The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-09833 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2025-02-23 The talk explores the themes of Buddha nature and the simplicity of Zen practice as articulated in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. It emphasizes understanding stories as human constructs and the central teaching that everything,...

Serial: SF-08089 02/22/2025, Dōshin Mako Voelkel, dharma talk at City Center. Abiding Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel explores the dharma teachings of the past year-plus of renovation work, community cooperation and trying new forms. The talk explores the theme of renewal within Zen practice, particularly emphasizing the significance of cultivating compassion and maintaining accessibility and inclusivity in the Zen community. It examines concepts such as the...

Serial: SF-08193 Talk by Anshi Zachary Smith at City Center on 2025-02-19 The talk delves into the intertwined nature of mind, memory, and consciousness, examining how these elements shape our understanding of existence. It references Buddhist and Taoist philosophies to explain the metaphysical...

Serial: SF-09825 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2025-02-16 The talk begins with a discussion on the renovation of a historic Zen Center building in San Francisco, transitioning into an exploration of a chapter titled "Beyond Consciousness" from "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu...

Serial: SF-08152 Talk by Ryushin Paul Haller at City Center on 2025-02-15 The talk explores a "Buddhist approach to love," focusing on the interplay between love and renunciation. It examines four Greek categories of love—agape, philia, storge, and eros—and discusses accompanying renunciations that can...

Serial: SF-08174 Talk by Sonja Gardenswartz at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-02-09 This talk emphasizes the transformative power of silence and stillness in Zen practice, underlining their role in enhancing personal awareness and compassion. The importance of internal dialogue and reflection is highlighted,...

Serial: SF-08190 Talk by Epp Monday Class Ryushin Paul Haller at City Center on 2025-02-03 The talk focuses on cultivating mindful awareness through the practice of noticing, which is emphasized as a central component of Zen meditation. It discusses the practice of observing one's thoughts, sensations, and emotions...

Serial: SF-09547 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Kakuon on 2025-02-02 The talk explores themes of practice and mistake-making within Zen Buddhism, emphasizing the significance of wholehearted effort and the non-sectarian nature of true Buddhist practice. It reflects on Dogen Zenji's teaching of "...

Serial: SF-08123 02/01/2025, Sozan Michael McCord, dharma talk at City Center. Sozan Michael McCord uses the lens of "The Harmony of Difference and Equality" by Shitou Xiqian, to unpack the relevance of remembrances such as Black History Month... The talk centers on the intersection of Zen philosophy with concepts of justice and equality, using historical narratives to illustrate how Zen principles can inform social action. Irene Morgan's 1944 stand against racial...

Serial: SF-08201 Talk by Epp Opening With Ryushin Paul Haller at City Center on 2025-01-25 The talk provides an overview of a planned Zen mindfulness program, including logistics for sessions and instructions on Zazen practice, with an emphasis on breath and body awareness. It explores how practitioners can skillfully...

Serial: SF-08099 Talk by Shosan Victoria Austin at City Center on 2025-01-22 The talk explores the concept of refuge in the context of Zen practice and community amidst societal and personal challenges. The speaker reflects on the value of community as a refuge, drawing parallels between Zen teachings and...

Serial: SF-08077 Talk by Tenshin Reb Anderson at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-01-19 The talk explores the complex meanings of Dharma, emphasizing it as an unsurpassed truth, teaching, and phenomenon while delving into the significance of samadhi in the practice of Zen. It suggests that even amidst afflictions...

Serial: SF-08144 01/18/2025, Jisan Tova Green, dharma talk at City Center. This talk by Jisan Tova Green weaves together themes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s sermons, teachings of Zen ancestor Eihei Dogen and the late Hozan Alan Senauke, and... The talk explores the teachings of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., examining two of his sermons to address contemporary issues of social justice and interconnectedness. It draws parallels between King's sermons, Buddhist...

Serial: SF-09519 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Kakuon on 2025-01-12 The talk emphasizes the importance of communal Zen practice, with insights on monastic schedules, the power of silent sitting, and the benefit of shared experiences within a Zen community. Drawing inspiration from Suzuki Roshi's...

Serial: SF-08109 Talk by Tenshin Reb Anderson at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-01-12 The talk focuses on the intertwining of joy and compassion in Zen practice, emphasizing the significance of the "Great Extensive Buddha Flower Adornment Scripture" (Avatamsaka Sutra) for bodhisattvas. It explores the profound...

Serial: SF-08105 01/11/2025, Keiryu Liên Shutt, dharma talk at City Center. Keiryu Liên Shutt discusses how the hands and eyes of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, need to be directed towards ourselves, too. Especially in times of... The talk explores the concept of the "way-seeking mind" in Zen practice, emphasizing its role in connecting practitioners with the Buddha mind by fostering compassion and wisdom. It discusses the Bodhisattva ideal, highlighting...

Serial: SF-08194 Talk by Shundo David Haye at City Center on 2025-01-08 The talk emphasizes the practice of making the "unwanted wanted," using Zen principles to navigate life's constraints and discipline while maintaining vitality and inner freedom through structured practices like Zazen. Highlights...

Serial: SF-09818 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2025-01-05 The talk emphasizes the concept that in Zen, the mundane—represented by weeds—is a treasure, drawing from Suzuki Roshi's notion that calmness is valuable when it emerges from contrasts. Key themes include the importance of non-...

Serial: SF-09505 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Kakuon on 2024-12-29 The discussion addresses themes of attachment and non-attachment primarily through the lens of Zen teachings, specifically focusing on the concepts of oneness and duality as articulated by Suzuki Roshi and Dogen. The talk...

Serial: SF-08587 Talk by Furyu Schroeder at Green Gulch Farm on 2024-12-29 The talk focuses on the Zen tea ceremony, emphasizing wholehearted presence and the meticulous attention to detail that reflects broader practices in Soto Zen. The ceremony is not just a ritual but a form of practice embodying...

Serial: SF-09484 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Kakuon on 2024-12-22 The talk explores the concept of "believing in nothing" as explained by Suzuki Roshi, emphasizing its distinction from nihilism and linking it to the Buddhist Middle Way. It discusses the idea that true composure arises from...

Serial: SF-08583 Talk by Kokyo Henkel at Green Gulch Farm on 2024-12-22 The talk examines the importance of setting and continually renewing one's intentions in Zen practice, particularly through the bodhisattva vows, which emphasize liberating sentient beings, ending delusions, entering boundless...

Serial: SF-08417 12/18/2024, Roger Hillyard, dharma talk at City Center. Roger Hillyard explores the idea of transmission — how it flows in all directions, how we experience it in our lives, and how Eihei Dogen wrote about it in “Twining Vines.” The talk primarily explores the concept of "transmission" within Zen Buddhism, focusing on its manifestation through the metaphor of the ten ox-herding pictures, particularly the ninth picture, which symbolizes returning to the...

Serial: SF-09514 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Kakuon on 2024-12-15 The talk explores the Zen concept of "Readiness Mindfulness," referencing Suzuki Roshi’s notion that the readiness of the mind constitutes wisdom. This discussion extends into the teachings of emptiness in Buddhism, emphasizing...