Recording Category: Dharma Talks

The title of this talk refers to a relatively early (1980) collection in English of writings of masters in the Soto Zen lineage. Bukkai explored the ordinary moments in which we share eternity in our awakening practice.

“Standing on the shoulders of giants” is a well-known aphorism that describes how we discover truth by building on the previous discoveries of those who came before us. This is also an apt description of the process whereby we learn to experience the truth of our own Buddha natures by building on the experience and… Read more »

Last Sunday we celebrated our annual Nehan Festival, and Gyokuko gave the Dharma Talk. This week Kakumyo picks up two themes that Gyokuko talked about, and explores them further.

Post Our annual Nehan Festival commemorates the parinirvana of the Buddha and his final teaching. This involves a special service in place of Full Morning Service. This year, Gyokuko gave the Dharma Talk associated with Nehan on February 8.

What does it mean to “function secretly, like a fool”? The final lines of one of our daily scriptures is packed with important teaching, in the simplest of language. The Zen fool is different from the conventional meaning of this world. So is a secret – and so is the host. We will look at… Read more »

We sometimes use the phrase “the edge of my practice.” What does this mean? What kinds of edges do we face? And what about plateaus, ledges, mountains, and other geographical features of our practice? Genko will trek through some of these in this Sunday’s talk.

Sekkei Harada gives this advice in his lectures in a new book Unfathomable Depths, Drawing Wisdom for Today from a Classical Zen Poem. Let’s see if Gyokuko can draw any wisdom from that.

One of the fruits of spiritual practice is that we trust those around us. It’s not that we become gullible, but we see more layers. It’s important to look at trust because we tend to undervalue its place in our lives. This talk explored who trusts, and where that trust lands, rather than how we… Read more »

Buddhists around the world have been celebrating the Buddha’s enlightenment this past week. This week’s talk is a reflection on the Buddha’s life and how so many elements of his story serve as a support for all of us today who walk the spiritual path.

The World-Honored One ascended the seat and Manjusri announces, “Clearly observe the Dharma of the King of Dharma; the Dharma of the King of Dharma is thus.” Then the World Honored One descended from the seat.” What is this mysterious and unspoken wisdom? How do we find it? Dogen called it “brightness,” and said we… Read more »

Genko has been working with a new Buddhist approach to recovery from addiction, called Refuge Recovery. Using the Three Refuges, Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path, the approach takes the strengths of the 12-step movement, replaces the Steps with the Path, and increases the emphasis on meditation as a tool for recovery. Through… Read more »

Shin’ei endeavors to reacquaint us with depth in the arts, to encourage us to look with different eyes. She speaks to the rediscovery of soul in Buddhism and American culture by way of Karma: a rich, colorful, and creative source.

For whom have you washed off your splendid makeup? The cuckoo’s call urges you to return. Zen practice is endlessly subtle and ever-changing. Is the dance a waltz or a tango? When we first come to practice, we “see through a glass darkly” and later “face to face.” What is it that moves us forward?… Read more »

Kate Wolf sang, “Give yourself to love, if love is what you’re after.” Why is it so hard to give ourselves to each other? What holds us back from real intimacy? As individuals and as a community, we carry many patterns of fear and withdrawal, but we also have the opportunity to see and be… Read more »

If you watch your mind with any regularity, you’ve noticed that awareness is heightened when we realize that things are not as we expect, and is lowered when we perceive things as routine. But, like all generalizations, there are exceptions. Understanding these provides some useful handholds for practice.

On October 12, Abbot Gyokuko Carlson took on a Zen koan that goes like this: Dogo and Zen-gen went to a house to show sympathy. Zen-gen hit the coffin and asked, “Alive or dead?” Dogo replied, “I won’t say alive, I won’t say dead.” Zen-gen demanded, “Why won’t you say?” Dogo repeated, “I won’t say.”… Read more »

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