Zen Community of Oregon Dharma Talks

Are You a Soul Mate of the Buddha? - Hogen Roshi

Jul 8, 2025
Hogen dives into the Kalama Sutta, urging listeners to cultivate true faith through personal experience rather than blind belief. He emphasizes the importance of using critical thinking to explore teachings and discern truth. The discussion highlights practices like loving-kindness, compassion, and equanimity as tools for reducing suffering and fostering peace. This ongoing inquiry keeps the spiritual journey vibrant and authentic, encouraging self-reflection and community engagement.
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INSIGHT

Faith Based on Personal Experience

  • The Buddha advises not to accept teachings based on tradition, hearsay, scriptures, or authority.
  • True faith arises only from direct personal experience and verification.
ADVICE

Use Suffering Reduction to Test Truth

  • Test teachings by asking if they reduce suffering and increase peace.
  • Use loving-kindness, compassion, equanimity, and sympathetic joy as measures of truth.
INSIGHT

Loving-Kindness vs Its Near Enemy

  • Loving-kindness has near enemies like grasping desire and possessiveness.
  • True loving-kindness is rooted in acceptance, appreciation, and honoring others without attachment.
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