bodhidave
@bodhidave.bsky.social
humanistic psychodynamic Buddhist deconstructionist ... and all-round sweet guy
interested in cross-cultural parallels in contemplative practice
.
https://utexas.academia.edu/DavidCollins
[header is the rock garden at Ryōan-ji; avatar is an enso]
interested in cross-cultural parallels in contemplative practice
.
https://utexas.academia.edu/DavidCollins
[header is the rock garden at Ryōan-ji; avatar is an enso]
[raising a glass to you] toast
November 28, 2025 at 11:44 PM
[raising a glass to you] toast
Buddhists have a similar reflection — the four "immeasurable" positive qualities (also known as the Brahma viharas, which means something like "divine dwellings"). Each has a somewhat similar-but-not "near enemy" and an opposite "far enemy."
November 28, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Buddhists have a similar reflection — the four "immeasurable" positive qualities (also known as the Brahma viharas, which means something like "divine dwellings"). Each has a somewhat similar-but-not "near enemy" and an opposite "far enemy."
Buddhists have a similar reflection — the four "immeasurable" positive qualities (also known as the Brahma viharas, which means something like "divine dwellings"). Each has a somewhat similar-but-not "near enemy," and an opposite "far enemy."
November 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Buddhists have a similar reflection — the four "immeasurable" positive qualities (also known as the Brahma viharas, which means something like "divine dwellings"). Each has a somewhat similar-but-not "near enemy," and an opposite "far enemy."
November 27, 2025 at 1:10 PM
this was the view looking west from under the tree
November 27, 2025 at 12:36 AM
this was the view looking west from under the tree
from my walk this afternoon, three images of the tree at the top of a hill near my home
(outside #Asheville)
(outside #Asheville)
November 26, 2025 at 10:41 PM
from my walk this afternoon, three images of the tree at the top of a hill near my home
(outside #Asheville)
(outside #Asheville)
Wrote a piece a few yrs ago on contemporary interest in "mindfulness." Sadly interesting—such practice is the heart of contemplative traditions, but some modern Westerners can't decide if it's religion. Our presumptive definitions of "religion" need to be interrogated. thesideview.co/journal/deco...
November 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Wrote a piece a few yrs ago on contemporary interest in "mindfulness." Sadly interesting—such practice is the heart of contemplative traditions, but some modern Westerners can't decide if it's religion. Our presumptive definitions of "religion" need to be interrogated. thesideview.co/journal/deco...
Wrote a piece a few yrs ago on contemporary interest in "mindfulness." Sadly interesting—such practice is the heart of contemplative traditions, but some modern Westerners can't decide if it's religion. Our presumptive definitions of "religion" need to be interrogated. thesideview.co/journal/deco...
November 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Wrote a piece a few yrs ago on contemporary interest in "mindfulness." Sadly interesting—such practice is the heart of contemplative traditions, but some modern Westerners can't decide if it's religion. Our presumptive definitions of "religion" need to be interrogated. thesideview.co/journal/deco...
3/3
Zen teacher Mazu spoke very similarly on the other side of the world about us "not defiling" by mental contrivance
("a mind of birth and death" here means a samsaric mind, which is a Buddhist way of saying an unawakened mind):
Zen teacher Mazu spoke very similarly on the other side of the world about us "not defiling" by mental contrivance
("a mind of birth and death" here means a samsaric mind, which is a Buddhist way of saying an unawakened mind):
![The Way needs no cultivation; just do not defile. What is defilement? When with a mind of birth and death one acts in a contrived manner, then everything is defilement. If one wants to know the Way directly: ordinary mind is the Way! What do I mean by “ordinary mind?” [It is a mind] that is devoid of [contrived] activity, and is without [notions of] right and wrong, grasping and rejecting, terminable and permanent, worldly and holy.
in Mario Poceski, Ordinary Mind as the Way](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gp3ps5sbvhaw4psrhu6nfvzt/bafkreicofqh6cmdeomfrjyl7a5a4xwgoafdthcjlo27u24qobbhkyljrga@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
3/3
Zen teacher Mazu spoke very similarly on the other side of the world about us "not defiling" by mental contrivance
("a mind of birth and death" here means a samsaric mind, which is a Buddhist way of saying an unawakened mind):
Zen teacher Mazu spoke very similarly on the other side of the world about us "not defiling" by mental contrivance
("a mind of birth and death" here means a samsaric mind, which is a Buddhist way of saying an unawakened mind):
2
The instruction to just not disturb or "don't defoul" or "don't defile" appears both in the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration):
The instruction to just not disturb or "don't defoul" or "don't defile" appears both in the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration):
November 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
2
The instruction to just not disturb or "don't defoul" or "don't defile" appears both in the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration):
The instruction to just not disturb or "don't defoul" or "don't defile" appears both in the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration):
1/3
A foundational core of meditative practice is immediate simplicity & open-hearted honesty. "Altura" I sense speaks of that here in discussing "o critério da não adição de perturbação"—the criterion of not adding perturbance. He reminds me immediately of The Cloud of Unknowing & Zen teacher Mazu.
A foundational core of meditative practice is immediate simplicity & open-hearted honesty. "Altura" I sense speaks of that here in discussing "o critério da não adição de perturbação"—the criterion of not adding perturbance. He reminds me immediately of The Cloud of Unknowing & Zen teacher Mazu.
November 25, 2025 at 7:15 PM
1/3
A foundational core of meditative practice is immediate simplicity & open-hearted honesty. "Altura" I sense speaks of that here in discussing "o critério da não adição de perturbação"—the criterion of not adding perturbance. He reminds me immediately of The Cloud of Unknowing & Zen teacher Mazu.
A foundational core of meditative practice is immediate simplicity & open-hearted honesty. "Altura" I sense speaks of that here in discussing "o critério da não adição de perturbação"—the criterion of not adding perturbance. He reminds me immediately of The Cloud of Unknowing & Zen teacher Mazu.
Zen teacher Mazu spoke very similarly on the other side of the world about "not defiling" by mental contrivance
("a mind of birth and death" means a samsaric mind, which is to say, an unawakened mind):
("a mind of birth and death" means a samsaric mind, which is to say, an unawakened mind):
![The Way needs no cultivation; just do not defile. What is defilement? When with a mind of birth and death one acts in a contrived manner, then everything is defilement. If one wants to know the Way directly: ordinary mind is the Way! What do I mean by “ordinary mind?” [It is a mind] that is devoid of [contrived] activity, and is without [notions of] right and wrong, grasping and rejecting, terminable and permanent, worldly and holy.
in Mario Poceski, Ordinary Mind as the Way](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gp3ps5sbvhaw4psrhu6nfvzt/bafkreihrgxuhediywullxyvf5vpebm2tqjoaezgvmb7v42syuhrrojm5ve@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Zen teacher Mazu spoke very similarly on the other side of the world about "not defiling" by mental contrivance
("a mind of birth and death" means a samsaric mind, which is to say, an unawakened mind):
("a mind of birth and death" means a samsaric mind, which is to say, an unawakened mind):
"o critério da não adição de perturbação"—
appears both in the meditation instructions of the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers, like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration)
appears both in the meditation instructions of the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers, like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration)
November 25, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"o critério da não adição de perturbação"—
appears both in the meditation instructions of the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers, like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration)
appears both in the meditation instructions of the 13th century Christian author of *The Cloud of Unknowing* and in Zen teachers, like Mazu in 8th century China.
Here is a passage from the Cloud author on "defouling" (in his day poetry used alliteration)
Photo from my car this morning, stopped at a light in front of a bridge over a little river near my home. The river became not so little when hurricane Helene hit last year. A liquor and spirits store used to be on this lot and was damaged by the flood.
I now see they've given up on rebuilding it.
I now see they've given up on rebuilding it.
November 25, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Photo from my car this morning, stopped at a light in front of a bridge over a little river near my home. The river became not so little when hurricane Helene hit last year. A liquor and spirits store used to be on this lot and was damaged by the flood.
I now see they've given up on rebuilding it.
I now see they've given up on rebuilding it.
You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married??
November 25, 2025 at 1:27 AM
You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married??
tonight's sunset, with crescent moon (to the left), outside #Asheville
November 24, 2025 at 10:38 PM
tonight's sunset, with crescent moon (to the left), outside #Asheville
heh ... ChatGPT and I are approaching an understanding
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 PM
heh ... ChatGPT and I are approaching an understanding
color is a pony ride
🙂 ❤️
🙂 ❤️
November 23, 2025 at 3:48 PM
color is a pony ride
🙂 ❤️
🙂 ❤️
Protestants have also emphasized "belief" in ways that can displace direct, meditative experience—often in explicit opposition to positivistic Western science. But, again, there's some renewed attention to the contemplative heritage (even when, as in this book, there's an influence from TM and Zen).
November 23, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Protestants have also emphasized "belief" in ways that can displace direct, meditative experience—often in explicit opposition to positivistic Western science. But, again, there's some renewed attention to the contemplative heritage (even when, as in this book, there's an influence from TM and Zen).
sights from my walk this afternoon, outside #Asheville
November 20, 2025 at 8:32 PM
sights from my walk this afternoon, outside #Asheville
I recently opened a box that contained some fossils, a turtle shell ... and my baby shoes. 🙂 🙏
November 20, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I recently opened a box that contained some fossils, a turtle shell ... and my baby shoes. 🙂 🙏
... and across the road ...
November 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM
... and across the road ...
November 20, 2025 at 2:05 PM