This podcast episode, "From Karma to Dharma," Hosts Scott & Paul explore the concept of the Bodhisattva—an archetypal energy in Mahayana Buddhism focused on personal awakening and helping others do the same. The discussion centers on making a fundamental shift in perspective: moving away from an obsessive focus on karma (personal, conditioned circumstances and plans) to embracing dharma (one's wisdom, teachings, and participation in the bigger, interdependent mystery of life). The hosts discuss how this shift lessens personal suffering, combats "monkey mind" habits (like analysis paralysis and catastrophizing), and brings greater meaning and spiritual growth by allowing one to turn life's conditions into wisdom that can help others.

0:00 Introduction & Host Catch-up: Scott Berman welcomes Sensei Paul Gyodo. They briefly discuss Paul's recent trip to the East Coast, noting the cultural differences.

2:30 Introducing the Topic: From Karma to Dharma: The episode's focus is introduced: Paul's latest newsletter on Bodhisattvas—how to recognize them and become one.

3:10Norman Fischer Quote & Defining Bodhisattva: Paul shares the quote: "Bodhicattvas don't mind much what happens to them. Their lives are larger than the plans they may have had for them." Paul defines the Bodhicattva as the Mahayana Buddhist ideal—a being that seeks awakening not just for themselves but to help others.

5:35 The Shift from Personal Gravity: Discussion on how the Bodhicattva mindset moves beyond obsession with one's own plans, problems, and personal gravity, recognizing a larger context and interdependent reality.

7:00 The Value of Helping Others: Scott shares his experience that helping others (using his gained knowledge) makes him feel better about his own internal problems, aligning with the Bodhisattva ethos.

8:45 Plans and the Monkey Mind: Discussing the humor in making plans ("How do you make God laugh? Tell her your plans.") and how getting caught up in the perception of what should happen fuels the "monkey mind" when things inevitably change.

10:45 Ignorance as the Root Poison: Referencing the Buddha's three poisons (greed, hatred, and ignorance). Paul emphasizes that ignorance is the most difficult, particularly the self-limiting view of ourselves as isolated and smaller than we truly are.

12:50 Internal Ignorance & Limited Identity: Further discussion on the internal layer of ignorance—believing that our ideas about reality are reality, and limiting our identity to our conditioned life (education, biology, etc.).

14:00 Bodhisattva Ethos: The Parental Mind: Scott connects the Bodhicattva's desire to help to the realization of one's ability to help people, especially seeing it through parenting—the parental mind is an animating spirit of the Bodhicattva.

15:40 Minimizing Maladaptive Habits ("Weather System"): Using the analogy of a weather system to deal with overwhelming internal conditions (like workaholism, catastrophizing). You take refuge and wait for them to pass, rather than trying to stop the storm.

18:50 Turning Karma into Dharma (The Core Reframe): Paul explains his expression: "Bodhisattva turns their karma... into their dharma." Karma is the conditioned life resulting from choices; Dharma is one's wisdom, teachings, and path. The shift is viewing life's circumstances not as limitations but as material for wisdom.

21:20 The Eightfold Path as a Skill Set: Scott connects this reframe to the Eightfold...

Hosts Scott and Paul discuss the interplay between Zen Buddhist principles and everyday life, focusing on the concept of insufficiency or "not enoughness," which the first truth of Buddhism identifies as the root of suffering. The hosts explore how this sense of lack manifests across six key categories—time, money, people, information, energy, and attention—while sharing personal anecdotes and philosophical insights. A central theme is the importance of attention as the one resource individuals have the most control over, with the hosts ultimately advising listeners to focus on the resources they possess rather than those they lack. The discussion also touches on achieving happiness by embracing the idea that "every day is a good day," including those marked by setbacks or illness, and by shifting one’s focus toward inspired vows rather than solely personal satisfaction.

0:00 - 1:04 Introduction: Welcome, hosts, location, and the episode's central theme: the interrelation of professional, personal, and spiritual growth, and the application of Zen principles to address the "not enoughness" that causes suffering.

1:04 - 2:07 Setting the Stage & Current Events: Scott checks in; Paul discusses being sick and recovering; brief mention of Halloween and the hosts' activities (Scott's Sixers costume).

2:07 - 4:47 The Six Resources of Insufficiency: Introduction of the episode's main topic: Paul's newsletter on "not enoughness" and the six categories of resources: Time, Money, People, Information, Energy, and Attention. Discussion of Dukkha (suffering) as insufficiency and the cultural obsession with Time and Money.

4:47 - 12:44 Deep Dive: Time: The "adversarial relationship" with time; the limitations of linear/chronological time; introducing the qualitative dimension of time (depth, focus, attention); Oliver Burkeman's 4,000 Weeks. Discussion on maximizing precious time, the futility of worrying about the past/future, and the Zen koan: "Every day is a good day."

12:44 - 17:34 The Role of Attention (Master Ikyu's Story): How the idea of a "bad day" creates suffering; the cause of insufficiency as the gap between ideas and reality; Attention as the most controllable resource. Master Ikyu's teaching on attention; putting attention on what you have versus what you're lacking.

17:34 - 22:58 Information and Energy: Scott's struggle with information intake; the balance between information/energy/time; tuning into intuitive sources of information and the body's energy (qi); how meditation helps manage time and energy; the wastefulness of worrying and stress.

22:58 - 30:57 Deep Dive: People: Scott's struggle with not having enough time for everyone; making the most of contact; holding people in a "circle of awareness" even when not physically present; the energy drawn from quality relationships; the importance of maintaining networks. The vital step of feeling the deficiency/lack (loneliness, lack of money) and letting it motivate positive action, rather than denying it.

30:57 - 35:05 The Achievement Treadmill and Vows: The sadness of successful people driven only by making more money; the hook of achievement and how it relates to self-worth; the quote on being disconnected from "inspired vows" and being caught in the "sticky web of too much and not enough." The solution: opening up to a bigger world/aspiration to embrace suffering.

35:05 - 35:56 Conclusion: Final thoughts, the "Game of Zen" being about attention, and sign-off.

Apple:

This conversation, "The Game of Zen," covers four key "self-evident truths" from Paul's "Zen Shift" newsletter and the essential practice of mindful living when navigating difficult, tumultuous times.

This thought-provoking episode of The Game of Zen centers on the "Zen Shift"—the profound change in perspective needed to counter the psychological danger of holding false or distorted views about life. The hosts meticulously examine deep-seated societal distortions, such as the overwhelming tendency to link self-worth exclusively to tireless hard work and the perilous trap of the "problem seeking mind" that remains hyper-vigilant and obsessively focused on non-existential threats. The remedy, as discussed by Sensei Paul, involves consciously moving past the pervasive cultural belief in the scarcity of resources (the Buddhist concept of dukkha or insufficiency) and the ultimate delusion that one is in absolute control of external events. Instead, a dedicated daily practice is required to "zoom in" on one's present quality of mind and body, ultimately allowing one to live a more secure, grounded, and genuinely happy life.

00:00Podcast Introduction The hosts, Scott and Sensei Paul, introduce the Game of Zen podcast, focusing on the interrelation of professional, personal, and spiritual growth through Zen and mindfulness.

01:21 Hosts' Check-in & News Scott checks in from Philadelphia, mentioning his upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi to work the Sixers' preseason games. Paul shares his experience starting a 90-day intensive period with his Zen community in Boulder.

02:00 Introduction to "Zen Shift" Scott introduces the main topic, Paul's latest newsletter, "Zen Shift," which addresses living in "dangerous times" and managing world division, angst, and violence with Zen tools.

03:22 Truth 1: Life is Hard Discussion on the first "self-evident truth": "Life is hard and we must earn our keep." They discuss cultural programming, the overemphasis on work to prove self-worth, and the challenge of balancing this with a more thriving, less individualistic life.

07:44 Truth 2: Anxiety is Necessary Discussion on the second truth: "A constant state of busyness and anxiety is not only natural but necessary." Paul explains the "problem-seeking mind," hypervigilance, and the need to reframe the idea of a "problem" by starting with what one wants to manifest instead of what needs to be solved.

12:56 The News and Hypervigilance Scott discusses his struggle with local news and the constant exposure to negative events. Paul shares his recent success with a "news diet," noting the immediate positive impact on his base level of anxiety and sleep.

15:47 Truth 3: Resources are Scarce Discussion on the third truth: "Time, money, and other resources are constantly in scarce supply." They relate this to the Buddhist concept of Dukka (insufficiency) and the "sense of not enoughness." Paul reframes currency as a "flow" and encourages entering into the current of what one does have.

26:17 Truth 4: Make It On Your Own Discussion on the fourth truth: "We must make it on our own. Relying on society is naive." They discuss the anxiety produced by the cultural emphasis on individualism and the healing power of recognizing our fundamental place in an interdependent web.

31:49 The Danger of Control Discussion of the...