The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-09543 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Koun Ejo Gui Spina on 2024-01-21 The talk explores the Koan from the "Transmission of Light" by Kazon, focusing on the interplay between teacher and disciple, and the Zen tradition emphasizing the teacher-student dynamic as foundational for enlightenment. The...

Serial: SF-08255 01/20/2024, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis, dharma talk at City Center. Now our community is meeting only in the single room of the Zendo. What are some teachings on Sangha transformation in a Zendo? How can we see forms of the infinite,... The central thesis of this talk revolves around the intricate relationship between community, ethics, and individual responsibility within Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of personal reflection and community engagement...

Serial: SF-08659 Talk by Shosan Victoria Austin at City Center on 2024-01-17 The talk focuses on the transition and transformation within the San Francisco Zen Center's spiritual and physical space, reflecting on how universal Zen teachings apply to new settings. The discussion includes an exploration of...

Serial: SF-09517 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Koun Ejo Gui Spina on 2024-01-14 The talk addresses the impact of a COVID outbreak at Green Gulch Farm on planned Zen activities, emphasizing the teachings of Dogen on transiency and "time being" to adapt to the evolving situation. The discussion transitions to...

Serial: SF-08620 Talk by Sozan Michael M Ord at City Center on 2024-01-13 The talk explores the concept of "meeting the moment" through the lens of Zen practice and the life and actions of Martin Luther King Jr. It emphasizes responding appropriately to each situation as it arises, balancing comfort...

Serial: SF-08660 Talk by Zachary Smith at City Center on 2024-01-10 The talk explores the concept of duality and non-duality within Zen practice, using a kōan from the Blue Cliff Record as a focal point. The discussion emphasizes the coexistence of relative and absolute truths in Zen, challenging...

Serial: SF-09510 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Uji Gui Spina on 2024-01-07 The talk explores the Avatamsaka Sutra, its vibrant language and thematic resonance with Dogen's teachings, particularly the esoteric ideas found in his essay "Uji." Emphasis is placed on the idea of setting oneself "in array"...

Serial: SF-08501 In this talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, Liên speaks about how Skillful View, in services of restoration, is about opening up to acknowledging harm and harming, (re)learning ways to be more skillful, and then enacting them... The talk, originating from Beginner's Mind Temple, focuses on the concept of Skillful View as a means of recognizing and addressing harm through the Engaged Eightfold Path. It serves as an introduction to "Home is Here:...

Serial: SF-08497 Talk by Jisan Tova Green at City Center on 2024-01-04 This talk addresses the theme of transition within the Zen community, focusing on the significance of vows as a means of unifying and guiding practice. The discourse reflects on community adjustments due to physical relocations...

Serial: SF-08618 The talk explores the concept of the "shape of our practice" in Zen, focusing on personal practice and its continuity outside traditional forms. Reflections on Mitsu Suzuki's impact on maintaining continuity at the...

Serial: SF-08624 The talk centers on the Shosai Myo Kichijo Dharani, exploring its historical, spiritual, and linguistic dimensions to emphasize its role in Zen practice as a tool for evoking teachings through sound and ritual. Additionally, it...

Serial: SF-08634 The talk delves into the Chinese Zen poem "Sandokai" by Sekito Kisen, emphasizing its exploration of the harmony between difference and equality, or the relative and absolute truths. The discussion highlights the engagement with...

Serial: SF-08687 The talk titled "The Practice of Awakening" explores the centrality of awakening in Zen practice, emphasizing its role in fostering a harmonious life by understanding the true nature of existence. The discussion further examines...

Serial: SF-08694 The talk emphasizes the adaptability of Zen practice, allowing practitioners to establish a place of practice under any circumstances, drawing inspiration from Dogen's teachings about internalizing the practice. The speaker...

Serial: SF-08696 The talk explores transcending dualities such as good and evil through Zazen practice, emphasizing the significance of shedding concerns and attachments to achieve a direct, unmediated experience of being. It highlights Keizan's...

Serial: SF-09529 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Uji Jukai Gui Spina on 2023-12-31 The talk discusses a Jukai ceremony at Green Gulch, emphasizing its spiritual significance and the transmission of the Bodhisattva precepts. This ritual includes the conferring of Dharma names and the use of ceremonial implements...

Serial: SF-09523 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Uji Gui Spina on 2023-12-17 The talk discusses recent changes at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, particularly the move of senior residents to Enso Village, and reflects on Dogen's teachings from the fascicle "Uji," focusing on the concept of 'time being' as an...

Serial: SF-08771 In light of several major transitions unfolding for SFZC and the sangha at large, including the upcoming yearlong renovation of Beginner’s Mind Temple, Abbot David offers dharma pointers for how we might relate to and navigate... The talk focuses on navigating transitions and change, particularly in the context of the San Francisco Zen Center's upcoming building renovations, leadership transitions, and the relocation of senior monks to Enzo Village. The...

Serial: SF-08744 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2023-12-09 The talk revolves around Shakyamuni Buddha's awakening narrative, focusing on asceticism and the realization of interconnectedness as described in two different story versions. The speaker then examines Dogen Zenji's teachings on...

Serial: SF-08836 01/25/2023, Paul Haller, dharma talk at City Center. Ceremony calls forth sacredness. In the opening ceremony we enliven the sacredness of each of the centers of activity in our lives. The talk explores the themes of apology, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness, using imagery from Dogen's poem about a waterfowl reflecting the moon, and draws connections with neuroscience studies on meditation's effect on...

Serial: SF-08747 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2023-12-06 This talk explores the themes of renunciation and generosity in Zen practice, contrasting early Hinayana teachings with Mahayana perspectives. It highlights the integration of foundational renunciative practices with the...

Serial: SF-08861 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2023-12-04 The main thesis of the talk explores the intricate interplay between curiosity, compassion, and Zen practice, underscoring the transformative journey from habitual self-constructs to heartfelt gratitude and awareness. Emphasis is...

Serial: SF-08831 12/03/2023, Chosetsu Lauren Bouyea, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Suzuki Roshi said that beginner's mind - meeting the world and ourselves just-as-it-is - is the secret of Zen practice, but there are many powerful cultural and... The talk explores the concept of "beginner's mind" within Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an open and unfixed mindset despite the tendency to settle into habitual, self-centered thought patterns. It...

Serial: SF-09546 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Uji Gui Spina on 2023-12-03 The talk centers on the profound changes at Green Gulch, where senior members are leaving, prompting reflections on impermanence and community through a deeply meaningful ceremony. The speaker also discusses a workshop...