The Man Who Woke up the Buddha - Podcast

Born to Be Wild. (podcast) Season 2, Episode 18 Sid’s granddaughter Courtney and her brilliant, albeit reality-challenged roommate Sistah take Sid on a hair-raising ride to his 15th radiation treatment. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid’s first radiation brings up memories of 6th-grade teachers, plastic pumpkins, and hallucinogens, until the appearance of the Greek philosopher Diogenes raises some very interesting questions about who one really is. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

A short but sweet holiday extra in which Sid's grandson wishes him good luck with his radiation (partly because he wants to "inherit" Sid's radiation mask for Halloween. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Sid regains his equilibrium after his challenging discussion with Leila about good and bad by performing his morning ritual of watching the sunrise with his sextant before meandering off in a series of tangents that center on identifying mantras in plain English from song and film titles, as well as the brilliant words of Popeye, Yogi Bear, and Scooby-doo. All while preparing in h...

Sid and Leila continue their difficult discussion about how this experience of acceptance relates to the idea of there being good and bad, higher and lower. It's complicated. And Sid finds himself unable to express the Buddha's perspective. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Leila challenges Sid on his insistence that true acceptance means never saying that anyone—or anything—represents a higher good than anyone or anything else. Meanwhile, Di cooks dinner, Marcus sets the table, and Zoey fills in the blanks. Until Leila tells a story that takes everyone aback. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Marcus and Leila visit Sid and discuss acceptance, higher goods, and jump-starting evolution, while Sid finds new ways to defy his doctor’s orders and Di manages to keep the entire household from going off the rails. Also, in brief cameo appearances, Zoey explains the difference between tarragon and chervil and Bieca has a close encounter with a locavore, free-range chicken wing. Get full access t...

Marcus and Leila have a Zoom session with their Zen Master friend Kesey to try to figure out where Sid’s coming from and where he might be going. In the process, Kesey deconstructs and reconstructs assumptions about AI. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

After a visit during which Sid seemed to careen from one personality to another, Marcus goes home and spends a long summer dinner with Leila trying to figure out what Sid's really saying—and if he knows he's saying it.  Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

This background chapter provides (or undermines) the underlying esoteric/spiritual premise for “The Man Who Woke up the Buddha.” Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid gets oddly ornery as he explains to Marcus that all that is isn’t all that is. Even the Buddha wonders why Sid is going off script but since there isn’t any script he’s not all that concerned. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid makes a connection with Menes, the first pharaoh, and regales his eight-year-old grandson Casper with details about ancient Egypt, including several facts that most people think are science fiction (e.g., that the early pharaohs came from outer space and glowed), but that Sid, Casper, and the Buddha know to be true. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

At Casper’s Small Fry baseball game, Di talks with Todd the Anesthesiologist and learns that, when Sid came out from under, his first words were “Greetings humans…please remove bandages…wine gone bad…bread stale…let my spirit go…I want my mummy.” Between that, the bandages around his head, and the fact that Casper is reading a picture book about pharaohs and pyramids, Sid realizes some pharaoh is...

During a visit from his daughter-in-law Carolyn, Sid sees signs that convince him she is suffering from a mental breakdown similar to his 40 years before. With the Buddha's help, he helps her find some peace and gives her courage to carry on.  Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid, Marcus, and the Buddha ponder the purpose of winning and losing in the scheme of universal human traits as they watch a Michigan - Notre Dame football game. During the last play, with the game on the line, they come up with a powerful new mantra. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid and Willy continue their exploration of the Spanish conquistador Pizarro, focusing now on Atahualpa, the Incan king who lost his kingdom to Pizarro even though he had thousands of men and Pizarro only a couple of hundred. Willy starts reading the story to his grandpa Sid only to find himself suddenly possessed by Atahualpa. Freaked out, he beats a slow retreat from the room and Atahualpa takes...

Sid enlisted his 13-year-old grandson Willy to help him figure out why he was mumbling "Bizarro" after surgery. In the process, Sid sang excerpts from “Stairway to Heaven” and got Willy to take on the role of the 16th-century Spanish conquistador Pizarro. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid loses a bet with his anesthesiologist, learns how to pee at 3 a.m. after surgery, makes a sad faux pas, and is assaulted by armies from all space and time. The Buddha continues to keep his own counsel as he watches his latest incarnation "learn the ropes."  Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the first episode of Season Two, in which Sid continues to deconstruct traditional spiritual assumptions—and, at times, everyday common sense—as he waits at the duck pond for Di to pick him up to go to his second surgery. Click here to read this episode. Return to Podcast Episode #1. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

The thrilling conclusion to Season 1 of The Man Who Woke up the Buddha, where we learn what just bumped into Sid, where to find dinosaurs, why it’s probably not a good idea to talk to strangers, and the esoteric wisdom of Raggedy Ann. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid continues his peace-is-every-step practice in spite of the unexpected obstacles that fate puts in his way, particularly an alluring yoga teacher who triggers a brief present-life regression, and an overwhelming desire for a cinnamon scone. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Sid, suddenly feeling abandoned by the Buddha, decides to try "peace is every step." After a minor mishap he ends up in a hardware store where he contemplates the uses of rope with a famous Inquisitor. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

While doing research at the local library, Sid and the Buddha discover that they haven't been given credit for many of the books they wrote; are almost run over by an oblivious teenager pushing a cart full of books; try to determine the difference between "Idiots" and "Dummies"; and eventually deconstruct and reconstruct four of the famous Eight Realizations. Get full access to Fields of Vision at...

Early one morning, Marcus and Sid walked to the general store to get the paper, coffee, and cider donuts. After finishing the obituaries, Sid and the Buddha collaborated on updating the Four Noble Truths. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe

Things get a little wild in the MRI machine at the midwest cancer center when Sid passed out, leaving the Buddha alone with one of the most murderous dictators in history. Get full access to Fields of Vision at davidblistein.substack.com/subscribe