Knot Zen

Knot Zen: an episodic podcast that tackles Zen, Daoism, and other things not related to Zen!

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 4: Huizi's Great Gourd and Stinktree 01/30/2024

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 4: Huizi's Great Gourd and Stinktree Welcome back! In this episode Jay, Jim and Kevin talk about use and uselessness, myopic imaginations, and radically different readings of the Zhaungzi! Is Daoism meant to be read as a liberatory text, or a more hermetic interpretation? Niether? Come on in and decide for yourself! /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/29717923

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 3: Shoulder Self And Unk Linkin' 11/02/2023

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 3: Shoulder Self And Unk Linkin' Tune in to this episode for some CRAZY Daoist wisdom as two dudes with really, really, cool names go head to head on the topic of... er... what the diets of virgin-like spirits are? No, no, really, we really stumble into some awesome insights this episode, specifically around the "Dao Of Forgetting," which blew my mind! Anywho, for those interested this is the third story of the first Chapter of the Zhuangzi, staring Shoulder Self and Unk Linkin. The translation of the Zhuangzi is done by none other than Brook Ziporyn. Check him out! /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/28498142

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 2: Yao and Xu You 10/08/2023

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 2: Yao and Xu You This week we continue with the stories from the first chapter of the Zhaungzi, 'Wandering Far and Unfettered'! It's basically a conversation between these two based rulers of ancient China talking about even more ancient and based rulers of ancient-er China. If you are interested in how one RULES things, and whats the deal with all these titles we give ourselves, you should totally check out this episode! /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/28258073

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 1: Peng And Kun 09/19/2023

The Zhuangzi Arc, Ep 1: Peng And Kun Hey, there listener! Long time no see! Welcome to the Zhuangzi Arc of Knotzen! We decided to breathe new life into the podcast by studying what is NOT Zen... so we took up the classic of Daoism, the infamous, the long-winded (and convoluted), Zhuangzi! We also have a new guy, and he's bloody smart. Anyway, today we are looking at the very first story from the very first chapter of the Zhuangzi, "Wandering Far and Unfettered." If you like fish, birds, and philosophies that are radically skeptical towards any sort of conventional, or non-conventional, essentialism, then you're gonna love this episode! /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/28074813

Calling the Attendant 12/21/2021

Calling the Attendant /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21553559

Jiufeng's Head and Tail 12/15/2021

Jiufeng's Head and Tail /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21497102

Rhino Fan 12/07/2021

Rhino Fan Contemplating - a tough topic to think about! We do it anyway, so does that make us knot zen? Let the fans decide /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21404849

Yunmen's Teaching 11/29/2021

Yunmen's Teaching /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21315245

A Man of Great Powers 11/19/2021

A Man of Great Powers /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21219395

Detachment and Subtley 11/09/2021

Detachment and Subtley /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21099707

Dongshan's Always Close 11/07/2021

Dongshan's Always Close /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/21078437

Dongshan's 3 Beatings 10/25/2021

Dongshan's 3 Beatings /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20934575

Zuigan Calls to Himself 10/21/2021

Zuigan Calls to Himself /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20887949

Dongshan Was Unwell 10/11/2021

Dongshan Was Unwell /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20782121

Nansen Kills a Cat 09/27/2021

Nansen Kills a Cat Gore Gore Gore /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20618153

Turtle Nosed Snake 09/21/2021

Turtle Nosed Snake /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20542337

Ryutans's: The Constant Principle 09/13/2021

Ryutans's: The Constant Principle Bb's all alone??!! Oh no, he climbs the peak and stumbles down. Expect minor coherency and haughty analysis. /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20454617

You Can't Call It a Fist 09/06/2021

You Can't Call It a Fist 1 sickewk and two tired dudes get on the case of the case of the fist; bringing their best with rants on modern interpretations, amoeba imagery and confused textual analysis. /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20384123

Purity 08/30/2021

Purity /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20311958

Three Bowls of Wine 08/23/2021

Three Bowls of Wine /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20235239

Mt. Sumeru 08/17/2021

Mt. Sumeru /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20175680

Why He No Buddha? 08/10/2021

Why He No Buddha? /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20098547

Huguo's "Three Embarrassments" 08/02/2021

Huguo's "Three Embarrassments" /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/20011844

Joshu's "A Mountain of Shit" 07/27/2021

Joshu's "A Mountain of Shit" If you control F the koans for cusses you find this first! Great, lets dig in! /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19950002

Mazu's Hiss 07/22/2021

Mazu's Hiss Mazu's Hiss /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19901663

Bankei 07/13/2021

Bankei Bringing Bankei to your brain with this controversial laden zen-topic parade! /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19793513

Luopu About to Die 07/05/2021

Luopu About to Die James and Ewk take on a few memes and topics brought on by the density of the case in question. /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19712198

Dongshsan and the White Rabbit 06/30/2021

Dongshsan and the White Rabbit /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19653494

Emptiness 06/22/2021

Emptiness How does Yunmen's explanation of emptiness: "hearing the sound of the bell", differ from Wittgenstein, and religious concepts of emptiness? /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19570172

Wash Your Bowl 06/14/2021

Wash Your Bowl The famous, "wash your bowl" koan. Steve shows up, too. /episode/index/show/dumbcast/id/19475342

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