The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-08078 05/10/2025, Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at City Center. Central Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman takes up Case 12 from the Book of Serenity, titled ‘Dizang Planting the Fields’, which touches upon a number of key practice... The talk delves into a koan from the Book of Serenity, Case 12, featuring Dijon and Shushan, which probes the intersection of meditation with worldly engagement. The discussion questions the sufficiency of meditation in the face...

Serial: SF-09503 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Inside Vasubandhus Yogacara Kakuon on 2025-05-04 The talk explores the practice and complexities of the Yogacara teachings, focusing on Vasubandhu's "Thirty Verses" to understand the mind's workings. It compares the experiential aspect of mind practice to understanding and...

Serial: SF-08157 04/27/2025, Myoju Erin Merk, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Myoju Erin Merk reflects on the yogic power of simplicity in Zen practice, emphasizing how grounding ourselves in the present moment can restore steadiness and... The talk focuses on the integration of Zen practice into daily life amidst modern challenges, emphasizing simplicity and grounding techniques to manage feelings of overwhelm. The speaker discusses the concept of "yoking"...

Serial: SF-09532 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Inside Vasubandhus Yogacara Kakuon on 2025-04-20 The talk focuses on the intersection of Yogacara philosophy and traditional Buddhist teachings, particularly responding to aspects of the Heart Sutra and Prajnaparamita teachings. It delves into Vasubandhu's 30 Verses on the...

Serial: SF-08176 Talk by Wendy Johnson at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-04-20 The talk explores themes of interconnectedness, environmental stewardship, and the practice of truthfulness in Zen philosophy, particularly in light of contemporary challenges such as environmental destruction and societal...

Serial: SF-08115 Talk by Shundo David Haye at City Center on 2025-04-15 This talk explores the concepts of transformation and renewal within Zen practice, particularly through rituals and precepts. It emphasizes the significance of the lay ordination ceremony, where practitioners receive a Dharma...

Serial: SF-08147 04/13/2025, Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler reflects on comments from Suzuki Roshi’s talks on Case #36 of the Blue Cliff Record, exploring lines like “Buddhists resign... The talk centers on the Zen practice of appreciating the present moment without attachment, illustrated by the metaphor of spring and its transient beauty. Drawing from Zen teachings and stories, the discussion emphasizes the...

Serial: SF-08206 04/12/2025, Ryuko Laura Burges, dharma talk at City Center. Ryuko Laura Burges, a lay entrusted teacher, talks about the timeless power of story and shares her recent book, Wisdom Stories of Tibet: Tales of Magic, Adventure, and... The talk outlines the importance of storytelling as a means of cultural preservation and personal connection. It discusses the creation of "Wisdom Stories of Tibet," highlighting the collaborative process with a Tibetan lama, and...

Serial: SF-09506 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Inside Vasubandhus Yogacara Kakuon on 2025-04-06 The talk delves into the complexities of Vasubandhu's "30 Verses" and the Yogacara school, discussing its role as the third turning of the Dharma wheel. It explores the traps associated with each turning: reification of no-self (...

Serial: SF-08121 04/02/2025, So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson, dharma talk at City Center. So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson examines the rich intersection between Zen practice and artistic expression—not as a pursuit of perfection, but as a way to return to... The talk centers on the intersection of Zen practice and art, emphasizing how both require presence, authenticity, and an engagement with the process rather than fixation on outcomes. The speaker discusses the transformational...

Serial: SF-08101 03/28/2025, Doshin Dan Gudgel, dharma talk at City Center. Doshin Dan Gudgel explores the idea of a ‘caretaker’ as it relates to the Parental Mind that Dogen encourages in his Tenzo Kyokun text. This talk focuses on the Zen concept of "caretaking" through the lens of Dogen's "Tenzo Kyokun," exploring the roles and responsibilities of the Tenzo, or head cook, and how these can extend to a broader philosophy of life. The...

Serial: SF-09554 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Inside Vasubandhus Yogacara Kakuon on 2025-03-23 The talk provides an in-depth exploration of the Mind-Only teachings within Zen Buddhism, with a particular focus on Vasubandhu's influence and the evolution of Buddhist teachings. It discusses the significant contributions of...

Serial: SF-08126 03/22/2025, Onryu Mary Stares, dharma talk at City Center. Onryu Mary Stares speaks about Eihei Dogen Zenji’s text “Tenzo Kyokun (Instruction to the Cook)” as part of the March 2025 intensive focus on kitchen practice. The talk explores the transformative experience and practical lessons gained from the role of Tenzo, or head cook, at a Zen temple, using Dogen Zenji's "Tenzo Kyokun"—a guide for the head cook—as a backbone for this exploration....

Serial: SF-08082 Talk by Judith Keenan at City Center on 2025-03-19 The talk presented outlines the personal journey and experiences of transitioning into being Tenzo, or head cook, at the San Francisco Zen Center, and connects work practice to Zen philosophy. The speaker draws on Zen teachings...

Serial: SF-09499 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Yogacara Kakuon on 2025-03-16 The talk explores Yogacara, or the "mind-only" teachings, highlighting their origin, development, and impact on Buddhist thought and their methodology mainly derived from meditation practices. The focus is on the mind’s...

Serial: SF-09855 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2025-03-16 The talk delves into Yogacara or Mind-Only teachings, exploring the theory of mind to alleviate suffering as per Buddhist philosophy. It discusses how Yogacara relates to Mahayana schools: the School of the Middle Way and...

Serial: SF-08143 03/15/2025, Sozan Michael McCord, dharma talk at City Center. Sozan Michael McCord looks at Zen kitchen practice and work practice generally, connecting to the joy of activity, learning to care and venerate all things, and how to... This talk delves into the teachings and life applications of the "Tenzo Kyokun," a 13th-century Zen text by Dogen about the philosophy of kitchen practice as a metaphor for life. Emphasizing the constant interplay between 'the...

Serial: SF-08091 Talk by Jiryu Rutschman Byler at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-03-09 This talk explores Zen teachings on the immediacy of understanding and living in the present moment. The speaker discusses a Zen story about two Dharma friends, Hofuku and Choke, involving the mythical Mount Mioho from the Kegon...

Serial: SF-09830 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2025-03-09 The talk begins with a discussion of personal experiences before transitioning to discussing Yogacara teachings, which are foundational to Zen, alongside the emptiness teachings of the Middle Way School. The talk covers the...

Serial: SF-08139 03/08/2025, Zenki Mary Mocine, dharma talk at City Center. Zenki Mary Mocine speaks about Eihei Dogen Zenji’s text “Tenzo Kyokun (Instruction to the Cook)” as part of the March 2025 intensive focus on kitchen practice. The talk explores the concept of Tenzo practice, focusing on Dogen's "Instructions for the Cook," where key teachings such as Joyful Mind, Parental Mind, and Magnanimous Mind are discussed. Various experiences in Zen kitchens are...

Serial: SF-08200 Talk by Teah Strozer at City Center on 2025-03-05 The talk examines Dogen's "Tenzo Kyokun," focusing on the kitchen as a central element in Zen practice where mundane activities become manifestations of awakening when done with full presence and awareness. The...

Serial: SF-09521 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Kakuon on 2025-03-02 The talk explores Shunryu Suzuki Roshi's teachings, particularly focusing on "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind," emphasizing Zen practice without fixating on enlightenment experiences like satori or kensho. The influence of cultural...

Serial: SF-08182 Talk by Kokyo Henkel at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-03-02 The talk emphasizes the significance of the "Jewel Mirror Samadhi" as a primary focus for the Zen practice period, highlighting its historical transmission and the metaphorical understanding of the mind as a "jewel mirror"...

Serial: SF-08222 Talk by Edward Espe Brown at City Center on 2025-03-01 This talk explores the essence of Zen practice as embodied in "Instructions to the Cook" by Zen Master Dogen, emphasizing the principle of "beginner's mind" and the importance of sincere, wholehearted practice. Various anecdotes...