“Try, try, try, try, and you will get there“ – Zen Master Dae Bong Sunim.
Before the COVID-19 lockdown, I became interested in Zen philosophy, thanks to Alan Watts, with whom I resonate powerfully. So when the quarantine hit, it was a great time to study Zen and Taoism almost every night for 15 to 28 minutes. That’s when I realized that I was connecting a lot with the first, while I felt that it was not the time for the second. So, a few days later, I started with a daily immersion process in Zazen. Through books, articles, and the most exciting videos, reports and interviews, I met Dae Bong Sunim, Zen Master at Mu Sang Sa.
So after seeing more and more videos, I decided to contact his office to request an audience and interview with him.
“The mind ‘don’t know’ is that you do not know that is the way of Buddha, there is wisdom“
Who is Zen Master Dae Bong Sunim
“I knew that that man (Buddha) understood life” – Zen Master Dae Bong Sunim.
She summarized the Zen Master’s extensive career in 8 key milestones.
I graduated in psychology in 1972.
He worked for five years as a counsellor in a university psychiatric hospital and prison.
He moved to the Providence Zen Center in the United States. In 1984 – studying with Zen Master Seung Sahn.
After practising for 7 years, he has ordained a Buddhist monk. Then, after more training and practice, Zen Master Seung Sahn became Dae Bong Sunim at the Abbot of Zen Centers in Paris, France, Berkeley, California and Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States.
Zen Master Dae Bong has lived in meditation centres and temples in the United States, Europe, and Asia for 39 years.
In 1992, he received the “Inka” authorization to teach and in 1999 “, Transmission” from Zen Master Seung Sahn.
He has travelled extensively around the world, teaching Zen philosophy and practice. Dae Bong Sunim is the principal spiritual teacher at Mu Sang Sa – International Zen Center on Gyeryong Mountain in South Korea.
“Ask yourself: Who am I? What am I? that is to become Buddha”
Zen Master Dae Bong Sunim – Disrupt Everything podcast.
“Before enlightenment the sky is blue, after enlightenment the sky is blue“ – Dae Bong Sunim
This is the first meeting and interview (in English) I have done with a teacher of this height. As I indicated earlier, his name is Dae Bong Sunim, Zen Master. This podcast is about how Zen is a great tool to alleviate human suffering and practical and actionable wisdom. As well as being a resource for compassion, abundance, peace of mind and spirit. Learnings, anecdotes, stories, proverbs, examples and personal moments related to what matters today in the world we live in are discussed.
“When you do something just do it“
Listen here:
Index of contents
- Timeline with highlights.
- The life of an (aspiring) Zen master.
- Zen and how to find the Middle Way.
- The mind “doesn’t know.”
- His teacher, Seung Sahn.
- Any path is the Way.
- Originally empty.
- The illusion of “me” and the divided mind.
- Forgetting oneself.
- Attachment-detachment.
- Stillness and meditation, good for nothing?
- Reaching Buddha-nature.
- Stories, anecdotes and critical learnings from a Zen master.
- Personal recommendation.
- Rapid-fire questions.
Listen, download, and subscribe.
Listen and subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Ivoox, Castbox FM, Player FM or RSS. You can even access the video channel and view the web series… Also, you can listen to the podcast here.
You can also listen directly from the Disrupt Everything podcast series homepage.
Photo credit: Douglas Wills.