Buddhism: A De-ligion – 05.31.11

(Note: the following teaching was given as an introduction to the film The Buddha)

Excerpt: “As soon as you start talking about Buddhism, you’re no longer talking about Buddhism because, technically and precisely, Buddha’s great insight is that there are no words to describe the Real. . . . So there’s no way of talking about what we’re here to talk about. One can only realize—and the act of realizing it, in an instantaneous—in fact not even instantaneous, but timeless moment of clear intuition of Ultimate Reality . . . called ‘pragya.’ . . . There isn’t a Buddhism; there are many Buddhisms. . . . Some do it as the different turnings of the wheel of the dharma. But you can also divide it into the Hinayana and the Mahayana and the Vajrayana, etc. You can also say there’s the Theravada Buddhism of Sri Lanka which is very different than the Tibetan Buddhism, different than the Ch’an, different than the Japanese Zen, which is different than the other Japanese schools like the Jodo Shinshu, the ‘Pure Land Buddhism’ of the chanting variety. Very different philosophies. Very different practices. Very different spiritual paths that all call themselves Buddhism. . . . In fact, I would say that Buddhism is the world’s first de-ligion; it’s not a religion, it’s a de-ligion. If you know the world religion, it means to re-link. Buddha said ‘there’s no link with anything. That’s all illusion. All you must do is de-link from the illusion and you’re free. But don’t think you’re linking to anybody. You don’t exist! There’s no self.’” Recorded on the evening of Tuesday, May 31, 2011.