degree could've taught you?”THE MASTER–STUDENT ARC 11. “If I were your student, standing before you at the edge of my next initiation, what would you challenge me to surrender—and what would you demand I carry forward?” 12. “What question would you ask your younger self, the day before he first stepped into leadership?” 13. “What truth do you hold now that would've terrified the teacher you were ten years ago?”FINAL CUTS: PHILOSOPHICAL DAGGERS 14. “Is it possible to lead without identity?” 15. “If the next evolution of leadership required you to unlearn everything you know… where would you begin?” 16. “Do you believe suffering is necessary for wisdom—or just common?”The Sutra of Ouromorphosisfrom the Transcendent Upanishads of the Future Past1I am the mouth that devours myself,the tail swallowed in silence,the cycle made flesh.From wound to womb I turn again.2You who seek permanence—abandon all names.Here, in the flame that feeds upon itself,identity is ash,and ash is the seed of the sacred.3There is no arrival.There is only the spiral,folding backward and forwardthrough the bones of time,through the breath of gods you no longer remember.4The serpent is not evil.It is memory without end.It is the skin you shedin the presence of unbearable truth.5To suffer is to molt.To molt is to rememberthat you are the fire,and the hand,and the scream.6Death is a dress rehearsal.Birth is an act of amnesia.In betwe...

MahaPariNirvana Part 20. The “adamantine body” is the enduring influence of your Buddha-hood in the community of mankind. Unbound by physical survival, influence reverberates through the minds of encounters without end. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

Joining us on the show this week is author, meditation teacher, and founder of the Open Heart Project, Susan Piver! For this conversation we explore the the most famous Sutra in Buddhism, The Heart Sutra. This is the focus of her newest book, 'Inexplicable Joy' in which she details how to turn this incredible and mysterious teaching into a workable practice that can transform your life.  You can stay in touch with Susan's offerings by checking out openheartproject.com or following her on all of the social media channels.  Show Topics  - Brett's Reading of the Heart Sutra  - What is the Heart Sutra?  - Exploring the Setting of the Heart Sutra  - The Practice of Buddhist Chanting  - What are the Skandhas?   - The Mantra That Calms All Suffering  - Trust and Devotion  - Emptiness in Buddhism  - Engaging With the World

U paket zvani 57. Sutra stale su američke tarife, Google na sudu, Microsoft koji će vam ipak snimati ekran, pregršt AI modela, novi Framework i domaća IT scena aktivizma. Ipak, nit koja prožima sve ove teme stara je koliko i čovečanstvo, pa šta god čuli i pročitali, pre konačnog suda valja dobro razmisliti. Hvala na slušanju!

In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of Yoga Sutra 2.33 Pratipaksha Bhavana. But really, we go on all kinds of tangents! From global issues like Gen0cide and climate change, to bringing self-awareness to our own reactions and letting go of control.And also! We are running this FREE workshop soon! During the workshop, you will learn how to tune into your body, mind, emotions and energy with your chakras! We invite you to a chakra workshop happening on the 16th of April.We're going to go through each of the chakras and talk about how you can balance and align each of them in a very practical way that will help drive self-awareness and focus your energy.Hop on the waitlist for our Yoga Teacher Training 2025 to sign up for the masterclass!This is what we spoke about during the episodeWhen you're overwhelmed by negative thoughts, choose to cultivate the opposite. But just like everything in Yoga, this is a practice. It doesn't just happen.Pratipaksha Bhavana is a tool that helps you stay in alignment to the Yamas and Niyamas. Listen to our 10-part snack-sized Yoga philosophy series on the Yamas and Niyamas.The wild world we're living in and how it's affecting our mental and emotional state.The emotional rollercoaster we all ride and how Yoga philosophy helps us stay grounded.Nischala Joy Devi's translation and interpretation of Pratipaksha Bhavana helps to change your attitude rather than hoping to change the situation or the people who cause you to be unhappy. Anand Mehrotra's translation talks about how Sutra 2.33 is all about practising the Yamas and Niyamas. When you find yourself uncertain and terrified by life, use your tools and bring Ishvara Pranidhana into your consciousness. Surrender. Powerful reminder: you can't control others, but you can choose your response.Navigate anxiety by welcoming in excitement for your life. Yoga Sutras are wonderful tools and constant companions to guide you and help you move through life.If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.Always merrymaking,Emma + CarlaP.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MahaPariNirvana Part 19. We close chapter four with the reminder that the Engine of Life is the process of all phenomena, that formations are karma, and that this understanding comes with the 9th consciousness. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

MahaPariNirvana Part 18. Who is the “Teacher” and to whom is the “Student? Ultimately it is we, in our own minds, to whom the experience of the world, life, is the teacher and student. This is an a priori mind-shift, a transcendence of “reality” as the illusion of “things” to the awakening of the “reality” of thought as experience. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

Who is Ananda? -https://open.spotify.com/episode/34DVgbSOfwc5hNGzcaSCIQ?si=-zQsu_Q9Qo2qDtfucSb3sgLotus Sutra Chapter 3: Parable of the Burning House - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zoSJEL2HmjQDEXZDrDbx0?si=_C_dmAqxSIaYohraf7OgWAThe Contemplation Sutra -https://open.spotify.com/episode/4imYVtkP0ETVDqKWkaKSbO?si=cgpSqo0IT3ygSGUP9OGpeAThe Heart Sutra -https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mQtoqp3hNsCOFd3YNYayV?si=5848siDaRN29fXMKEVdKlQThe Metta Sutta -https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tMc7LrPSRszQTzKunePoS?si=1lgySL3XQOCBc1SxMJXYzwThe Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, AKA The First Sermon -https://open.spotify.com/episode/64Upc48QkxR4AbmO129KBR?si=MsTkzkHqThCZ3eYz-UdahwThe Mahasatipatthana Sutta -https://open.spotify.com/episode/5XXJxXR2xPBJUTwIw3AkyK?si=yyL6BITtSni4z6kik_OAcQThe Mahaparinibbana Sutta Chapters 1 and 2 -https://open.spotify.com/episode/5K2Uoaee4yfnqBt3jZAa12?si=MxhVtwJETaSwdpMRZNuL9w**Works cited**R.C. Zaehner (1992), Hindu Scriptures, Penguin Random House, ISBN 978-0-679-41078-2Dominic Goodall, Hindu Scriptures, University of California Press, ISBN 978-0-520-20778-3Jessica Frazier (2014), The Bloomsbury Companion to Hindu studies, Bloomsbury Academic, ISBN 978-1-4725-1151-5

This is a talk given by Jogen Sensei at Great Vow Zen Monastery During Sound Sesshin on March, 17th. In this talk Jogen discusses the Platform Sutra, the spaciousness of sound and how we can use it to practice before our mind evaluates reality.  ★ Support this podcast ★

A lesson on parenting to all those students and people whose lives we touch. Always be the exemplar, the teacher, the maintenance of the aspiration to Buddhahood. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore;   www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon  How to use this study resource :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIQ89Nc3BU Buddhism resources : http://threefoldlotus.com    www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon  www.cafepress.com/shop/gohonzon/products PayPal.me/sifusylvain Patreon.com/TLK https://bsky.app/profile/sifusylvain.bsky.social

MahaPariNirvana Part 15. We close this chapter with a description of “Realms”. A list could be made of these descriptions to add to the discussions of later centuries about the 3000 Realms of Samsaric influence acting on our moment to moment consciousnesses to impede or support our resolve in the practice of enlightenment. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

MahaPariNirvana Part 16. “On Long Life” begins with Shakyamuni asking for questions to resolve any and all doubts remaining in the collected students of this congregation prior to his parinirvana. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available in the TLK Bookstore; www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon

Selected passages from the "The Sutra of Hui-neng, Grand Master of Zen" (Platform Sutra), using an amalgam of translations.Hui-neng (638-713) was a seminal figure in Buddhist history and is one of the most beloved and respected figure in Zen Buddhism. An illiterate woodcutter who attained enlightenment in a flash, he became the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen, and is regarded as the founder of the "Sudden Enlightenment" school. He is the supreme exemplar of the fact that neither education nor social background has any bearing on the attainment of enlightenment. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, which is said to be a record of his teachings, is a highly influential text in the East Asian Buddhist tradition.

Send us a textU ovoj epizodi govorimo o stalnom odlakanju početka neke promjene.Pitanja na koja odgovaram:Zašto "od sutra ću" nikako da počne?Kakav impuls je ključan da se pokrenemo?Kako da kreiramo taj impuls?Možete me pronaći na:Website: https://martinadjokic.com/Instagramu: https://www.instagram.com/martina.djokic/

Norman gives the seventh talk of the "Living by Vow" 2025 Series on 'The Verse for Opening the Sutra'  to the Dharma Seminar as the focus of the Everyday Zen 2025 Practice Period. His lectures reference Shohaku Okumura's book "Living by Vow; A Practical Introduction to Eight Essential Zen Chants and Texts." The Verse for Opening the Sutra is usually chanted before a zen teacher's Dharma talks. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Living-by-Vow-Talk-7-2025-Series-The-Verse-for-Opening-the-Sutra.mp3

Bhadramāyākāra-vyākarana Sutra The Prediction of the Magician Bhadra's Enlightenment Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra (#21) Translated and recited by M.C. Owens Text version: https://snapdragon-fir-e8e.notion.site/21-Bhadram-y-k-ra-vy-karana-Sutra-The-Prediction-of-the-Magician-Bhadra-s-Enlightenment-b18dca2b224b403292fa6c156046e339

MahaPariNirvana Part 14. Once again, Shakyamunibuddha is determined to have these monks understand that they have taken their understanding to be complete truth, when in fact, it is only superficial and not yet complete and profound. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available Threefoldlotus.com/home/Ebooks.htm How to use this study resource : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIQ89Nc3BU Buddhism resources : http://threefoldlotus.com www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon www.cafepress.com/shop/gohonzon/products PayPal.me/sifusylvain Patreon.com/TLK https://bsky.app/profile/sifusylvain.bsky.social

MahaPariNirvana Part 13. In this portion of the chapter, Shakyamunibuddha impresses on the monks the importance of transcending the language of practice to attain the intent and meaning of the stories and words of teaching for the “experience” of perception. “Buddhism Reference” – Now Available   Threefoldlotus.com/home/Ebooks.htm  How to use this study resource :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIQ89Nc3BU Buddhism resources : http://threefoldlotus.com    www.lulu.com/spotlight/kwoon  www.cafepress.com/shop/gohonzon/products PayPal.me/sifusylvain Patreon.com/TLK https://bsky.app/profile/sifusylvain.bsky.social

This episode we kick off a series of episodes following the famous monk Xuanzang, aka the Tripitaka Master of the Law, Sanzang Fashi.  Known in Japanese as Genjo, and founder of the Faxiang school of Yogacara Buddhism, also known as the Hosso school, it was brought back to the archipelago by students who studied with the master at his temple north of the Tang capital of Chang'an.  He was particularly famous for his travels across the Silk Road to India and back--a trip that would last 16 years and result in him bringing back numerous copies of sutras from the land of the Buddha, kicking off a massive translation work.  It also would see his recollections recorded as the Record of the Western Regions, which, along with his biography based on the stories he told those working with him, give us some of the best contemporary information of the various places along the Silk Road in the 7th century. Part 1 focuses on Xuanzang's journey out of the Tang empire, braving the desert, and somehow, against the odds, making it to the country of Gaochang. For more, check out the blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-120 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Episode 120:  Journey to the West, Part 1 The monks from far off Yamato were enthralled.  They had journeyed across the waves on a foreign vessel, traversed a greater distance than they probably thought possible growing up in the archipelago, and had finally arrived at the capital of the Great Tang Empire, Chang'an.  They had then been sent north, to a temple where they met others from Yamato. They had come to study the Law, the Dharma, with some of the most famous teachers of the Tang dynasty, and there were few more famous than the Tripitaka Master Genjou himself.   Everyone in the monastery knew his story—he had traveled all the way to India, the birthplace of the Buddha, and returned with copies of the sutras in Sanskrit, which he and the other monks were translating. In between sessions of meditation, sutra readings, and various lectures, the students would gather round the feet of the master as he recounted his journeys.  The stories themselves were fantastic stories, telling of far off cities and people.  There were stories of bandits, and meetings with kings.  The students must have thought about how it mirrored what they, themselves, had gone through—their own Journey to the West. Last episode we talked about Tukara and what that mysterious placename might mean—and where it could be referring to.  For that we traveled all the way to the end of the Silk Road.  In this episode and continuing into the next, we are going to travel that same road with a different perspective, as we take a look at one of the most famous travelers of the Silk Road:  the monk Xuanzang, or Genjou in Japanese.  And as I hinted at in the introduction, if you're at all familiar with the famous Journey to the West, well, this and the following episodes will explore the actual history behind that story, and how intertwined it is with the history of the archipelago. For those who don't know, Xuanzang was a monk, born Chen Hui near present-day Luoyang in Henan.  He is known by many names, but one of his most famous comes from the title “Sanzang Fashi”, aka “Tripitaka Master of the Law”, from which we get the simplified name in some English sources of just “Tripitaka”.  Sanzang, or “Tripitaka”, literally translates to “Three baskets” or “Three storehouses”, referring to the Buddhist canon.  It is quite fitting, given Xuanzang's incredibly famous Journey to the Western Regions and, eventually, to India, where he journeyed to obtain the most accurate version of the Buddhist scriptures to ensure that they had the most accurate versions.  On his journey, Xuanzang apparently took detailed records of the trip, and his   “Records of the Western Regions”  provides a lot of what we know of the towns and cultures that existed there back in the 7th century – even if not all of it was experienced firsthand and  may have come through translators and second or third-hand sources. In addition, Xuanzang's biography and travelogue add a lot more information to his journey, even if they weren't necessarily written by him, but instead by his fellow monks based on his recitations to them  combined with various records that they had access to at the time.  As such, it isn't always the most reliable, but it is still highly detailed and informative.  Xuanzang would return to China and teach for many years, translating the works that he had brought back, and founding a new school of Yogachara Buddhism, known as Faxiang in Chinese, but “Hossou” in Japan.  The Hossou school was particularly popular in the 8th and 9th centuries, having been transmitted by Yamato students who had actually studied at the feet of the venerable teacher.  These included the monk Doushou, who travelled over to the continent in 653.  In 658, there are two others who came over, named Chitatsu and Chiitsu. They had travelled to the Tang court in the 7th month of that year, where they are said to have received instruction from none other than Xuanzang himself.  If this indeed was in 658, it would have been only 6 years before Xuanzang's death. Their journey had almost not happened.  The year previous, in 657, envoys were sent to Silla to ask that state to escort Chitatsu to the Tang court, along with Hashibito no Muraji no Mimumaya and Yozami no Muraji no Wakugo, but Silla refused.  They must have relented, however, as they apparently were escorting at least the monks a year or so later. Chitatsu and Chiitsu would eventually return to Yamato, as would Doushou.  Doushou is also said to have been introduced to a student of the second patriarch of the Chan, or Zen school as well.  He would return to teach at Gango-ji, the later incarnation of Asukadera, spreading the Hossou teachings from master Xuanzang. In fact, Xuanzang's impact would be felt across Asia, and much of the Buddhist world.  He would continue to be known in Japan and in the area of China, Korea, and beyond.  Japanese translations of his journeys were made between the 8th and 10th centuries from texts that had come from Xuanzang's own monastery. Nine centuries after his death, during the Ming Dynasty, Xuanzang would be further immortalized in a wildly popular novel:  Journey to the West.  The “Journey to the West” is an incredibly fantastical retelling of Xuanzang's story.  In it, Xuanzang is sent on his task by none other than the Buddha himself, who also provides three flawed traveling companions.  There is  Zhu Bajie, aka “Piggy”—a half human half pig who is known for his gluttony and lust.  Then there is Sha Wujing, aka “Sandy”—a man with a red beard and blue skin who lived in a river of quicksand.  Despite a rather frightful backstory, he was often the straight man in the story.  And then there is the famous Sun Wukong, aka “Monkey”, the most famous of the three and often more famous than Xuanzang himself.  In fact, one of the most famous English versions of the story is just called “Monkey”, an abridged telling of the story in English by Arthur Waley in 1942. “Journey to the West” is perhaps the most popular novel in all of Asia.  It has spawned countless retellings, including numerous movies and tv series.  The character of “Monkey” has further spun off into all sorts of media.  Of course, his addition was all part of the novel, but nonetheless, that novel had an historical basis, which is where we really want to explore.  Because for all of the magic and fantasy of the Ming novel, the real story is almost as fascinating without it. We are told that Xuanzang was born as Chen Hui—or possibly Chen Yi—on the 6th of April in 602 CE in Chenliu, near present-day Luoyang.  Growing up, he was fascinated by religious books.  He joined the Jingtu monastery and at the age of thirteen he was ordained as a novice monk.  However, he lived in rather “interesting times”, and as the Sui dynasty fell, he fled the chaos to Chengdu, in Sichuan, where he was fully ordained by the age of 20. Xuanzang was inspired reading about the 4th century monk Faxian, whom we mentioned back in Episode 84.  Faxian had visited India and brought back many of the earliest scriptures to be widely translated into Chinese.    However, Xuanzang was concerned, as Faxian had been, that the knowledge of the Chinese Buddhist establishment was still incomplete.  There were still works that they knew about but didn't have, and there were competing Buddhist theories in different translations of the texts.  He thought that if he could go find untranslated versions of the texts then he could resolve some of the issues and further build out the corpus of Buddhist knowledge. Around the age 25 or 27, he began his journey.  The exact date is either 627 or 629, based on the version that one reads.  That has some importance for the events that his story tells, as some of the individuals whom he is said to have met are said to have died by 627 CE, meaning that either the dates of the journey are wrong or the dates we have in other sources are wrong.  As you can imagine, that's rather important for an accurate history, but not so much for our purposes, as I think that we can still trust the broad brush strokes which paint an image of what the Silk Road was like at the time. For context, back in Yamato, this was around the time that Kashikiya Hime—aka Suiko Tenno—passed away, and Prince Tamura was placed on the throne, passing over Prince Yamashiro no Oe, the son of the late Crown Prince, Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.  Whoever was on the throne, Soga no Emishi was actually running things, and the Soga family were heavily involved in the establishment of Buddhism in the archipelago.  This is relatively around the time of Episode 103. When Xuanzang took off to the West, his intentions may have been pure, but truth be told, he was breaking the law.  Tang Taizong had come to power in 626, and the routes along the Tarim Basin were under the control of the Gokturks, whom the Tang were fighting with.  As such, travel to the Western Regions was strictly controlled.  Xuanzang and several companions had all petitioned Emperor Taizong for permission to leave, but the Emperor never replied. So Xuanzang did not have permission to leave—but he decided to head out, anyway.  His companions, however, lost their nerve, and so he set out alone. Of course, he didn't simply set off for the West.  At first he went city to city, staying at local Buddhist monasteries and sharing his teachings.  To all intents and purposes, this probably seemed like normal behavior for a monk, traveling from monastery to monastery, but it was actually taking him towards the western border. And it was going well until he reached Liangzhou—known today as Wuwei.  Li Daliang, governor of Liangzhou, enforced the prohibition that "common" people were not permitted to go to the regions of the western tribes.  Word had spread about Xuanzang, and when the governor caught wind of what was going on, he called Xuanzang into an audience to find out what he was planning to do.  Xuanzang was honest and told him he was going to the West to search for the Dharma, but the governor ordered him to return to Chang'an instead. Fortunately, there was a Buddhist teacher, Huiwei, who heard about all of this this and decided to help Xuanzang.  He had two of his own disciples escort Xuanzang to the west.  Since the governor had told him not to go, this was illegal, and so they traveled by night and hid during the day until they reached Guazhou. In Guazhou, the governor, Dugu Da, was quite pleased to meet with Xuanzang, and either hadn't heard about the order for him to return to Chang'an or didn't care.  From there, Xuanzang's path was largely obstructed by the deep and fast-flowing Hulu river.  They would have to travel to its upper reaches, where they could go through Yumenguan--Yumen Pass--which was the only safe way to cross, making it a key to the Western regions. Beyond Yumenguan there were five watchtowers, roughly 30 miles apart.  These watchtowers likely had means to signal back and forth, thus keeping an eye on the people coming and going from Yumen Pass.  Beyond that was the desert of Yiwu, also known as Hami. Xuanzang was not only worried about what this meant, his horse died, leaving him on foot.  He contemplated this in silence for a month.  Before he continued, though, a warrant arrived for his arrest.  They inquired with a local prefect, who happened to be a pious Buddhist.  He showed it to Xuanzang, and then ended up tearing up the document, and urged Xuanzang to leave as quickly as possible. Yumenguan lies roughly 80-90 kilometers—roughly 50 miles or so—from the town of Dunhuang, the last major outpost before leaving for the Western Regions.  Dunhuang had a thriving Buddhist community, and the paintings in the Mogao caves are absolutely stunning, even today—one of the most well-preserved of such collections, spanning the 4th to the 14th century.  However, at this point, Xuanzang was a wanted man, and stopping in at Dunhuang might very well have curtailed his journey before it had even begun.  Instead, he would likely need to find a way to sneak across the border without alerting anyone and then, somehow, sneak past five watchtowers, each 30 miles or so apart, with no water except what he could carry or steal at each point. At this point, one of Xuanzang's escorts had traveled on to Dunhuang, and only one remained, but Xuanzang wasn't sure his remaining companion was up to the strain of the journey, and he dismissed him, deciding to travel on alone.  He bought a horse, and he fortunately found a guide--a "Hu" person named "Shi Pantuo".  "Hu" is a generic term often translated simply as "foreigner" or "barbarian" from the western lands, and the name "Shi" referred to Sogdians from Tashkent.  The Sogdians were a people of Persian descent living in central Eurasia, between the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers.  That latter was also known as the Oxus river, hence another name for the region: Transoxiana.  Sogdiana appears as early as the 6th century BCE as a member of the Achaemenid Empire, and the region was annexed by Alexander the Great in 328 BCE.  It continued to change hands under a succession of empires. The Sogdian city-states themselves were centered around the city of Samarkand, and while they did not build an empire themselves, the Sogdians nonetheless had a huge impact on cultures in both the east and the west.  Sogdians became famous as traders along the silk roads, and they built tight knit communities in multiple cities along the route.  Families kept in touch over long distances, setting up vast trading networks.  In fact, there were even Sogdian communities living in Chang'an and elsewhere in the Tang Empire.  The Sogdian An Lushan would eventually rise through the ranks of the Tang dynasty court—but that was almost a century after Xuanzang's travels. There are many material items that the Sogdians helped move across the silk road, but perhaps one of the most striking things were a style of patterned textiles.  Sassanid Persia was known for its silk textiles, often woven in images surrounded by a border of pearl-shapes:  Small circles in a circular pattern around a central figure, often duplicated due to the way the fabrics were woven.  This pearl-roundel pattern was especially taken up by the Sogdians, and their fashion sense made it popular across Eurasia.  Large pearl roundel designs were used on caftans, popular throughout the Gokturk qaghanate, and the Tang court would eventually pick up the fashion of these foreigners—generally classified as “hu” by those in Chang'an.  With a round neck, closing at the side, this western-style caftan-like garment eventually found its way into Japan as the people of the Japanese archipelago adopted Tang dynasty clothing and fashion.  In fact, Japan boasts one of the most impressive collections of silk road artifacts at the Shosoin repository of Todaiji temple in Nara, and it includes clothing and fabric that show the influence of Sogdian and Turkic merchants.  The Shosoin collection contains multiple examples of those pearl roundel patterns, for example, and you can even buy reproductions of the design today in Nara and elsewhere.  The garments themselves would continue to influence the fashion of the court, indeed giving rise to some of the most popular court garments of the Nara period, and the design continued to evolve through the Heian period until it was almost unrecognizable from its origins. Sogdians were so influential that their language—an Eastern Iranian language known simply as “Sogdian”—was the lingua franca, or the common tongue, through most of the Silk Road.  If you knew Sogdian, you could probably find a way to communicate with most of the people along way.  Today, Sogdian is extinct, with the possible exception of a single language that evolved from a Sogdian dialect. Sogdians are often known in Sinitic sources by their names—by the time of the Tang dynasty, it was common practice to give foreigners, whose names didn't always translate well into Chinese dialects, a family name based on their origin.  For the Sogdians, who were quite well known and numerous, they weren't just classified with a single name, but rather they were divided up by seven names based on where they were from.  So the name “Shi”, for instance, indicated that someone was from the area of Tashkent, while the name “An” referred to a Sogdian who was descended from people from the Bukhara, and so on.  This was a practice that went at least as far back as the Han dynasty. So, returning to the story, Xuanzang's new Sogdian guide's name is given as “Shi Pantuo”.  The name "Pantuo", which would have likely been pronounced more like "b'uan d'a" at the time, is likely a version of the name "Vandak", which was indeed a very common Sogdian name meaning something like “servant” and was often used to indicate things like religious devotion, which could be related to his status as a devout Buddhist, though it also might just be coincidental.  Xuanzang was so happy with his guide's offer to help, that he bought him clothes and a horse for his troubles. And so they headed out towards Yumenguan, the Jade Pass or Jade Gate, so called because of the caravans of jade that would head out from the Middle Country ever since the Han dynasty.  In fact, the Jade Gate was originally established as part of the western end of the Han dynasty “Great Wall”.  This was not necessarily the famous Ming Dynasty wall that most people are familiar with, but the Han Dynasty wall would have been impressively high enough, with regular patrols and beacon towers.  So if you tried going over the wall, someone was likely to see you and give chase.  There is also the issue that if you had any amount of supplies you have to bring those as well—this isn't just hopping a fence.  The wall was augmented by natural features—mountains and deep and fast-flowing rivers, for example, which made walls unnecessary.  And then there was also the fact that in many places, it was just open wilderness, which was its own kind of barrier.  Trying to go off the beaten path meant wandering through uncharted territory, which someone like Xuanzang was probably not prepared to do.  It isn't like he had GPS and Google Maps to help him find his way, and if you got lost in the desert, then who knows what might happen to you. By the way, this was true even in relatively settled places, like the Japanese archipelago, up until modern times.  While there were some areas where it was relatively flat, and you could navigate by certain landmarks, if you left the roads and trails you might easily find yourself lost without access to food or shelter.  Maps were not exactly accurate.  The safest way to travel was to stick to the more well-traveled routes. Unfortunately, that meant going through the Yumen Gate itself.  There was a garrison where the road left the territory of the Tang Empire , and that garrison would be responsible for checking the papers of anyone coming into or leaving the empire.  Xuanzang, of course, didn't have the proper papers, since he didn't have permission to be there.  Fortunately, he had a guide, who seemed to know the area, and that would allow him to bypass the official checkpoint, which Xuanzang recalls seeing off in the distance.  Together, Xuanzang and Vandak snuck past the Yumen gate, and traveled several miles up the river.  There, they found a spot where the river was only about 10 feet across, near a grove of trees, and so they chopped down a few of them and made an impromptu bridge for them and their horses to cross. From that point on, until they reached Yiwu, they would have to get past the watchtowers.  Not only were these watchtowers garrisoned with men of the Tang army, but they were also the only place to get fresh water.  The travelers would need to sneak in at night to steal water from the watchtowers without getting caught. The farther they traveled, the more Vandak seemed to be getting cold feet.  Normally, this wouldn't have been an issue had they been normal travelers, but in trying to avoid the watchtowers they were making themselves into fugitives.  If they were caught they could both be killed.  He protested several times that they should just go back, and at one point Xuanzang seemed worried that Vandak was contemplating how much easier this would be for him if he just killed the old monk.  Finally, Xuanzang told Vandak that he should leave, and solemnly swore that if he was caught he wouldn't rat out Vandak for his help.  Vandak, who had been worried about just such a scenario, nonetheless took Xuanzang's word and the two parted ways. From that point on, Xuanzang recounted that the trail through the desert was marked by nothing but skeletons and horse droppings.  He thought at one point he saw an army in the desert, but it turned out to be a mirage.  Finally, he saw one of the watchtowers he had been warned about.  Not wanting to get caught, he lay down in a ditch and hid there until the sun went down. Under cover of darkness, he approached the tower, where he saw water.  He went to have a drink, and maybe wash his hands, but as he was getting out his water bag to refill it and arrow whizzed through the air and he almost took an arrow to the knee.  Knowing the jig was up, he shouted out: "I'm a monk from the capital!  Don't shoot!" He led his horse to the tower, where they opened the door and saw he really was a monk.  They woke up the captain, who had a lamp lit so he could see whom it was they had apprehended.  Right away it was clear that this traveler wasn't from around those parts—not that anyone really was, it seems. The Captain had heard of Xuanzang, but the report that had been sent said Xuanzang had gone back to Chang'an.  Xuanzang, for his part, showed a copy of the petition he had sent to the Emperor--one that he hadn't actually heard back from.  He then told the captain what he planned to do.  The captain was moved, and decided to look the other way.  He gave him a place to stay for the night and then showed him the way to the fourth watchtower, where the captain's brother was in charge, and would give him shelter. Sure enough, Xuanzang made it to the fourth watchtower, but he wasn't sure if he could entirely trust the captain, so again he tried to just secretly steal the water, but again he was caught.  Fortunately, the captain there was also sympathetic.  He let Xuanzang stay and then actually told him how to get around the fifth watchtower, since the captain there might not be as lenient.  He also told Xuanzang about an inconspicuous oasis where he could get water for himself and his horse. Reinvigorated, Xuanzang had another challenge to face.  Beyond the watchtowers was a long stretch of desert.  It was a journey of several hundred miles, and it started poorly.  First off, he missed the oasis that the captain of the fourth watchtower had indicated he could use without anyone firing arrows at him.  Then, he dropped his water bag, such that he was left with nothing.  He thought of turning back, but he continued, chanting mantras to himself.   He was dehydrated and exhausted, but he continued onward.  Some days into his journey, his horse suddenly changed course of its own accord.  Despite his efforts, it kept going, eventually coming to a pasture of grass around a pond of clean, sweet water.  That ended up saving him, and he rested there for a day, before traveling on.  Two days later, he arrived at Yiwu, aka Hami.  He had made it.  He was free. Or at least, he was until he returned to the Tang empire.  After all, Xuanzang did plan to come back, and when he did, he would have to face the music.  That was a problem for future Xuanzang.  Of course, he was also a lone traveler.  He might be free, but he was far from safe.  He was now entering the Western regions, and he would need to be on the lookout. The people of Hami, also known as Yiwu, were known to the Han dynasty as members of the Xiao Yuezhi—the kingdom or coalition that once controlled much of the northern edge of the Tarim basin.  They had been displaced by the Xiongnu, and the area would go back and forth between different hegemons, so that by the time of the Sui and early Tang dynasties they were under the sway of the Gokturks.  Still, as close as it was to the Tang borders, they no doubt had contact, and indeed, Xuanzang was given lodging at a monastery with three other monks who were “Chinese”, for whatever that meant at the time. If you've heard of Hami today you may know it for something that it was famous for even back in the 7th century:  their famous melons.  You can sometimes find Hami melons in stores to this day. Regarding the melons and other such fruits and vegetables—the area of Hami is a fairly arid land.  Hami does get some water from the Tianshan mountains, but in order to have enough for agriculture they instituted a system that is still found today in Hami, Turpan, and other parts of the world, including arid parts of northwest India and Pakistan through the middle east to north Africa.  It is called a Karez, or in Persian it is called a Qanat, and it is thought to have originated in ancient Persia around the first millennium BCE and spread out through the various trade routes. The idea is to basically create underground aqueducts to take water from one place to another.  This would keep them out of the heat and dry air above ground to allow them to continue to flow without losing too much to evaporation.  To do that, however, required manually digging tunnels for the water.  This would be done by sinking wells at regular intervals and connecting the wells to each other with tunnels.  But it wasn't enough for the tunnels to be connected, they had to also slope slightly downwards, but not too much.  You want enough flow to keep the water clear, but if it flows too quickly or creates waves, the water might erode the underground channels in ways that could cause problems, such as a collapse.  All in all, they are pretty amazing feats of engineering and they can carry water a great distance.  Many are under 5 km, but some are around 70 km long. These karez would have been the lifelines of many towns, creating a reliable oasis in the desert.  Rivers were great, but the flow could vary from floods to a mere trickle, and the karez system provided relatively constant flow.  This allowed for agriculture even in the dry areas of the Western Regions, which helped facilitate the various kingdoms that grew up in this otherwise inhospitable region. While eating his melons in Hami and chatting it up with his fellow eastern priests, Yiwu was visited by an envoy from the neighboring kingdom of Gaochang.  Now Hami, or Yiwu, sits at the eastern edge of the Turpan-Hami basin, aka the Turfan depression, a large desert, much of which is actually so low that it is below sea level.  In fact, the basin includes the lowest exposed point in the area of modern China at Ayding Lake, which is 158 meters below sea level.  From Yiwu to Gaochang, you would follow the edge of the mountains west, to an area near a small break in the mountain range.  Follow that break northwest, and you would find yourself at the city of Urumqi, the current capital of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in modern China. Xinjiang covers much of the area known in ancient times as the “Western Regions” that remains within the modern political boundaries of the PRC. The envoy from Gaochang heard about Xuanzang, and reported back to his lord, King Qu Wentai, who immediately sent a retinue out to escort the Buddhist monk across the desert to his city.  They included multiple horses for Xuanzang, so he could change at regular intervals.  His own horse was left behind, to be brought along later.   After six days on the road, they came to the city of Paili, and since the sun had already set, Xuanzang asked to stop for the night, but the escorts urged him on to the Royal City, which was not much farther on. And so he arrived around midnight, which means he likely couldn't immediately take in the size of the city.  Gaochang was an immense walled city, and even today, ruined as it is, the site of it is quite formidable, and it is so well preserved it is considered a UNESCO world heritage site.  Perhaps since wood was relatively scarce, this is why so much of the construction was made of brick and earthworks.  Fortunately, this means that many of the walls remain, even today—eroded and crumbling, but still towering over those who come to see them.  In places they have also been rebuilt or reinforced.  And in a few, very rare instances, you can still see some of the traces of paint that would have once been so prevalent throughout a city like this.  At this time in history, Gaochang, also known as Karakhoja, was under the command of the Qu family.  The population was largely Han Chinese, and it had often been overseen or at least influenced by kingdoms in the Yellow River basin.  But it was also the home of Turks, Sogdian merchants, local Turfanians, and more.  It was even called “Chinatown” by the Sogdians, and yet attempts to further sinicize the region had provoked a coup only a couple of decades earlier.  Even though he showed up in the middle of the night, Xuanzang is said to have been welcomed by the ruler of Gaochang, Qu Wentai, as he entered the city.  Perhaps this is why the escorts had been pushing so hard—the King himself was awake and waiting for Xuanzang to make an appearance.  The King and his attendants came out with candles in their hands, and they were ushered behind curtains in a multi-storey pavilion.  The king apparently grilled him through the night, asking about his journey until it was almost daybreak, at which point Xuanzang requested rest.  He was finally shown to a bedroom that had been prepared for him and allowed to sleep. The next day king assembled the leading monks of his kingdom before his guest.  These included the monks Tuan Fashi and Wang Fashi.  Tuan Fashi had studied in Chang'an for many years, and he knew his Buddhist scholarship. And Wang Fashi was a superintendent, and it was his duty to look after Xuanzang and butter him up with the hope that he might stay and provide the king with the prestige of having such an esteemed monk.  They put him up at a monastery next to the royal palace—the “daochang”, aka “dojo” in Japanese, which would be a whole different diversion. Ding Wang suggested that this might be the same as the Chongfu Monastery mentioned in a colophon on a 7th century copy of the Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom for Benevolent Kings. It was found by a German expedition at a site in the Turfan basin in the early 20th century, and now sits in the possession of Shitenno-ji, in Osaka—rather appropriate given that Shitenno-ji was around at the same time all of this was happening.  The colophon is attributed to a “Xuanjue”, and a “Xuanjue” from Gaochang, in the Turpan basin, was associated with helping Xuanzang in his later years.  Perhaps this Xuanjue first met Xuanzang during this first trip to Gaochang. Qu Wentai tried his best to dissuade Xuanzang from continuing on.  This may be simple platitudes from his biographers, but it also may have been genuine.  Having a learned foreign monk from the Tang dynasty staying at the palace monastery would likely have added to Qu Wentai's prestige by association, and it would have potentially brought more individuals to the city of Gaochang. Speaking of which, all of this first part of the journey—up to Gaochang—comes primarily from Xuanzang's biography by the monk Huili.  Xuanzang's own “Records of the Western Regions” didn't include much on it, probably because by the time that he returned to the Tang empire, Tang Taizong had annexed Yiwu and Gaochang, so all those were now considered part of the empire, rather than foreign regions to the West. After staying a month at Gaochang, Xuanzang decided it was time to continue his journey.  Disappointed though Qu Wentai may have been that his guest would be leaving, he nonetheless outfitted him handsomely.  He provided goods, including coins, as well as 24 letters to the 24 countries that he would pass along the road, adding a roll of silk to each as a sign that they came from the King of Gaochang.  He also gave him food, a small retinue, and horses to help carry everything.  Letters of introduction would have been important across the Silk Road.  There was, after all, no way to contact someone ahead of time, unless you sent runners. Merchant communities, in particular, would often be connected across long distances through regular caravans, which carried letters to their relatives, facilitating communication across vast distances.  Merchants who were bringing in a caravan of goods would know that there was a friendly community waiting to help them when they arrived, and would likely even have an idea of what was happening and what to bring. For someone traveling alone, however, having a letter of introduction would have been important, as they didn't necessarily have access to those communities by themselves.  The letters would provide introduction and let people know who you were and may even ask for assistance on your behalf.  It may seem a small thing, but it was the kind of gesture that was likely a great help to a traveler like Xuanzang.  Remember, he was not on an official mission from the Tang court—almost expressly the opposite, as he had not been given permission to leave.  So he wouldn't have had anything identifying him, and after Gaochang he likely couldn't count on being able to communicate with his native tongue. And so he was sent on his way.  As he left the city of Gaochang, the king and others accompanied Xuanzang about 10 li, or about 3 or 4 miles, outside of the city.  As they watched him head off, who could have known if he would complete his quest?  Or would he just end up another ghost in the desert? Next episode, we'll pick up Xuanzang's story as he strikes out for Agni and beyond.  Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Text me your thoughts about this epidode ...This is the episode I've eagerly awaited since my very first episode, 'What is Vedic Astrology?' When I started The Vedic Astrology Podcast four years ago, I knew I needed to address this fundamental question, but I also realized that doing so effectively would require more than my own understanding. Today, I am thrilled to present this long-anticipated episode. I am joined by Sachin Sharma to delve deeply into the essence of Jyotish, often translated as Vedic Astrology. Sachin and I explore the unique philosophy of Jyotish, grounding our discussion in Sutra 3:14 from the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra. This episode addresses key differences between Jyotish and other forms of astrology, the richness and symbolism embedded in Jyotish, and the effects of colonization on its interpretation. Sachin shares profound insights into the deeper purpose of Jyotish, including its relation to the concept of Atman and its applicability to personal growth, spirituality, and practical life areas such as relationships, career, and health. Additionally, we discuss the integration of Jyotish with other related disciplines like yoga, Ayurveda, and Samkhya, highlighting that these fields form a cohesive study of life's profound truths. Learn the true potential and gift Jyotish offers, and discover how this ancient practice can serve as a psychoanalytic and therapeutic tool. Sachin's ongoing Jyotish Project aims to re-educate and bring greater clarity to this rich and intricate discipline, making it accessible for both personal and professional practices. Join us in this enlightening conversation and find out how you can engage with Sachin's work and further explore the transformative power of Jyotish. Don't miss out! (Apologies that there are no chapter markers, it was one of those integrated conversations that didn't have discreet topics :)Episode 1 | What is Jyotish? | The Jyotish Project - https://www.youtube.com/@TheJyotishProjectHome | Searchinsachin Astrology - https://www.searchinsachin.com/Learn Vedic Astrology with The Asheville Vedic Astrology Apprenticeship on teachable.com - https://vedic-astrology.teachable.com/courses/vedic-astrology-apprenticeship-program?affcode=472402_kmvc7dumSupport the show

You are so much more than you think you are.  It is all summarized in this one sutra: Your own Self is Consciousness-Itself. Chaitanyam atma. — Shiva Sutras 1.1 This is the first sutra, in the first chapter of the first text of Kashmiri Shaivism, our yogic tradition.  The first sutra is the most important one. —  Gurudevi Nirmalananda   Watch Gurudevi's full discourse “Your Divine Essence” here.   #spirituality #meditation #Gurudevi #yogamysticism #svaroopa #meditate #divine #yoga #swaminirmalananda #blissyoga #svaroopayoga #siddhayoga #muktananda #gurudevinirmalananda