Irene Kaigetsu Bakker & Kaz Tanahashi: Irene Kaigetsu Bakker & Kaz Tanahashi: 07-30-2013: SESSHIN: Exploring The Heart Sutra (Part 5, last part)

Summary: Episode Description: In this fifth and final talk from the Sesshin, Sensei Kaz and Sensei Irene focus on the precepts in relation to the Heart Sutra. Sensei Kaz opens by noting that the Heart Sutra does not directly discuss ethics. In fact it expresses the notion that everything is without boundaries; clearly a very healing but dangerous concept. it is important to remember that the Heart Sutra is just one of the Mahayana texts and that ethics are very important. Mahayana ethics revolves around the Six Paramitas. Paramita is commonly translated as perfection, while it's meaning in Sanskrit is much closer to "going to the other shore." Kaz continues on by describing how the first five of the paramitas: generousity, virtue, patience, effort and meditation are pluralistic. While the final paramita, prajna, is singularism; seeing everything. That the paramitas reflect having integrity in action to go beyond the common way of thinking. Kaz concludes by offering his own "textbook" definition of wisdom beyond wisdom: "the continuous, holistic experience of freedom from and integrity in pluralistic and singularistic understanding and action." Sensei Irene continues the talk offering an image of wisdom and compassion as two wings of a bird and that we need both wings to fly. She relates that Roshi Joan says that the "precepts help us live a life that is cool and peaceful," and that "I hold the precepts because I love."  Sensei goes on to briefly discuss the precepts in the Soto tradition and expresses three different approaches to following them. That the Theravada tradition has a very literal interpretation; in Mahayana it is one's own responsibility to see what is right in any given situation, and in Buddhayana that there is just oneness. For Series Description and teacher BIO, please see Part 1. To access the entire series, please click on the link below: Sesshin: Exploring The Heart Sutra Series: All 5 Parts