The Middle Way—between the world of appearance and the inner world of consciousness. Aug 29, 1987
About this episode
Lola McDowell Lee discusses the concept of the Middle Way, emphasizing the importance of conscious choice and the philosophical implications of self-creation.
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee draws on the Dhammapada to emphasize a core principle of spiritual success: vigilance, or watching. The fool is careless and enslaved by desire. The master has firm resolve. Man is the only creature on Earth with the ability to choose. Unlike animals and plants, whose lives are determined by nature, humans possess a mind that allows for conscious choice. Man is not born a true being but a becoming. He is a state of perpetual movement between opposing attitudes and emotional states. This becoming is marked by a continual search, an inner groping. Lola calls it “faith without an object.” This search for something greater raises the perennial philosophical question: Who are you? Lola discusses philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, who calls man a “project"—one who creates himself by his own effort. Man is born an opportunity, a possibility, who must become actual. The crucial action is making an aware choice , choosing one’s life with full consciousness, rather than simply letting decisions happen passively, out of convenience, desire, or external pressure. Also, not choosing is a choice. Lola discusses two schools of thought: the Essence-Central School, which…
More episodes of Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee
- Accumulating knowledge versus attaining true wisdom. June 22, 1986
- The Lesson of True Listening. June 15, 1986
- An exploration of the subject of death. Delivered Jun 8, 1986
- Does an enlightened Zen master live a saintly, extraordinary life? Delivered Jun 1, 1986
- Give gifts with no notion of reward or praise. Like moving something from one hand to the other. Mar 9, 1986
- Learning to live less from the mind and more from the hara. Oct 14, 1981
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