Recordings

What does it mean to study our past? How do we both practice attention and presence in our life today, and understand wounds and conditions of the past?

Categories: Dharma Talks

Flying Fish explores the theme of Hope by looking at Maitreya “of future birth.”

Categories: Dharma Talks

In her student talk, Zonnyo explores the teaching of suchness in relation to nature, and some history of earth-based practices in Zen and Chan Buddhism. As we experience the climate crisis, what role do joy and grief play in our experience of “just this?”

Categories: Dharma Talks

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Dana, often translated as giving or generosity, is one of the six perfections of Bodhisattva cultivation and embodiment. It is often described as a merit producing practice of giving that which is life sustaining, but can also be offering dharma or spiritual teaching, or providing freedom from fear. Ultimately, all beings are naturally giving through the unfolding of life, just like a flower blooming in spring provides nectar without thought. This talk will focus on how the capacity for generosity relates to practicing with vulnerability and how holding and befriending vulnerability when it arises can help one realize belonging.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Visiting Teacher Ben Connolly talks about his new book and some of the teachings of Yogacara.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

This Sunday Kakumyo will explore an exchange about meaning that happened during last week’s Dharma Talk. Questions about what matters, what we’re practicing for, and how the dharma is expressed all weave their way in.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Asking this question can bring up a lot of different answers. Sometimes we think we know what “practice” is or what “our practice” is. At other times, it might seem murky. This week, Jyoshin looks at practice and the ways we can examine what might be fruitful to bring to our efforts or non-efforts.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Genko presents and explores the verse summary of the Universal Gateway Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Buddhism has a teaching called the Five Niyama, or Laws, that are said to explain how the universe works. Do they? We will discuss.

Categories: Dharma Talks

The Spring Wednesday evening class series is studying sutras. The active Dharma Rain Teachers will be presenting some of their favorite teachings from the sutras, so there will be a lot of variety. At that, it will be only a taste of each sutra and a small sample of all of the sutras out there. Still, we hope to get into some depth and have some good discussion and an enhanced understanding of the richness of the teachings in Buddhism.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

An important part of our Zen practice is meeting each other with acceptance and compassion, but when we don’t measure up to our own expectations, we can be very critical of ourselves. Shin’yu explores what practicing loving kindness towards our own experience might look like.

Categories: Dharma Talks

The Spring Wednesday evening class series is studying sutras. The active Dharma Rain Teachers will be presenting some of their favorite teachings from the sutras, so there will be a lot of variety. At that, it will be only a taste of each sutra and a small sample of all of the sutras out there. Still, we hope to get into some depth and have some good discussion and an enhanced understanding of the richness of the teachings in Buddhism.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Kakumyo speaks about the aspect of meditation that is most frequently neglected. If you value meditation, but often wish to experience it differently, this may be useful.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Twice a year, the sangha has an opportunity to hear from our governing bodies and to ask questions and give feedback. In the spring, the forum is sponsored by the Dharma Council. The Board and Dharma Garden Council also give updates.

Categories: Sangha Forum

In this series of six classes we discuss the history of vow practice in Buddhism, ways of working with vow, and go into depth with exploring our personal relation to the four Bodhisattva Vows. The classes are highly participatory and emphasize personal experience with the content more than information about it. The classes are led by three of our lay teachers: Gyoshi, Kengan, and Sosetsu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

How do we know where we’re going? To what extent are we learning more, understanding more, getting better? What does it mean to go forward? What happens if we feel like we’re going backward or taking a wrong turn?

Categories: Dharma Talks

In this series of six classes we discuss the history of vow practice in Buddhism, ways of working with vow, and go into depth with exploring our personal relation to the four Bodhisattva Vows. The classes are highly participatory and emphasize personal experience with the content more than information about it. The classes are led by three of our lay teachers: Gyoshi, Kengan, and Sosetsu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

In this talk from January 2002, Kyogen talks about faith and confidence and how they function in our practice. He touches on the Denkoroku, and how practice connects us with our lineage.

Categories: Dharma Talks

In this series of six classes we discuss the history of vow practice in Buddhism, ways of working with vow, and go into depth with exploring our personal relation to the four Bodhisattva Vows. The classes are highly participatory and emphasize personal experience with the content more than information about it. The classes are led by three of our lay teachers: Gyoshi, Kengan, and Sosetsu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

It matters that we give our attention to some things and not others, but most people have some confusion over how. This Sunday Kakumyo will talk about how our perceiving the world and our experience is an ethical act. How does this change over time and with access to different states of mind?

Categories: Dharma Talks

In this series of six classes we discuss the history of vow practice in Buddhism, ways of working with vow, and go into depth with exploring our personal relation to the four Bodhisattva Vows. The classes are highly participatory and emphasize personal experience with the content more than information about it. The classes are led by three of our lay teachers: Gyoshi, Kengan, and Sosetsu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

The work of the heart can feel frightening and tender. It challenges all that we hold dear and breaks down the barriers that make us feel safe but that also separate us from life. By cultivating the practice of the divine abodes, we begin to see the boundless capacity of our heart to open up to life in the face of death.

Categories: Dharma Talks

In this series of six classes, we discuss the history of vow practice in Buddhism, ways of working with vow, and go into depth with exploring our personal relation to the four Bodhisattva Vows. The classes are highly participatory and emphasize personal experience with the content more than information about it. The classes are led by three of our lay teachers: Gyoshi, Kengan, and Sosetsu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

We recite the vow to take refuge in the Three Treasures quite often. But what is refuge? How do we find this elusive place in a diverse community of human beings? 

Categories: Dharma Talks

Categories: Dharma Talks

Categories: Dharma Talks

Midway between winter and spring, we have our Nehan Festival, in which we commemorate the Buddha’s passing into Parinirvana. Immediately after, we have our Jukai retreat and celebrate the transmission of the precepts. It is a time for renewal and budding of practice after personal and community reflection and application of precept study. The talk is about the regenerative force of our personal and collective efforts and practice.

Categories: Dharma Talks

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Consider how you relate to opinions, both your own opinions and those of others. What comes up for you? In what ways do you feel empowered or obstructed by your opinions? What makes an opinion helpful or harmful? What effect do opinions have on your practice? How do they relate to your experience of dukkha? And dive deeper, if you wish, to consider that question “What do I know?” Then drop all that, and come participate in this talk.

Categories: Dharma Talks