Hardcore Zen

Stages of Enlightenment

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Can Enlightenment experiences be ranked?

Is ENLIGHTENMENT the Point of Zen?

Tue, 26 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Do we do zazen in order to have a kensho or "enlightenment experience"?

What is Zazen Supposed to Do?

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700

If Zazen is good for nothing, why do it at all?

The Elimination of Suffering

Tue, 12 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Is that the goal of Buddhist practice?

Is Zen a Form of Buddhism?

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Some say it is, some say it isn't.

Meditation and Pain

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0700

... or "Zazen is Annoying"

Don't Criticize Buddhists!

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0700

The Precepts say we shouldn't criticize other Buddhists. Why does Dogen do it all the time? Why do I?

Does Everyone Experience Karma the Same Way?

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0700

...or is it different for some people?

Sometimes Pain is Bad

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Shohaku Okumura has an interesting explanation of Dogen's essay on pain.

Sometimes Pain is Good

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Is it really...?

Self and Time

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Dogen said that the self arrays itself and looks at itself. What does that mean?

Life is Just Life, Death is Just Death

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0700

What more can I say? A lot apparently!

Zen Author David Chadwick 1945-2026

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:16:09 -0700

A tribute to my friend and one of the great Zen writers.

My Ketamine Experience

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Can drugs make you Enlightened?

Self Power vs. Other Power

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0700

What does that even mean??

Science Proves Buddhism! ... Or Does It?

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Why am I not all excited by the latest evidence that science proves Buddhism is true?

Blowing Zen?

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Is playing the flute the same as doing zazen?

Radical Acceptance: The Only Approach That Makes Sense

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Why Doesn't Zen Talk About Loving Kindness?

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Buddha never met man he didn't like!

How to Achieve One-Pointed Concentration

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:51:25 -0700

Or do you really need to?

Are We LARP-ing Zen?

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Is Western Zen just live action role playing?

What If There is ABSOLUTELY No Zen Teacher Nearby?

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0700

Like if you're living on a remote island or something.

Why Do You Need a Teacher to Study Buddhism

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0700

So you don't become a cult leader! And other reasons...

Should You Study Zen Without a Teacher?

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Well... Yes and no...

A Zen View of PLURIBUS

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:48:08 -0700

Is the Apple TV series Pluribus about what an Enlightened world would look like?

What do I Think of Robot Zen??!!

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:00:00 -0700

Robot and AI generated Zen/Buddhism SUCKS!

What If You Haven't Accomplished Anything?

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:58:06 -0700

Are accomplishments all they're cracked up to be?

Working With Koans

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0700

What actually is the sound of one hand clapping?

Love in Zen

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0700

Why don't Zen people talk more about love?

Forgivenes in Buddhism

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0700

Christianity teaches forgiveness. What about Buddhism?

Will Doing Zazen Help Me Understand Buddhism?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0700

How to Avoid Picking & Choosing

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:51:55 -0700

It's said that the secret to Buddhist practice is to avoid preferences. How do you do that?

Dogen's Dreams

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:39:14 -0700

Are dreams as real as waking reality? Dogen thought so!

Buddhist Intuition

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0700

What is it? How does it relate to practice? How can it be recognized? Can it be cultivated?

The Zen Way to Listen to Music (Rest in Peace, Ace)

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0700

My unintended tribute to the late Ace Frehley of KISS.

Letting Go of Enlightenment

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0700

Why do we always end up right back here?

Just Follow Circumstances

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:01:00 -0700

That's what Dogen said! What does it mean?

Finding Enlightenment Within Delusion

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 11:01:45 -0700

Mind is Not Thought

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:17:49 -0700

A talk I gave in Hebden Bridge, UK last year.

Your Opinions Don't Matter & Neither Do Mine

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 14:26:50 -0700

Your opinions are not even your own!

Space in Zen Buddhism

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0700

How does Zen Buddhism conceive of space?

Expressing a Dream Within a Dream

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 10:32:41 -0700

What does that mean and what does it have to do with Godzilla?

Motivation for Meditation

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:21:29 -0700

Should You Teach Zen Before You Master Zen?

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 11:00:00 -0700

The Zen of Optimism

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:51:06 -0700

How Zen turned me from a pessimist into an optimist!

Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0700

Even Ziggy?

Dogen's Tears

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:47:00 -0700

Dogen cried! It's true! He even said so!

Don't Anticipate and Don't Regret

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:19:19 -0700

Nisargadatta Maharaj had some useful advice about free and pain.

Thought Has No Answers

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 11:32:55 -0700

You can think some problems through and get an answer. But more often thought has no solution to your problems.

Is Buddhism Anti-Children?

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:03:39 -0700

Is Buddhism a religion that says you should not have kids?

The Power of Prayer

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:04:15 -0700

Do Buddhists believe in the power of prayer?

Dogen's Meditation Instructions

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:13:59 -0700

What does "Turn the light around and shine it inward" mean?

Cultivating Non-Attachment to Family & Friends

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:29:26 -0700

How do you do that??

A Monk Walks Into a Bar...

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:49:43 -0700

There's a bar in Tokyo run by Buddhist monks. Is that even allowed??

The Samadhi of Receiving & Using the Self

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:49:57 -0700

A talk I gave in Germany in 2024.

I-Less Abiding

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:52:03 -0700

What is "I-less abiding," and do you need it in your practice?

Mortality & Death in Buddhism

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 11:38:03 -0700

Here's what my teacher said about death in Buddhism.

What 5 Nights in Hospital Taught Me

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 13:13:09 -0700

You can learn a lot from being totally dependent.

Primordial Ignorance

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 12:14:57 -0700

A talk from Bonn, Germany on Sept. 13, 2022. Buddhists use the word "ignorance" a lot. But what does "ignorance" mean in the Buddhist context?

Buddha As a Toilet

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 11:46:23 -0700

What's the difference between you, your toilet, and the universe?

The Zen of Godzilla

Fri, 30 May 2025 13:34:49 -0700

What does Godzilla have to do with Zen?

Are You Being Seen by Your Zen Teacher?

Tue, 27 May 2025 13:16:55 -0700

And, if so, is that a good thing?

Don't Fear Fear

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:20:13 -0700

What's the Zen way to overcome overwhelming fear?

What Are You Gonna Do With Your Life?

Tue, 20 May 2025 13:09:47 -0700

Can you have an aim for the future and still be in the here and now?

Is Karma Fake??

Wed, 14 May 2025 14:37:15 -0700

Is cause-and-effect just a scam by Big Karma?

Mother's Day When Your Mom is Dead

Mon, 12 May 2025 13:25:53 -0700

How do you celebrate Mother's Day when your mom is gone?

Zen As Self Help

Fri, 09 May 2025 14:55:10 -0700

Can we use Zen practice as a self help method?

Dogen's Other Shobogenzo

Tue, 06 May 2025 13:48:03 -0700

Dogen wrote three books called Shobogenzo. Here I take a look at a new edition of one of the other Shobogenzos.

Zen When You're Sick

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:00:28 -0700

How does Brad do Zen practice when he's sick?

Work As Zen Practice

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:09:22 -0700

How can work be Zen practice?

What Do We Put Our Faith In?

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:11:30 -0700

What do Buddhists, who don't believe in God (or at least not the kind of God some people believe in), put our faith in?

Spiritual By-Passing

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:29:01 -0700

How do "meditator influencers" stay blissful all the time?

The Ocean of Consciousness

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 12:44:10 -0700

Is it a Buddhist teaching that we return to the Ocean of Consciousness when we die?

Spirit in Buddhism

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:34:59 -0700

Is Buddhism a spiritual religion?

The White Lotus - A Buddhist Review

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:56:27 -0700

Is it Buddhist??

The Four Noble Truths Are WRONG!

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:30:55 -0700

For Nishijima Roshi's pamphlet, go to - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qV-F9KoXldRPzmDmpO4H2ZbXPuvmB5Cv/view

What's Even the Point of Enlightenment?

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:54:04 -0700

Well...what is it?

The Power of Now is Wrong!

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:18:22 -0700

Here's why!

The Universe Exists Within the Light of the Self

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:40:12 -0700

That's what Dogen said! Seriously!

If Zazen is Enlightenment Why Does Mine Feel Like Crap?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:04:31 -0700

Brad finally answers your burning question!

"I Believe in Reality." - Gudo Nishijima

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:26:51 -0700

What do you believe in?

Atheism is a Belief System

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:16:21 -0700

Here's why!

Why I Can't Stand Buddhists

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:59:10 -0700

I'm sorry, but...

Zazen is NOT Meditation

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:05:22 -0700

Seriously. It's not.

From Birth to Death It's Just Like This!

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 15:16:12 -0700

It's my birthday, so here's some Zen stuff about birth.

Compassion is Like a Hand Reaching for a Pillow

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:55:30 -0700

What on Earth does THAT mean???

Zen and the Supernatural

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:19:44 -0700

Oooohh!! Spoooooky stuff this time!

Can Science Explain Everything?

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:08:30 -0700

I doubt it!

You Can't Escape Karma

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:15:55 -0700

The coyote when he tried to kill the roadrunner couldn't and neither can you.

Developing Paranormal Powers

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:16:43 -0700

Someone asked me how to do this, so I answered!

Zazen is a Lifetime Practice

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 15:31:20 -0700

Keep it up!

Everyone Wants to Save the World But Nobody Wants to Help Mom With the Dishes

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:13:39 -0700

It's true!!

My Friend Richard Pusateri

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 15:04:17 -0700

About my friend's death and death in general.

Don't Try to Learn Japanese!

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:19:16 -0700

It's way too complicated as I shall explain.

Books I Like: The Zen Teaching of Huang Po

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 16:05:52 -0700

A little talk about a Zen book I like.

David Lynch and Transcendental Meditation

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:55:17 -0700

In which I give my uninformed opinion on David Lynch and his involvement in Transcendental Meditation

I Dedicate This Meal to... Donald Trump???

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 13:18:33 -0700

For the next 4 years every meal at every Zen center in the USA will be dedicated to Donald Trump. I'll explain how and why.

What is Buddhism... to Me

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 13:51:12 -0700

In which I fail to answer the question posed in the title.

Buddhism is a Nerd Subculture

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 15:43:33 -0700

In which I discuss how some Buddhists are like Star Trek geeks.

The Buddhist Community

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 16:04:15 -0700

My personal reflections on the role of community (sangha) in Buddhist practice.