Dr Udayan Chakrabarti

Dr Chakrabarti is a Consultant Psychiatrist/Psychoanalyst, working in the NHS for 30 years. He trained in Medicine at Oxford University & Psychiatry at London University.

He has also been a Zen Buddhist for 25 years, his Teacher was the Ven Myokyo-ni of Shobo-An Zen Centre, London.

He served on the Council of the Buddhist Society, London for about 10 years. He was Vice Chairman for 4 years & Assistant Editor of their famous journal, The Middle Way, having many of his articles & talks published.

His special interest is the interface of Science & Buddhism, with an emphasis on Psychology, Mythology & Anthropology.

He lives with his family in London.

Zoom Event

June 26th, 2021 | 2 PM (GMT) | 9 AM (ET)

Zoom Meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9204160619

Topic: Introduction to Zen Buddhism, The Bull-herding pictures.

About the topic?

Training in the Zen tradition has for a long time been compared to the difficult task of bull- herding. The bull has tremendous energy & power. It represents the life force of the human being which if not humanised can wreak havoc.

When truly gentled & disciplined, however, this elemental energy is harmonised with Life, which also then represents the Buddha-nature immanent within all to function fully, with warmth & joyful service to others.

The pictures represent the various stages inherent in a serious training process, showing typical signposts & also pitfalls to avoid. Generations of sincere students have for than a millennium found these pictures & what they represent most useful for their development & thus they have tremendous value as a guide along the Way.

This talk will look at some introductory aspects of this very important methodology in Zen training.