Sounds of SAND

#118 Mythic Dharma: John Tarrant

Feb 6, 2025

In a captivating discussion with John Tarrant, a Zen teacher and poet, the rich tapestry of the Buddha's awakening unfolds. Tarrant explores the mythic nature of Buddhist storytelling, emphasizing its connection to grief and personal experiences. He contrasts Buddhist and Catholic perspectives on death and spirituality. Delving into the significance of dreams, he shares how embracing darkness can lead to enlightenment. Tarrant highlights the power of noble conversations and the importance of interconnectedness in our journey toward spiritual growth.

58:46

Creator website

Episode guests

John Tarrant

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

John Tarrant emphasizes the importance of dreams and interconnectedness in the Buddha's awakening, illustrating the magic in everyday life experiences.

The podcast highlights how confronting suffering and impermanence is essential for true spiritual growth and cultivating compassion in existence.

Deep dives

The Mythic Beginning of the Buddha's Story

The podcast explores the evocative introduction of The Story of the Buddha, focusing on themes of silence and non-time, which set the stage for a mythic narrative. This beginning portrays the universe before its creation, where spirits and beings interact freely, hinting at an underlying mystery in existence. The imagery of a woman dreaming of a white elephant, the weeping horses, and the dragon king's recollections emphasize the magical aspects of the story, contrasting the severe interpretations often found in traditional retellings. By framing the tale in a poetic and dreamlike manner, the author invites readers to connect with the deeper emotional truths of the narrative, making it resonate on a heartful level rather than merely an intellectual one.

Intro

2min

The Beauty of Buddhist Storytelling

21min

Contrasts in Death and Spirituality

6min

Embracing Darkness and Dreams

16min

The Simple Joys of Human-Animal Connection

2min

Rituals and Interconnectedness: The Path to Enlightenment

4min

Embracing Uncertainty

6min

Exploring the Teachings of the Buddha and Shared Wisdom

2min

Today we explore the story of the Buddha’s awakening through a mythic lens with Buddhist writer and teacher, John Tarrant. We touch into topics like Zen koan, grief, death, art, and how this timeless parable of the Buddh’s story still resonants for thousands of years.

John Tarrant is a Zen teacher, writer, and poet who has studied koans for over forty years. He is director of the Pacific Zen Institute and teaches culture change in organizations. Tarrant holds degrees in human sciences and English literature and a PhD in psychology. For twenty years, he was a Jungian psychotherapist working on dream analysis. He is the author of several books, including The Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul, and the Spiritual Life and Bring Me the Rhinoceros: And Other Zen Koans That Will Save Your Life and his most recent book The Story of the Buddha. He lives among the vineyards near Santa Rosa, California.

Topics

00:00 Introduction

00:52 Introducing John Tarrant

02:07 Discussing 'The Story of the Buddha'

03:36 The Mythic Universe and Dreamlike Qualities

08:25 Illustrations and Artistic Choices

10:24 The Living Dharma and Personal Reflections

15:23 Modern Life and Spiritual Growth

18:26 Embracing Suffering and Death

22:19 Catholicism and Mysticism

27:57 The Light Inside the Dark

33:48 The Power of Noble Conversations

34:10 Craving and Contentment

34:44 Collective Grief and Environmental Collapse

36:05 The Enlightenment of a Samurai

38:07 The Buddha's Awakening and Interdependence

40:09 Dreams and Their Significance

42:59 Meditation and Connection with Animals

51:00 The Intimacy of Not Knowing

54:54 Returning to the Fire

56:13 Sharing the Dhamma

Resources

John Tarrant’s Website: Tarrant Works

The Story of the Buddha by John Tarrant: Shambhala Publications

Roberto Calasso: Explore Roberto Calasso’s Works

Sounds of SAND #113 Ancient Rhythms Podcast: Pat McCabe & Francis Weller

Sounds of SAND #98 Glissando of Consciousness: Andrew Holecek

Bring Me the Rhinoceros: And Other Zen Koans That Will Save Your Life by John Tarrant

The Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul, and the Spiritual Life by John Tarrant

Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.

Sounds of SAND

#118 Mythic Dharma: John Tarrant

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Mythic Beginning of the Buddha's Story

Dreams and Interconnectedness in Awakening

The Role of Suffering in Spiritual Growth

The Living Nature of the Dharma

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts