Do You Know the Self—or Not?

About this episode

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold explores the concept of self and the importance of understanding it for personal responsibility and liberation.

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi - ZMM - 4/5/26 - From the Book of Serenity, Case 37 - Guishan's "Active Consciousness" - Who is this “self,” the one we’ve taken ourselves to be all our lives? On the path, this question must be clarified intimately, so we can truly take responsibility for how we live. This requires seeing every arising of mind—even those we would rather avoid, or have been told to ignore—because they may reveal what is asking to be met. In taking responsibility, we learn to work skillfully with negativity and conflict, opening the way to genuine liberation for ourselves and all beings.

People in this episode

Guest: Geoffrey Shugen Arnold

Topics covered

• self-awareness
• responsibility
• mindfulness
• negativity
• liberation

Keywords

• self
• mind
• responsibility
• negativity
• liberation
• Buddhism
• spirituality

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Book of Serenity, Case 37 - Guishan's 'Active Consciousness'

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