You may do a lot of yakking, but I think it's "right yakking", about the dharma, helping us develop the background we need so we don't end up getting high on our own supply. I've reading and listened to Buddhist teachers from numerous schools, but your talks and books have really been among the most accessible. Accessible on a deep level, not just because of what you teach and how you teach it, but because of your persona as a teacher. Being a casual, humble human being goes a long way.
I hope you keep doing videos. You drop all kinds of helpful stuff sometimes not even related to the title of the video. The latest one was when you looked straight into me and subtly said 'don't judge your zazen' ...you are appreciated.
Good point you discussed here, especially the conclusion is a tremendously valuable insight, wich, in my view, extends to ALL interactions with the world, with other people and beyond. These insights give a tangible experience of what is meant by the teaching of no-self💡💡💡
I am happy to see someone else playing finger-style, and I'm impressed with how fast you picked it up. My older brother never could do it and he use to get so mad that it came easily to me. Of course he was lefthanded and he tried to play his guitar righthanded, so that might have has something to do with it. Anyway, I don't see anything wrong with you sharing your music in your videos. It's your channel, you can do what you want with it. Chances are, there are people out there who will complain and not be happy that you aren't conforming to their view of how you should behave no matter what you do. Stop putting the music in the videos, and someone else will complain that they liked them and wish you'd do them again. You can't please everyone all the time. So since you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't, then just do what you enjoy and the people who like it will stay, and the people who don't will hopefully leave rather than complain about it. But if they complain about it, you can always just ignore them.
I can’t wait to see what music you play when I watch your videos. You have introduced me to a lot of music that was new to me. Oh and the total eclipse was my favorite so far. Thanks for all the tunes Brad!
When teaching, teach. When playing music, play music. It's interesting how clarity can be brought on by "useless" and "confusing". And, congratulations on finding out you're still "Human" :)
@@Mocking_Bird_85 no. I sometimes see writing as a way to re-arrange words in my own unique way. Never wrote a book. Never invented a story, or a saga.
This is great video and a very interesting take on a topic that those who wish to work as a Zen teacher struggle with, I know I do. I always try to keep the classics uppermost in my mind before begining to flap my lips. "Therefore set aside the intellectual practice of investigating words and chasing phrases and learn to take the backward step that turns the light and shines it inward," Dogen Zenji. Or, "It is a transmission outside the sutras, not founded upon words and letters, but by pointing directly to one's own mind, it lets one see one's own true nature and thus Buddhahood." Bodhidharma. These guys knew what they were talking about. As far as words go they set a very high bar.
Watching this video reminded me about another video of yours about the voice actor who was The Ghoul (or Ghoulali, I don't remember exactly) in which you retell the story of an interview The Ghoul gave near the end of his life. In that interview The Ghoul lamented that he hadn't done anything of value (He hadn't been what he perceived as a successful actor), but you pointed out that The Ghoul had been an inspiration to you and others. We don't know, and will probably never know what ripples we caused to happen in the universe but just trust in the fact that we cause them. You have been and continue to be an inspiration to me. Please continue to wholeheartedly be yourself.
The song was pretty, good job. Most people will be ambivalent about "ones" art, a few will really like it and a few will hate it. Ehh, what can you do....
Great vid Brad. You are you whether you are musical Brad or Brad roshi. The teaching is always there. We the Zazen practicianers value the dharma talks and the dokosan meetings. Even if you find it a bit uncomfortable from time to time, the fact remains you know your stuff and tell it how you see it. So thank you
The idea of a character or the man reminds me of Alice Cooper. Saw a TV show where he sat down for an interview, talking about his sudden rise to fame, addiction, mental health, and his religious faith. It was clear there was a difference between him as a man (one might say Vincent Fornier) and the stage persona of Alice Cooper
There is a spontaneity and intimacy attendant to much of the spiritual experience. It's a credit to you that you resist the mask approach. Dare I say liehzi described his experience with his teacher as riding the wind, floating on the clouds. It's no accident that your struggles with music play a role for you. Enlightenment can be like learning a tricky skill we study and try and after a while(a long while sometimes) we break through to effortless lightness
I enjoy the music myself. However I have wondered if it may put some people off if they tune in to you for the first time expecting a zen talk and then think it is something else. This came home to me when I put a link to one of your many excellent talks on our local Zen WhatsApp group. Next time we met in person, one of the people in the group said He had tried to listen to the talk i sent them but it was just music he didn’t want to hear! I explained that there is a little tiny bit of music before the talk but obviously he hadn’t gone on to listen to the talk as the music had put him off. After this I did wonder if the music would be better at the end or on a separate channel as there must be lots of people who tune in and then immediately click off, thinking it’s music and not a zen talk. Personally I enjoy it because I’m used to it as got to love your talks before you added the music and The music adds a fun element for me . There is no need for nasty comments and I love the way you ended the video humorously, calling the mean person a knuckle head! 👏🏿👍😊
Thanks! Putting people off my stuff is a thing I do deliberately. I actually like to put a few barriers up. The main reason is that I don't want to get too popular. I've reached a (mostly) comfortable level of popularity. If I got significantly more popular than I am right now, I don't know if I could handle it. I'd probably quit altogether. Becoming popular ruins people! Look what happens to just about any "spiritual teacher" who gets a huge fanbase. They suck. So I kind of feel good when I hear stories like yours about people who get put off by things I do and things I say.
For my money, your Zen teaching carries more weight than that of someone in robes with a Japanese honorific (not that there's anything wrong with that), because I get the sense that you, being a musician and a punk rocker, are similar to myself in temperament and personality. It's unpretentious. You appear as your true and honest self, with no frills, and that is far more attractive to me than any of the spiritual trappings that often go with this kind of material. P.S. Nice picking! P.P.S. Bill Drummond has an album of solo guitar and vocal songs called "The Man". One of the songs is "Julian Cope Is Dead"! Just thought that was funny :D
This reminds me of the "separate the art from the artist" argument..some of the teachers I find interesting are of ill repute...chogyam trungpa, gurdjieff, osho etc. However, I still find value in coming into contact with their concepts through my experience.
this raises the question of why the forms of 'spirituality/religion' are different now from ancient times - assuming the ultimate realities don't change. Perhaps it might be said that in pre-modern times 'authority' was given un-ironic form and this didn't cause (immediate) corruption in transmission of the message or the living wisdom because the archaic social system had its own checks and balances. But gradually such essentially false claims lead to degeneration and now we have to find the same wisdom through honest acknowledgement of pervasive imperfection or incompleteness. This seems to me one of the problems of esotericism or traditionalism (Guenon or Schuoun and that bunch): the message in the world must change as the world changes even if it shouldn't adapt in content to the changing world, if that makes any sense. The traditionalists want to revert to ancient stasis but that is just not possible, even if it were desirable.
not that it matters but i think Dogen is considered "medieval" by Japanese people and Japan scholars. These things depend a bit on place/society but roughly in general my sense is, in the west, archaic is pre 2500 bc, ancient is after 2500 (roughly the beginning of classical Athens and therefore Greece) to around 500-700ish (the fall of the western roman empire) at which point we enter the medieval period. The divide between medieval and modern is the least well agreed on (and the most place depended even if we are looking just at europe) but something between 1400-1600 seems to be the cut off (fall of eastern rome, beginnings of the nation state, european discovery of American, the renaissance etc.)
brad, i’m a former professional blues guitar player. i’ve done the travis picking thing for many years now. id love to help you with a few tips and tricks. your picking is coming along nicely! just keep that thumb bouncing on that rhythm no matter what. it takes a long time to get your fingers independent from your thumb. like pete seeger said “you have to get an educated thumb” hope this helps a little!!
@@iceyetti thanks. The only way it worked for me was to think of the fingers in pairs. Like when the thumb hirs the 6th the ring finger hits the 1st and so on. I can’t even hear the alternating bass while playing, only when listening back.
@@HardcoreZen try practicing JUST the alternating bass for a while. don’t even move your other fingers. i used to do this for hours in college. i would listen to a lot of doc watson, fred mcdowell, chet atkins, and etta baker.
Maybe it's not your picking or singing, so much as selections--not everyone likes punk. Your lectures are great! So nice to hear a 'normal' person discussing these things, and someone I share a culture with. There is often a significant cultural gap with foreign teachers, especially Tibetans. Krishnamurti was great! I think he dismantled their whole silly society. I think the problem with teachers is the expectation--especially in the west-- that they will be Christ-like figures with no vices, who never get angry or have weird parents. If you don't live in a monastery, you have all the usual problems. Needless to say, some of these 'holy' gurus are fakes.
Have you ever read the letter (it's online)written by Dzangsar Jamyang Khyentse to the students of Sogyal Rinpoche ( though really to all students of teachers everywhere)? It's an excellent piece and he speaks to this very thing you talk of here. He makes a distinction between Sogyal the Vajrayana Master and Sogyal the public Buddhist figure.
it wasnt confusung at all! very helpful!
Brrrrrrrrrrrad Warrrrrnerrr being Brad Warner is a great great gift. ❤🙏
I always liked your musical sensibility. Your vocals grew on me and now I'm into it. You have some really nice guitar tones too.
You may do a lot of yakking, but I think it's "right yakking", about the dharma, helping us develop the background we need so we don't end up getting high on our own supply. I've reading and listened to Buddhist teachers from numerous schools, but your talks and books have really been among the most accessible. Accessible on a deep level, not just because of what you teach and how you teach it, but because of your persona as a teacher. Being a casual, humble human being goes a long way.
"Brad Warner" is a living koan.
I personally appreciate the hard work & time you put into your music videos --they are truly works of art...
Hardcore Zen is my favourite book. So I associate you with music.
I dig you, man. Keep keeping it real.
It's your channel. Enjoy it!
Picking's coming on nicely!
'Whoever reads or mimes or plays an insrument will be shone on from above.' Spotted in a hospital ward. Love you Brad ❤
I hope you keep doing videos. You drop all kinds of helpful stuff sometimes not even related to the title of the video. The latest one was when you looked straight into me and subtly said 'don't judge your zazen' ...you are appreciated.
Good point you discussed here, especially the conclusion is a tremendously valuable insight, wich, in my view, extends to ALL interactions with the world, with other people and beyond. These insights give a tangible experience of what is meant by the teaching of no-self💡💡💡
I am happy to see someone else playing finger-style, and I'm impressed with how fast you picked it up. My older brother never could do it and he use to get so mad that it came easily to me. Of course he was lefthanded and he tried to play his guitar righthanded, so that might have has something to do with it.
Anyway, I don't see anything wrong with you sharing your music in your videos. It's your channel, you can do what you want with it. Chances are, there are people out there who will complain and not be happy that you aren't conforming to their view of how you should behave no matter what you do. Stop putting the music in the videos, and someone else will complain that they liked them and wish you'd do them again. You can't please everyone all the time. So since you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't, then just do what you enjoy and the people who like it will stay, and the people who don't will hopefully leave rather than complain about it. But if they complain about it, you can always just ignore them.
I can’t wait to see what music you play when I watch your videos. You have introduced me to a lot of music that was new to me. Oh and the total eclipse was my favorite so far. Thanks for all the tunes Brad!
No it was God part 3!
When teaching, teach. When playing music, play music. It's interesting how clarity can be brought on by "useless" and "confusing". And, congratulations on finding out you're still "Human" :)
writer's delight
@@HeikkiLiitoksia Are you referring to the book by Saloni Shah? Pardon my ignorance..
@@Mocking_Bird_85 no. I sometimes see writing as a way to re-arrange words in my own unique way. Never wrote a book. Never invented a story, or a saga.
I think that's a really interesting insight: the part where you say ""its something that arises in the space between us".
This is great video and a very interesting take on a topic that those who wish to work as a Zen teacher struggle with, I know I do. I always try to keep the classics uppermost in my mind before begining to flap my lips. "Therefore set aside the intellectual practice of investigating words and chasing phrases and learn to take the backward step that turns the light and shines it inward," Dogen Zenji. Or, "It is a transmission outside the sutras, not founded upon words and letters, but by pointing directly to one's own mind, it lets one see one's own true nature and thus Buddhahood." Bodhidharma. These guys knew what they were talking about. As far as words go they set a very high bar.
Watching this video reminded me about another video of yours about the voice actor who was The Ghoul (or Ghoulali, I don't remember exactly) in which you retell the story of an interview The Ghoul gave near the end of his life. In that interview The Ghoul lamented that he hadn't done anything of value (He hadn't been what he perceived as a successful actor), but you pointed out that The Ghoul had been an inspiration to you and others. We don't know, and will probably never know what ripples we caused to happen in the universe but just trust in the fact that we cause them. You have been and continue to be an inspiration to me. Please continue to wholeheartedly be yourself.
Your Travis picking is getting better and better!
Nice video, interesting subject.
The song was pretty, good job. Most people will be ambivalent about "ones" art, a few will really like it and a few will hate it. Ehh, what can you do....
That was a great insight at the end there with the metaphor of the Sun, Earth and Moon orbiting centres of gravity. The Dylan cover was great too!
Great vid Brad. You are you whether you are musical Brad or Brad roshi. The teaching is always there. We the Zazen practicianers value the dharma talks and the dokosan meetings. Even if you find it a bit uncomfortable from time to time, the fact remains you know your stuff and tell it how you see it. So thank you
I love your music videos
You help me fall asleep at night lol
The idea of a character or the man reminds me of Alice Cooper. Saw a TV show where he sat down for an interview, talking about his sudden rise to fame, addiction, mental health, and his religious faith. It was clear there was a difference between him as a man (one might say Vincent Fornier) and the stage persona of Alice Cooper
There's a translation of the Taoist teachings of Zhuang Tzu titled "Genuine pretending". Reminds me of this.
Nice rendition of Bob Dylan song after the very good talk.👍😊
I initially thought this video was gonna about 'The Man' as in like 'working for the Man'
Nicely said
Personally I dig the tunes
I see you’ve been working on your Travis picking. Nice one, Brad.
Its like people who skip through the snl musical guests... heathens!
There is a spontaneity and intimacy attendant to much of the spiritual experience. It's a credit to you that you resist the mask approach. Dare I say liehzi described his experience with his teacher as riding the wind, floating on the clouds. It's no accident that your struggles with music play a role for you. Enlightenment can be like learning a tricky skill we study and try and after a while(a long while sometimes) we break through to effortless lightness
I enjoy the music myself. However I have wondered if it may put some people off if they tune in to you for the first time expecting a zen talk and then think it is something else. This came home to me when I put a link to one of your many excellent talks on our local Zen WhatsApp group. Next time we met in person, one of the people in the group said He had tried to listen to the talk i sent them but it was just music he didn’t want to hear! I explained that there is a little tiny bit of music before the talk but obviously he hadn’t gone on to listen to the talk as the music had put him off. After this I did wonder if the music would be better at the end or on a separate channel as there must be lots of people who tune in and then immediately click off, thinking it’s music and not a zen talk. Personally I enjoy it because I’m used to it as got to love your talks before you added the music and The music adds a fun element for me . There is no need for nasty comments and I love the way you ended the video humorously, calling the mean person a knuckle head! 👏🏿👍😊
Thanks! Putting people off my stuff is a thing I do deliberately. I actually like to put a few barriers up. The main reason is that I don't want to get too popular. I've reached a (mostly) comfortable level of popularity. If I got significantly more popular than I am right now, I don't know if I could handle it. I'd probably quit altogether. Becoming popular ruins people! Look what happens to just about any "spiritual teacher" who gets a huge fanbase. They suck. So I kind of feel good when I hear stories like yours about people who get put off by things I do and things I say.
What did Nishijima Roshi think of your music?
he probably said - ah yes yes, music from brad, very good 😅❤
The funniest talk was about the women with an attachment. Was her pronoun of choice 'he he he' LOL Couldn't resist the joke.
For my money, your Zen teaching carries more weight than that of someone in robes with a Japanese honorific (not that there's anything wrong with that), because I get the sense that you, being a musician and a punk rocker, are similar to myself in temperament and personality.
It's unpretentious.
You appear as your true and honest self, with no frills, and that is far more attractive to me than any of the spiritual trappings that often go with this kind of material.
P.S. Nice picking!
P.P.S. Bill Drummond has an album of solo guitar and vocal songs called "The Man". One of the songs is "Julian Cope Is Dead"!
Just thought that was funny :D
This reminds me of the "separate the art from the artist" argument..some of the teachers I find interesting are of ill repute...chogyam trungpa, gurdjieff, osho etc. However, I still find value in coming into contact with their concepts through my experience.
this raises the question of why the forms of 'spirituality/religion' are different now from ancient times - assuming the ultimate realities don't change. Perhaps it might be said that in pre-modern times 'authority' was given un-ironic form and this didn't cause (immediate) corruption in transmission of the message or the living wisdom because the archaic social system had its own checks and balances. But gradually such essentially false claims lead to degeneration and now we have to find the same wisdom through honest acknowledgement of pervasive imperfection or incompleteness. This seems to me one of the problems of esotericism or traditionalism (Guenon or Schuoun and that bunch): the message in the world must change as the world changes even if it shouldn't adapt in content to the changing world, if that makes any sense. The traditionalists want to revert to ancient stasis but that is just not possible, even if it were desirable.
not that it matters but i think Dogen is considered "medieval" by Japanese people and Japan scholars. These things depend a bit on place/society but roughly in general my sense is, in the west, archaic is pre 2500 bc, ancient is after 2500 (roughly the beginning of classical Athens and therefore Greece) to around 500-700ish (the fall of the western roman empire) at which point we enter the medieval period. The divide between medieval and modern is the least well agreed on (and the most place depended even if we are looking just at europe) but something between 1400-1600 seems to be the cut off (fall of eastern rome, beginnings of the nation state, european discovery of American, the renaissance etc.)
brad, i’m a former professional blues guitar player. i’ve done the travis picking thing for many years now. id love to help you with a few tips and tricks. your picking is coming along nicely! just keep that thumb bouncing on that rhythm no matter what. it takes a long time to get your fingers independent from your thumb. like pete seeger said “you have to get an educated thumb”
hope this helps a little!!
@@iceyetti thanks. The only way it worked for me was to think of the fingers in pairs. Like when the thumb hirs the 6th the ring finger hits the 1st and so on. I can’t even hear the alternating bass while playing, only when listening back.
@@HardcoreZen try practicing JUST the alternating bass for a while. don’t even move your other fingers. i used to do this for hours in college. i would listen to a lot of doc watson, fred mcdowell, chet atkins, and etta baker.
Maybe it's not your picking or singing, so much as selections--not everyone likes punk. Your lectures are great! So nice to hear a 'normal' person discussing these things, and someone I share a culture with. There is often a significant cultural gap with foreign teachers, especially Tibetans. Krishnamurti was great! I think he dismantled their whole silly society. I think the problem with teachers is the expectation--especially in the west-- that they will be Christ-like figures with no vices, who never get angry or have weird parents. If you don't live in a monastery, you have all the usual problems. Needless to say, some of these 'holy' gurus are fakes.
Brad is also a costume :D
Have you ever read the letter (it's online)written by Dzangsar Jamyang Khyentse to the students of Sogyal Rinpoche ( though really to all students of teachers everywhere)? It's an excellent piece and he speaks to this very thing you talk of here. He makes a distinction between Sogyal the Vajrayana Master and Sogyal the public Buddhist figure.
The ever present ziggy zendog. Our identity is developed by human society fairytale, our biological form is just nature.
Cool music video, but what's with all the talking at the start?
your most viewed video has 63k views
more songs , less zen ! in fact can you sing the zen talk .. boom 2 birds one stone .. like the olde world English folk did !