Joko Beck
Joko Beck
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche referred to her as "Pema Chödrön" in his book _Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism_. Joko's Buddhist name is Pema Chödrön (Tibetan: པད་མ་ཆོས་གྲོལ, Wylie: pad+ma chos gros), which means "Lotus of Excellent Enlightenment" in Tibetan.
Birth and Death Dates
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Joko Beck was born on October 20, 1917, and passed away on September 15, 2011 at the age of 93.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American
Zen Buddhist Nun and Teacher
Early Life and Background
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Born in New York City to a secular Jewish family, Joko Beck grew up with an interest in spirituality. She began studying Buddhism in her mid-30s, which marked the beginning of her spiritual journey.
Major Accomplishments
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Founding of the Zen Center of Los Angeles: In 1970, Joko founded the Zen Center of Los Angeles (ZCLA), one of the first Zen centers in the Western world.
Teacher and Author: Beck was a respected teacher and author who inspired countless students through her books, lectures, and retreats.
Influence on Contemporary Buddhism: Her legacy continues to influence contemporary Buddhism, particularly among women and lay practitioners.Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Joko's notable works include:
*Nothing Special: Large and Small Aspects of the Buddhist Path: This book explores the nature of meditation and the challenges faced by beginners.
* When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times: Beck offers practical advice on cultivating equanimity in the face of uncertainty.
Impact and Legacy
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Joko's dedication to making Zen Buddhism accessible has inspired many. She paved the way for women to become leaders in the Western Buddhist community, and her teachings continue to be a source of comfort and guidance for those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Joko's wisdom and compassionate teaching style have made her one of the most beloved and respected Buddhist teachers of our time. Her emphasis on practicality, simplicity, and authenticity has resonated with countless people around the globe.
Through her writing and teaching, Joko Beck offers a unique perspective on the human experience, one that acknowledges both the joys and struggles of life with equal clarity and compassion.
Quotes by Joko Beck
My dog doesn't worry about the meaning of life. She may worry if she doesn't get her breakfast, but she doesn't sit around worrying about whether she will get fulfilled or liberated or enlightened. As long as she gets some food and a little affection, her life is fine.
There are many people in the world who feel that if only they had a bigger car, a nicer house, better vacations, a more understanding boss, or a more interesting partner, then their life would work. We all go through that one. Slowly we wear out most of our 'if onlies.'
Whenever we say a person's name, notice whether we have stated more than a fact. For example, the judgment, 'She's thoughtless' goes beyond the facts 'She said she'd call me and she didn't.'
How do we know if our practice is a real practice? Only by one thing: more and more, we just see the wonder. What is the wonder? I don’t know. We can’t know such things through thinking. But we always know it when it’s there.
There are many people in the world who feel that if only they had a bigger car, a nicer house, better vacations, a more understanding boss, or a more interesting partner, then their life would work. We all go through that one. Slowly we wear out most of our ’if onlies.
To some degree we all find life difficult, perplexing, and oppressive. Even when it goes well, as it may for a time, we worry that it probably won’t keep on that way.
But opinions, judgments, memories, dreaming about the future – ninety percent of the thoughts spinning around in our heads have no essential reality.
We’re constantly waking up to what we’re about, what we’re really doing in our lives. And the fact is, that’s painful. But there’s no possibility of freedom without this pain.
Awareness is our true self; it’s what we are. So we don’t have to try to develop awareness; we simply need to notice how we block awareness with our thoughts, our fantasies, our opinions, and our judgments. We’re either in awareness, which is our natural state, or we’re doing something else.