Awake in the World Podcast Best of Awake in the World: Betrayal, Awakening, and Living in a Burning House
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Jun 22, 2025 Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara, a Buddhist teacher deeply engaged with the Lotus Sutra, invites listeners to explore profound insights about the human experience. She discusses the parable of the burning house, illustrating how we often overlook the suffering around us amid distractions. The conversation emphasizes letting go of attachments for true spiritual growth. Roshi also shares how personal journeys from emptiness to purpose can blossom through adversity, highlighting the courage required to embrace life’s uncertainties.
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Lotus Sutra's Central Role
- The Lotus Sutra is central to East Asian Buddhism, much like the Bible in the West.
- It imbues stories and poetry with deep spiritual meaning, often psychedelic and vast in scope.
Parable of Burning House
- A father tries to save children unaware a mansion is burning by promising carts they like.
- He then gives them a grander white ox cart, symbolizing Buddha offering superior teachings to disciples.
Living Unaware in Burning House
- Even in Dharma practice, we can get distracted by 'playthings' and ignore life’s burning house.
- The world holds widespread suffering and inequality that many fail to notice.