The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-09485 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-07-07 The discourse primarily examines the ideas presented in "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki, focusing on the pitfalls of being goal-oriented in Zen practice, specifically via the chapter "Mistakes in Practice". It...

Serial: SF-08251 07/06/2024, Peter Coyote, dharma talk at City Center. This talk was given by Zen teacher, actor, poet and artist Peter Coyote. The talk, which Peter describes as “disguised as a dharma-way talk” recounts how the deepening grip of... The talk explores the integration of Zen practice with social activism and personal development, emphasizing the importance of combining spiritual insight with practical, political engagement. It discusses the speaker's personal...

Serial: SF-08329 Talk by Bussho Salon Week Tim Wicks Kim Hart Dan Gudgel at City Center on 2024-07-03 The talk provides an exploration of Eihei Dogen's teachings, focusing on the historical and philosophical context of his work "Busho", also known as "Buddha Nature". It outlines Dogen's life during the period known as Mappo—the...

Serial: SF-08595 Bussho Salon Week The talk focuses on the history and context surrounding the Japanese Zen master Dogen, particularly the creation and significance of the fascicle "Busho." It provides an outline of Dogen's life, detailing his...

Serial: SF-08651 Bussho Salon The talk examines the intersection of Taoism and Buddhism, emphasizing the caution required when considering analogous concepts such as Buddha nature within Taoism. It explores how Dogen, a prominent Zen master, utilized diverse...

Serial: SF-08237 06/30/2024, Myoju Erin Merk, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk was given at Green Gulch Farm by Myoju Shinjin Erin Merk on Pride Day 2024 in a celebration of gratitude and Queer Joy. This is Erin's first talk following... The talk acknowledges Pride Day and reflects on the significance of the Stonewall Riots and ongoing LGBTQIA+ resistance. It transitions into a discussion on the Dharma Transmission Ceremony experienced over 21 days at Green Gulch...

Serial: SF-09816 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-06-30 The talk discusses the nuances of Zen practice, emphasizing Suzuki Roshi's insights from "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind," notably the pitfalls of idealistic and competitive practices. It explores the importance of critique over...

Serial: SF-08380 06/23/2024, Kokyo Henkel, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Case 35 in the Gateless Barrier koan collection tells the story of Qian's spirit being divided between following her heart and being responsible by following obligations... The talk explores the theme of non-duality within the Zen tradition, using stories and koans to emphasize direct experience and self-realization. Historical references include Master Wutsu and contemporary philosophical...

Serial: SF-09726 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-06-16 The talk discusses the significance of attention and mindfulness in Zen practice, emphasizing the teachings from the Dhammapada and Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Suzuki Roshi. It highlights the importance of understanding the role...

Serial: SF-08383 06/15/2024, Sozan Michael McCord, dharma talk at City Center. This talk was given at Beginner's Mind Temple, by Sozan Michael McCord. The Zen Buddhist path can seem like one that is spare, determined and somewhat serious;... The talk explores the concept of joy as a fundamental aspect of Zen and Buddhist practice, juxtaposed with the traditionally perceived seriousness of Buddhist teachings. It emphasizes the idea that joy stems from the...

Serial: SF-08685 Talk by Win Pro on 2024-06-12 The talk explores the dynamic of awakening as a central feature of Zen practice, with emphasis on living harmoniously by understanding personal and cultural conditioning. It discusses adapting Zen principles to Western contexts...

Serial: SF-08277 06/09/2024, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk, Jiryu reflects on the practice of shikantaza, just sitting, as a Way that is fundamentally different than technique-based meditation. This talk explores the practice of Zen, emphasizing "just sitting" or Shikantaza, highlighting the importance of sincerity and presence over rigid techniques. The speaker discusses feeling disconnected from life and advocates for...

Serial: SF-09545 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-06-09 The talk explores the interface between "big mind" and "small mind," delving into the dynamic balance of knowing and not knowing, sound and silence, and the two truths of relative and ultimate reality. The speaker references...

Serial: SF-08470 06/08/2024, Mushim Patricia Ikeda, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, San Francisco Zen Center, Muslim Ikeda examines the question, How can Zen practice be of benefit to more people during... The talk explores the challenges of maintaining spiritual vows amid contemporary global crises, referencing the Zen practice of embracing uncertainty exemplified in the phrase "I do not know." The discussion connects this to...

Serial: SF-08649 Talk by Kogen Kim Hart at City Center on 2024-06-05 The talk, titled "Beyond Words: Experiencing Reality Directly," explores the Zen practice of Zazen, emphasizing freedom from habitual responses and the fundamental misinterpretation of reality. Central themes include the...

Serial: SF-08692 Talk by Tenzen David Zimmerman At Haight St Art Center Programs at City Center on 2024-06-01 This talk explores the practice of Zazen in the context of Soto Zen, emphasizing the need for establishing a place of practice within oneself regardless of physical location. It highlights the significance of Keizan Jokin's...

Serial: SF-08647 Talk by Mitsue Nagase And Kazuaki Tanahashi at City Center on 2024-05-29 The talk discusses the creation and significance of Zen gardens as explored in the book "Gardens of Awakening: A Guide to Aesthetics, History, and Spirituality of Kyoto Zen Landscapes" featuring photographs by Mitsue...

Serial: SF-09535 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-05-26 This talk delves into the concept of "right effort" within Zen practice, emphasizing its role in bridging achievement and non-achievement to avoid the extremes of self-importance and asceticism. It highlights the importance of...

Serial: SF-08284 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2024-05-25 The talk emphasizes the foundational aspect of awareness in Zen practice, offering a guided meditation to explore sensory experiences as a means of developing a deeper connection to the present moment and human condition. The...

Serial: SF-08475 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2024-05-25 The talk focuses on the significance of sensory awareness in Zen practice, using a guided meditation to highlight the importance of opening to sensory experiences as a foundation for awakening. It is emphasized that the...

Serial: SF-08477 05/19/2024, Kathie Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Dharma is all around us. We find it in the earth's atmosphere as we breathe in, energized, and in the earth's gravity as we breathe out, letting go. We are creatures of... This talk explores meditation practice in the context of gravity and how it serves as an organizing principle for life on Earth. The discussion transitions to a study of early Buddhist nuns—Bada Kundalakesa, Patachara, and...

Serial: SF-09772 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-05-19 The talk explores the teachings of Suzuki Roshi, focusing on Zen's approach to everyday life and the pitfalls of seeking excitement. By drawing metaphorical parallels with bread-making, the discussion highlights the importance of...

Serial: SF-08655 Talk by Kokyo Henkel at City Center on 2024-05-18 The talk explores the intersections between Zen Buddhism and Vajrayana practices, emphasizing the shared foundations in non-dual awareness and Buddha-nature. The discussion covers the historical development of Buddhism's main...

Serial: SF-08623 Talk by Dan Gudgel at City Center on 2024-05-15 The talk explores the concept of "enemies," arguing that viewing others as enemies confines our responses and perpetuates suffering. The central assertion is that we have no true enemies, as enmity is a self-limiting belief that...