The Nature of True Self in Zen Philosophy

Jason reveals that both views on the true self being permanent or not are misleading.

### The True Self: Understanding Permanence and Impermanence in Zen
* 🧘 Jason addresses a common question regarding the nature of the true self, highlighting contrasting views from Ramana Maharshi and Buddha on whether it is **permanent or unchangeable**.
* 🤔 He emphasizes that while Maharshi describes the true self as **"never born and never dies,"** Buddha suggests there is **"no permanent awareness,"** creating a paradox in understanding the true self.
* 📚 Jason clarifies that the concept of **true self** differs from personal identities, such as being a **father** or a **musician**, which are **temporary and changeable**.
* 💭 He reminds listeners that verifying the statements of spiritual teachers is less important than **grasping their true meaning** and **being open to different perspectives**.
* 🐶 The discussion includes a story about Zen master Joju's response to a monk's question about whether a dog has **Buddha nature**, illustrating the **complexity of these teachings**.
* ❓ Jason questions the necessity of debating the true self's permanence, suggesting that such discussions often lead to **confusion rather than clarity**.
* 🌱 He proposes that by letting go of the concepts of **permanence and impermanence**, one can experience the **clarity of the true self** in the present moment.
* 🔍 Ultimately, Jason concludes that both statements about the true self being **permanent or not** are incorrect, encouraging viewers to **transcend these dualistic notions** for deeper understanding.

so I'm going to give you my answer is the true self permanent or not both statements are wrong hello everybody it's Jason and I'm here answering your questions about Zen meditation your practice life any kind of question today's question question is about true

self is it permanent or not let me read this question for you hi Jason I have a question Ramana Maharshi talks of Atma as the true self as an awareness of all things never born and never dies this is our true self our unchangeable permanent

itself but on the other hand Buddha talks of the same awareness but says there is not a permanent unchangeable awareness How can there be one person that says our true nature is unchangeable but another says there is not a permanent unchangeable self this

is a very interesting question and it comes up quite often when you hear this term true self you'll hear this in a lot of different spiritual traditions but this true self and the idea of myself are not the same so I can think I'm a

father I'm a musician I am a teacher if you take those things away and in this moment then what am I another thing I want to point out is I can't verify what the Buddhist said or what Ramana Maharshi said and it really doesn't

matter in the school I teach in the Quantum School of Zen before our retreats we recite the temple rules and there's one temple rule that states when listening to the words of a Zen teacher keep your mind clear don't attach to the

Words let go of your thinking and pierce the true meaning of the words and really that's the most important thing to keep in mind is different people need to hear different things according to their mindset. Often teachers, especially Zen teachers, will use words to hit the

students' minds. Another way of saying that is teachers will use words to challenge someone's idea or belief because most of us are very attached or clinging to our ideas and beliefs. Once a monk approached Zen master Joju and asked, "Does a dog have Buddha

nature?" So Buddha nature is another way of saying true self. Joju responded, "Moo." Now, if you translate that, it means "no." So a dog does not have Buddha nature. That's very interesting because when the Buddha was teaching, he said everything has Buddha nature. Now, he

didn't use this word "Buddha nature," but we can say everything is already clear and pure. So why did Joju say that to this monk? Perhaps this monk was very attached to this idea of everything has Buddha nature. So, asked Joju, "Does a dog have

Buddha nature?" And Joju's words struck his mind and completely opened him up. After reading this, though, I wonder why do we want to know these kinds of things? Is this really going to help our lives? Because people are going to argue about the true self being permanent or

not. Heck, people even argue about what the true self really is. So what is it that we are looking for? What do we want? I think a lot of the times, as we depend too much on our understanding, thinking that's going to help us make us complete, to help us really experience

This true self, but from my experience and also talking to many others, this kind of thinking only leads to confusion. So when listening to the words of the Zen teacher, keep your mind clear, don't attach to the words. So I'm going to give you my

answer: is the true self permanent or not? Both statements are wrong. Now even saying that has a mistake in it because that means I'm about to say something that is right. Do you see where all of this thinking gets us? It gets us really confused. So I'm going to try to make

this as simple as possible. So right now, in this moment, take away permanent and impermanent, take away true self. Then what is left? Did you hear that bird chirping? Everything is already clear. Our true self has already appeared. So I'm going to leave you with a

I sometimes do this in my videos. Earlier I mentioned the Buddha said everything has Buddha nature, but Joju said a dog does not. So which one is correct? Be careful if you say one is correct, then you are spinning around in the world of delusion. If you say one is not

correct, you lose your life. So how can you answer? Don't touch any of this BS. Then the answer will appear by itself. And that is something that can truly help your life. I hope this video was helpful. You can let me know by liking this video, subscribing to my

channel, put a comment down below. Also if you have any questions about Zen meditation, your practice life, any kind of question, you can also put that down in the comments or email me: jasonjasonquinzen.com. And perhaps your question will be in one of my future videos. Okay.

Everyone, I hope you're all doing well and I will see you very soon.

Your True Self: Beyond Permanence and Impermanence

Jason Quinn Zen

Question about the true self: permanent or impermanent?

Ramana Maharshi's view: Atma as the true self, unchanging and permanent.

Buddha's contrasting view: no permanent, unchangeable awareness.

Distinction between the true self and the perceived self (roles, identities).

Importance of personal interpretation and avoiding attachment to specific teachings.

Zen teaching emphasizes understanding beyond literal interpretation.

Illustrative anecdote: Joju's response to the question of a dog's Buddha nature.

The monk's question: Does a dog have Buddha nature (true self)?

Joju's response: "Moo" (no), contrasting with Buddha's teaching that everything has Buddha nature.

The purpose of Joju's seemingly contradictory answer: challenging the monk's attachment to the concept.

The limitations of intellectual understanding in spiritual matters.

Pointless arguments about the true self's permanence.

Over-reliance on understanding hinders direct experience.

The speaker's conclusion: both 'permanent' and 'impermanent' are incorrect.

The speaker's solution: direct experience beyond concepts.

Letting go of concepts like 'permanent,' 'impermanent,' and 'true self'.

The true self is already present in the present moment.

Conclusion: avoiding intellectual traps and embracing direct experience.

The danger of clinging to either 'correct' or 'incorrect' answers.

The importance of letting go of intellectual debate to find the answer.