The Dark Side of the Mirror

Zenweekend met David Brazier

David Brazier

David Brazier is psychotherapeut, zenleraar en leraar in de Amida Order, een school in het Zuivere Land-boeddhisme. Hij begon zijn zentraining veertig jaar geleden bij Jiyu Kennet Roshi in Engeland en verdiepte zich tevens in het Tibetaans boeddhisme, de Koreaanse en Vietnamese zentradities en het Zuivere Land-boeddhisme. In het zenweekend zal hij ingaan op zijn nieuwe boek The Dark Side of the Mirror.

Brazier: “Earlier this year my book on Dogen was published. It is called The Dark Side of the Mirror: Forgetting the self in Dogen’s Genjo Koan. Genjo Koan is perhaps the most important writing by Zen Master Eihei Dogen who lived in Japan in the 13th century.

It is about his understanding of satori - enlightenment. The text touches upon many of the images that figure commonly in Zen writings and poetry such as the moon in the dewdrop and the mirror mind. It also illustrates how Zen was influenced by Chinese culture and, especially, Taoism. I hope we can explore these ideas when I come to visit Amsterdam.

The book came about as a result of my own attempts to understand Dogen’s writing, which is not easy. There are many translations of Genjo Koan into English and other European languages, but they are not all entirely clear. However, Dogen did write Genjo Koan for a lay follower to read, so, perhaps, it was a lot clearer to people in his own day.

I worked hard to get to the bottom of the mystery and the result is all in my book. I hope it is an aid to practitioners, especially those who follow the Soto lineage of which Dogen was the founding figure, but also all Buddhists.

Dogen was not trying to establish a sect, he was trying to explain the original teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha. I personally have gained a great deal from the study of this text.”

Informatie:

  • Za 19 okt 15-21 u (inloop vanaf 14.30 u)
  • Zo 20 okt 10-17 uur (inloop vanaf 09.30 u)

Je kan ook alleen de zaterdag of alleen de zondag komen.
Donatiesuggestie: € 50 per dag en € 100 voor het gehele weekend.
Opgeven vooraf via info@zenamsterdam.nl