The Buddha Makes a Mistake

Recorded 08/01/2026.What does it mean to be human? Does the form of having two feet, legs, eyes, and ears, a nose, brain, and heart sum it up? If so there are billions of us. But if by “human” we mean someone wise and compassionate, not driven by greed, anger, ignorance, or fear; someone who can be counted on when the going gets rough, then that number may be rather small. What does it take to be or become such a genuinely human, human being? The Buddha in a distant past life was on the path of becoming fully human — that is, he was on the Way of the Bodhisattva — when a wrong choice led to an unexpected life. What did he do? How did he resolve it? What did he learn and how does knowing any of this help us? Give a listen and you’ll see why the image of a whale accompanies this teisho.Books:A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas -- Rafe MartinCarnivore Minds -- G.A. BradshawThe Three Pillars of Zen -- Philip KapleauThe Poetry and Prose of William Blake -- David Erdman, ed. Photo of John Perry sperm whale sculpture by Rafe MartinBooks by Roshi Rafe MartinTalks on YouTubeMore information at endlesspathzen.org