A secular mindfulness teacher who trained at Mt. Koya?

Post Reply
User avatar
Spelare
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 3:38 am

A secular mindfulness teacher who trained at Mt. Koya?

Post by Spelare »

Given the relatively low profile of Japanese esoteric Buddhism internationally, I was surprised to learn that a contemporary teacher of secular mindfulness was once a monk at Mt. Koya. Apparently Shinzen Young trained there for three years starting in 1970, and has since studied in other Buddhist traditions. Is he well-known to practitioners of Shingon?

Young has only occasionally spoken about the kind of practice he did there, because to my knowledge he doesn't teach Vajrayāna per se. I wouldn't say he does full justice to either Shingon or Tibetan tantra in his descriptions. But we should keep in mind that his target audience is very science-oriented and skeptical of religion. Perhaps he has opened their minds to the potential of these teachings, which they might otherwise dismiss.

Neither person nor skandha
but unstained wisdom is buddha.
In its knowing, ever serene—
I go for refuge therein.
Post Reply

Return to “Shingon”