Steve Hagen on What We Know But Don't Believe

Steve Hagen was ordained a Zen priest in 1979 and in 1989 he received Dharma Transmission (formal endorsement to teach) from Jikai Dainin Katagiri Roshi. He is the author of several books on Buddhism, science, and philosophy. These include Buddhism Plain and Simple, his most popular book. In his most recent book, The Grand Delusion, he applies breakthrough Eastern insights to seemingly indelible problems in Western science and philosophy. In 1997, he founded Dharma Field Meditation and Learning Center in Minneapolis, where he continues to serve as senior teacher. In this episode, Eric and Steve Hagen discuss his book, The Grand Delusion: What We Know But Don’t Believe But wait – there’s more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It’s that simple and we’ll give you good stuff as a thank you! Steve Hagen and I Discuss What We Know but Don’t Believe…

His book, The Grand Delusion: What We Know But Don’t Believe

Defining grand delusion: our belief in non-emptiness or substantiality

The dichotomy of understanding that if there is something, there must not be nothing

How there are two truths that coexist

Understanding that it’s in the mind where reality occurs

Realizing that we can’t actually hold anything is the beginning of awakening

Why understanding this concept is important in our day to day life

Peace and present mind comes by seeing that the questions are misunderstanding the experience of life

How we can’t resolve or answer the question of what’s the meaning of life

We don’t need to answer the questions to bring freedom

Trying to find a logical answer to meaning of life isn’t possible

How we are acting and seeing things in terms of wholeness

Perception is what we process through our senses

Conception is the meaning we give to what we perceive

Our suffering is tied up in the way we conceptualize the world

The freedom of knowing that what we are grasping for isn’t possible

Conceptualizing things isn’t bad, but it can also bring suffering

Sudden and gradual awakening

His work and practice with koans

Great doubt comes with the question of why is there something rather than nothing

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