The SFZC Audio Archive

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Title Speaker Date

Not Knowing Is Most Intimate

Serial: SF-07569 3/22/2014, Rinso Ed Sattizahn dharma talk at City Center. The talk centers on Zen practice, emphasizing the theme "not knowing is most intimate" from a koan in the "Book of Serenity" (Case 20), where the exchange between Zen teachers Dijan and Fayan highlights the importance of intimacy...
Time, Koan, Enlightenment
Mar 22 2014
City Center

Vernal Equinox, Lotus Sutra

Serial: SF-07628 3/20/2014, Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk explores themes of impermanence, sacrifice, and the eternal teachings of Zen through personal reflections and mythological narratives. It interweaves reflections on personal loss with the myth of Demeter and Persephone...
Buddha, Practice, Lotus Sutra
Mar 20 2014
Green Gulch Farm

On Renewing Our Vows

Serial: SF-07696 3/19/2014, Jisan Tova Green dharma talk at City Center. The talk discusses the theme of the bodhisattva path with a focus on vows, confession, and repentance in Zen practice, particularly highlighting the inspiration from historical bodhisattvas and the communal aspects of practice....
Practice, Time, Vow
Mar 19 2014
City Center

John Cage and Zen

Serial: SF-07641 3/16/2014, Furyu Schroeder dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk explores the profound impact of Zen Buddhism on the life and work of avant-garde composer John Cage, highlighting how Cage's engagement with Zen, particularly through the teachings of D.T. Suzuki, transformed his...
Time, Study, Buddha
Mar 16 2014
Green Gulch Farm

The Bodhisattva Way: Mission Impossible? ("The Rubber Ducky Talk")

Serial: SF-07622 3/15/2014, Keiryu Lien Shutt, dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the practice of the Bodhisattva way within Mahayana Buddhism, emphasizing the ideal of aspiring to become a Buddha while aiding others in their path to enlightenment. A detailed discussion of Dogen's "...
Bodhisattva, Practice, Bodhisattva Way
Mar 15 2014
City Center

March 17th Class (poor quality audio)

Serial: SF-07543 3/13/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk explores the intricate nature of Zen practice, emphasizing the balance between conceptual understanding and direct experiential awareness. Key themes include stepping into the unknown, the dynamic interplay of...
Practice, Work, Consciousness
Mar 13 2014
Tassajara

The Five Precepts as a Path of Liberation

Serial: SF-07697 3/12/2014, Shahara Godfrey dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the application of the Five Precepts as pathways to personal and collective liberation, examining each precept in the context of contemporary moral and ethical challenges. The discussion emphasizes the...
Practice, Precepts, Vow
Mar 12 2014
City Center

Lotus Sutra Chapter 25

Serial: SF-07612 3/9/2014, Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk outlines the historical story of Mahapajapati, the first leader of the nuns' order in Buddhism, and the significance of the Lotus Sutra, especially Chapter 25 concerning Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. It emphasizes the...
Lotus Sutra, Buddha, Compassion
Mar 09 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Call Out My Name

Serial: SF-07685 3/8/2014, Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts dharma talk at City Center. The talk discusses the teachings of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with a focus on chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, known as the "Universal Gateway of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva." It emphasizes Avalokiteshvara's embodiment of...
Lotus Sutra, Compassion, Buddha
Mar 08 2014
City Center

There Are No Zen Teachers

Serial: SF-07660 3/2/2014, Zoketsu Norman Fischer dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk explores the concept of Zen teaching, emphasizing the idea that while Zen itself is real and transformative, there are no true "teachers" of Zen, as put forth by the Zen master Huangbo. The speaker shares personal...
Practice, Time, Buddha
Mar 02 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Zazen is Zazen

Serial: SF-07741 3/1/2014, Hoitsu Suzuki Roshi dharma talk at City Center. The talk focuses on the practice of Zazen and its significance within Zen Buddhism. The speaker emphasizes the integration of Zazen into daily activities, advocating for a state of deep absorption or "zanmai" in all tasks. The...
Zazen, Time, Ceremony
Mar 01 2014
City Center

Bodhisattva Way

Serial: SF-07631 2/28/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk emphasizes the importance of presence and non-separation in Zen practice, illustrating how the practice facilitates a deeper understanding of the true nature of experiences without succumbing to mental constructs or...
Practice, Zendo, Dogen
Feb 28 2014
Tassajara

Grandmotherly Mind

Serial: SF-07632 2/26/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk explores the concept of the "grandmotherly mind" in Zen practice, emphasizing compassion, wisdom, and a gentle approach to dealing with life's challenges, including personal and collective suffering. Through reflections...
War, Work, Buddha
Feb 26 2014
Tassajara

Life is Always Bubbling Up

Serial: SF-07545 2/26/2014, Anshin Rosalie Curtis dharma talk at City Center. This talk focuses on the themes of change and continuity within the Zen community, precipitated by leadership transitions, particularly the Mountain Seat Ceremony. It highlights the teachings of Shantideva on patience as an...
Ceremony, Time, Practice
Feb 26 2014
City Center

Demons

Serial: SF-07599 2/25/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk delves into the nature of demons within Zen practice, framing them both as physical manifestations and psychological constructs that practitioners encounter. These experiences serve as opportunities for deeper...
Time, Buddha, Practice
Feb 25 2014
Tassajara

What is Buddha?

Serial: SF-07683 2/24/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk explores the transformative nature of Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness and embracing both the pleasant and unpleasant aspects of teachings. It discusses the existential inquiry of what it means to...
Practice, Buddha, Work
Feb 24 2014
Tassajara

Koan Mind

Serial: SF-07566 2/23/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk emphasizes the understanding of Zen practice, particularly Zazen, as a dynamic engagement with the present moment, contrasting it with habitual behavior patterns that can hinder spiritual awakening. It presents the role...
Breath, Practice, Meditation
Feb 23 2014
Tassajara

Arbor Day

Serial: SF-07557 2/23/2014, Wendy Johnson, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk centers on themes of nonviolence, nature, and interconnectedness, dedicating the Dharma discussion and Arbor Day celebration to the memory of a Dharma friend. It emphasizes the interplay between Zen practice and the...
Time, Intention, Practice
Feb 23 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Entering Sesshin

Serial: SF-07719 2/22/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk examines the practice of Shashin and highlights the essential elements for entering meditation, drawing on Zen teachings. It emphasizes the themes of renunciation, intention, and the cultivation of the six paramitas—...
Practice, Bodhisattva Vow, Vow
Feb 22 2014
Tassajara

Reaching Back for a Pillow in the Night

Serial: SF-07624 2/22/2014, Jisan Tova Green dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the role of the bodhisattva Quan Yin in embodying compassion and its practice through the Buddhist teachings. Quan Yin's symbolic representation through statues and the narrative of her thousand hands and eyes...
Compassion, Bodhisattva, Practice
Feb 22 2014
City Center

The First Thing You Do When You Wake Up

Serial: SF-07668 2/19/2014, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the concept of spiritual awakening, differentiating between physical awakening from sleep and a profound, non-physical awakening that connects individuals to a deeper sense of life and the universe. It...
Practice, Work, Time
Feb 19 2014
City Center

Ango

Serial: SF-07753 2/16/2014, Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk presents the commencement of an English practice period at Green Gulch, focusing on the concept of "ango" or "peaceful dwelling," emphasizing shared practice among participants. The discussion integrates themes of...
Practice, Practice Period, Buddha
Feb 16 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Transition

Serial: SF-07665 2/16/2014, Ryushin Paul Haller dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk centers on the practice of Zen during a transitional period in leadership at a practice center, reflecting on how experiences and internal responses shape one's practice. It emphasizes the importance of engaging with...
Practice, Practice Period, Soto Zen
Feb 16 2014
Tassajara

The Gifts of Practice

Serial: SF-07695 2/15/2014, Christina Lehnherr dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the nature of transformation and acceptance within the context of Zen practice. The speaker reflects on personal experiences and the impact of unexpected life changes, emphasizing the role of practice, surrender...
Practice, Time, Priest
Feb 15 2014
City Center

Opening Up and Letting Go

Serial: SF-07639 2/11/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk focuses on the Zen practice of "letting go" using the metaphor of visiting the restroom to illustrate the importance of releasing attachments, as characterized by Suzuki Roshi's teachings. It discusses the idea of...
Practice, japanese, Suzuki Roshi
Feb 11 2014
Tassajara

The Four Horses

Serial: SF-07672 2/9/2014, Tenshin Reb Anderson dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk addresses the teaching methodology of the Buddha, using the analogy of different kinds of horses to illustrate how beings respond to the Dharma. The narrative includes a story about an outsider meeting the Buddha,...
Buddha, Duality, Impermanence
Feb 09 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Bodhisattva: Masochist or Savior?

Serial: SF-07533 2/8/2014, Jeffrey Schneider dharma talk at City Center. The talk elaborates on the Bodhisattva vow, exploring its significance in Mahayana Buddhism and the intrinsic transformation from personal enlightenment to universal altruism. It challenges common Western misconceptions,...
Vow, Bodhisattva, Suffering
Feb 08 2014
City Center

Settle / Finish

Serial: SF-07580 2/7/2014, Leslie James, dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk focuses on three aspects of Zen practice: attention, respect, and not knowing. The speaker emphasizes finding one's place and meeting oneself in the present, informed by the teachings of Dogen, particularly through the "...
Time, Practice, Zazen
Feb 07 2014
Tassajara

The Bodhisattva's Four Embracing Dharmas

Serial: SF-07725 2/5/2014, Hozan Alan Senauke, dharma talk at City Center. The talk focuses on the Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance as explored by Dogen in his work "Bodhisattva Shishobo," discussing how these methods—giving, loving speech, beneficial action, and identity action—serve as central...
Bodhisattva, Time, Community
Feb 05 2014
City Center

Renouncing Unhappiness

Serial: SF-07573 2/2/2014, Zenshin Greg Fain, dharma talk at Tassajara. This talk explores the discipline of silence in Zen practice at Tassajara, emphasizing its rarity and difficulty, especially for those accustomed to constant communication. The practice of silence is presented as integral to...
Practice, Practice Period, Time
Feb 02 2014
Tassajara

Zen's Path: Personal Journey Only

Serial: SF-07752 2/1/2014, Zoketsu Norman Fischer dharma talk at City Center. The talk addresses the theme of whether there are "teachers of Zen," drawing from the story of Huangbo who asserts there are Zen practitioners but no teachers. The exploration suggests Zen practice is a personal endeavor that...
Practice, Time, Faith
Feb 01 2014
City Center

Group Stupidity

Serial: SF-07567 1/29/2014, Shohaku Okumura dharma talk at City Center. The talk addresses the teachings and influence of Kodo Sawaki, a prominent Japanese Soto Zen master known as "Homeless Kodo" for his itinerant lifestyle. The speaker reflects on the concept of "group stupidity," a significant...
Practice, japanese, Time
Jan 29 2014
City Center

Students and Teachers Practice the Precepts Together

Serial: SF-07554 1/29/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk focuses on the understanding and application of Zen precepts, emphasizing that they are not restrictive rules but guidelines emanating from one’s true nature to promote appropriate actions and freedom. It discusses the...
Practice, Precepts, Time
Jan 29 2014
Tassajara

Ocean Samadhi

Serial: SF-07602 1/28/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk discusses the concept of Sagura Mudra, or "great ocean samadhi," as a metaphor for the mind, emphasizing the interconnectedness and the duality of the ordinary and Buddha nature. It explores the nature of practice within...
Buddha, Practice, Buddha Nature
Jan 28 2014
Tassajara

A Bad Teacher and a Bad Student

Serial: SF-07560 1/26/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk focuses on the practice of prostrations and the nature of enlightenment from a Zen perspective. It uses stories to illustrate various teachings, emphasizing that true understanding goes beyond scholarly knowledge and...
Enlightenment, Practice, Delusion
Jan 26 2014
Tassajara

Sudden Enlightenment, Gradual Practice

Serial: SF-07726 1/25/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk delves into the essential nature of Zen practice, emphasizing the non-linear, immersive, and integrated approach of Soto Zen compared to more structured pathways. It highlights the importance of repetition and absorption...
Wisdom, Posture, Practice
Jan 25 2014
Tassajara

Waking Up in the Midst of Our Lives

Serial: SF-07552 1/25/2014, Anshin Rosalie Curtis dharma talk at City Center. The talk focuses on the theme of "waking up in the midst of our lives" through the lens of the bodhisattva path, emphasizing the virtues of compassion, selflessness, and the dedication of merit. The discussion highlights the...
Practice, Bodhisattva, Practice Period
Jan 25 2014
City Center

Essence of Mind: Daowu Teaches the Essential Gate to Truth

Serial: SF-07556 1/22/2014, Tenshin Reb Anderson dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk emphasizes the centrality of friendship in Zen practice, positing that true understanding in Zen, including the realization of perfect wisdom, is cultivated through the context of good friendship. It underscores the...
Wisdom, Name, Mindfulness
Jan 22 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Five Ranks Class Number 2

Serial: SF-07618 1/22/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk explores Zen practice, emphasizing the teaching of "thusness" as intimately communicated through dharma transmission, referencing the "Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi" as a key text. It discusses maintaining an innocent...
Practice, Buddha, Time
Jan 22 2014
Tassajara

Finding My Way to Practice

Serial: SF-07621 1/22/2014, Rinso Ed Sattizahn dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the concept of the "way-seeking mind" as described by Suzuki Roshi, which embodies both the aspiration for liberation and the impetus to practice in response to life's suffering and uneasiness. The discussion...
Suzuki Roshi, Time, Practice
Jan 22 2014
City Center

Spiritual Friendship

Serial: SF-07670 1/19/2014, Tenshin Reb Anderson dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk explores the concept of descending into the "green dragon cave" as a metaphor for delving into one's conscious mind through Zen practice to encounter and realize perfect wisdom. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual...
Perfect Wisdom, Wisdom, Practice
Jan 19 2014
Green Gulch Farm

Five Ranks Class Number 1

Serial: SF-07594 1/17/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk examines the "Five Ranks" of Zen Buddhism, often attributed to Dongshan Liangjie (Tozan Ryokai), emphasizing their connection to the "Jewel Mirror Samadhi" (Hokkyo Zammai). The discourse elaborates on various...
Samadhi, Emptiness, Practice
Jan 17 2014
Tassajara

The Poem Competition of Daikan Eno and Jinshu

Serial: SF-07748 1/15/2014, Jamie Howell dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the historical narrative of the fifth and sixth Zen ancestors, focusing on the transmission of Dharma through a poetic contest. The discussion highlights the philosophical underpinnings of Zen, particularly the...
Buddhism, Transmission, Practice
Jan 15 2014
City Center

The Ring of the Way

Serial: SF-07532 1/13/2014, Sojun Mel Weitsman dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk reflects on the life and teachings of Steve Stuckey, a former Abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center, emphasizing his journey within Zen practice and his impact on the community, especially during his illness and eventual...
Practice, Practice Period, Time
Jan 13 2014
Tassajara

Bodhisattva Practice of Enlightenment

Serial: SF-07715 1/12/2014, Tenshin Reb Anderson dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk explores the path of the bodhisattva as presented in the Diamond Sutra, emphasizing the central vow to liberate all beings while maintaining a mindset of non-abiding. This non-abiding, or cultivating a mind that does not...
Suffering, Perfect Wisdom, Practice
Jan 12 2014
Green Gulch Farm

The Hidden Lamp

Serial: SF-07597 1/11/2014, Susan Moon, Florence Caplow dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores themes of sacrifice and freedom in Zen practice using stories from "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," edited by Susan Moon and Florence Caplow. Two stories are examined: Rionin Genso...
Time, Practice, Lotus Sutra
Jan 11 2014
City Center

My New Year's Resolutions

Serial: SF-07551 1/8/2014, Mark Lancaster, dharma talk at City Center. The talk reflects on themes of belonging, kindness, and bravery in Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of embracing life's transitions and being open to uncertainty. It discusses how personal interactions, learning from...
Work, Time, New Year
Jan 08 2014
City Center

Consciousness

Serial: SF-07373 12/28/2013, Vicki Austin dharma talk at City Center. This talk delves into the intricacies of consciousness, positing it as a process rather than an entity and exploring the interconnectedness of the eight types of consciousness as taught by Buddha, starting from sensory...
Consciousness, Wisdom, Time
Dec 28 2013
City Center

Practice and Creativity

Serial: SF-07479 12/22/2013, Edward Espe Brown dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The talk explores the theme of Zen and creativity, particularly emphasizing the practice of embracing what arises naturally and engaging with it as a form of artistic creation. The speaker reflects on a personal Zen practice...
Work, Time, Meditation
Dec 22 2013
Green Gulch Farm

In the Light There is Darkness, In the Darkness There is Light

Serial: SF-07392 12/21/2013, Christina Lehnherr dharma talk at City Center. The talk explores the theme of impermanence, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living fully in each moment, especially in the context of the winter solstice and the Zen practice of being present. It...
Time, Practice, Wisdom
Dec 21 2013
City Center

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