Wisdom of the Masters

Kōbun Otogawa (乙川 弘文, Otogawa Kōbun) (February 1, 1938 – July 26, 2002) was an American Sōtō Zen priest. Otogawa, who preferred to be called by his first name, rather than by either of the Japanese Zen honorifics: sensei (teacher) or roshi (master), came to San Francisco, California, United States, from Japan in 1967 in response to an invitation from Shunryu Suzuki-roshi, serving as his assistant at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center until 1970. Otogawa was the son of a Sōtō Zen priest and was ordained a priest himself at the age of 12. He did undergraduate studies at Komazawa University and received a master's degree in Mahayana Buddhism from Kyoto University. He then trained for three years at Eiheiji. Among his primary teachers was the unconventional Zen master Kodo Sawaki, known as the last of the unsui, or wandering monks. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Madame Guyon, a renowned French Mystic, discusses her imprisonment for advocating Quietism. Topics include inner purity, surrendering to God's immensity, and embracing contentment and love.

The Pratyabijñāhṛdayam of Rājānaka Kṣemarāja is an 11th century foundational text of Nondual Kashmir Shaivism. This ancient and profound 20-verse text reveals the direct non-path path to liberation. It explores how to achieve freedom from all limitations and unfolds the recognition that all things—you, me, and everything sentient and non-sentient are one, not separate. The Pratyabijñāhṛdayam is an essential text that holds immense significance when studying the teachings of Sāṁkhya-Patañjali Yoga, Advaita Vedanta, and the unqualified nondual teachings of Kashmir Shaivism. This profound scripture, written by the sage Kṣemarāja, serves as a bridge connecting these philosophical systems, offering profound insights, and deepening our understanding of the ultimate reality. Rajanaka Kṣemarāja (क्षेमराज) (late 10th to early 11th century) was a philosopher and brilliant disciple of Abhinavagupta, who was a peerless master of tantra, yoga, poetics, and dramaturgy. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

A reading of the "The Lion's Roar" taken from the text, The Fearless Lion's Roar: Profound Instructions on Dzogchen, the Great Perfection Kindle Edition by Jamyang Dorjé Nyoshul Khenpo. This Dzogchen text by Jigme Lingpa is intended to strengthen one’s meditation practice by clearly pointing out the places where we can go astray. In the Mahayana, the bodhisattva path of wisdom and compassion, the Lion's Roar is the Buddha's proclamation of emptiness, the principle that all experience is by nature empty of concepts and of any fixed thing. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

This is a selection of key pointers from Nisargadatta formatted for guided meditation, taken from various texts. Nisargadatta Maharaj (17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981), born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian guru of nondualism, belonging to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Excerpts taken from the book by Cioara, "The Supreme Reality" - translated by Petrica Verdes. Ilie Cioara (1916 - 2004) was an enlightened mystic who did not belong to any lineage. He is unique in a way, in the sense that he lived in almost complete isolation, in Romania, Eastern Europe in a communist country, completely oblivious of nonduality, Zen, etc. Originally a Christian mystic, he practised a mantra for over 20 years. One day, he felt an intuitive impulse to drop the mantra, and just practice the silence of the mind, by listening to the noises on the street, in the now. After following this practice for a few years, one morning, as he was waking up from his sleep, he realised the veils had completely dropped. His description of meditation is fresh and devoid of any tradition and jargon. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

This is a selection of pointings from the text "The Voice of Revelation" by Lillian De Waters. Lillian DeWaters was born in 1883 and lived in Stamford, Connecticut. She grew up with a Christian Science background and in her early teens began to study metaphysics and during that same period to seriously study the Bible. She published a few books while actively within the Christian Science organization, and then in 1924 she had an awakening experience when it was as though a veil was parted and Truth was revealed to her. From that point she began to receive numerous unfoldments which led to her separation from the Christian Science organization. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

A reading for meditation of sections of Garab Dorje's teaching, "The Clear Meaning Tantra" - translated by Yeshe Donden (Roger Calverley). Originally written down in Sanskrit by Garab Dorje, this work was transmitted to Manjushrimitra, from whom it passed to Sri Simha, who in turn transmitted it to Padmasambhava. He brought the tantra to Tibet and hid it at some point in the mid to late 700’s AD. Centuries later, Guru Chowang (1212 – 1270) found the book and published it, which made possible its preservation in the collection known as the Hundred Thousand Tantras of the Ancients (Nyingma Gyubum). 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

A reading for meditation of Ajahn Chah's teaching on 'Right Samadhi' - taken from the text "A Taste of Freedom." Ajahn Chah was a Thai Buddhist monk and meditation Master. He was an influential teacher of the Buddhadhamma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition. He was reputed to be an Arahant. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.

This is a selection of some excerpts from Shree Chitrabhanu's teaching "Twelves Facets of Reality - The Jain Path to Freedom." Chitrabhanu (July 26, 1922 – April 19, 2019) was a prominent figure in American Jainism. He was one of the co-founders of JAINA. After spending some time in Africa and Europe, he came to the USA in 1971 at the invitation of Harvard Divinity School. In 1973, he founded the Jain Meditation International Center in Manhattan, New York City. He was among the early promoters of Yoga in USA. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: ⁠https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage⁠ or become at Patron at: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/jayasara⁠ 🙏 May whatever goodness arises from these readings/offerings be for the benefit of all sentient beings.