The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-08432 05/18/2024, Kokyo Henkel, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Kokyo celebrates the spirit of nonsectarianism within Buddha-Dharma, and explores the similarities and differences between Zen... This talk explores the interplay between Zen and Vajrayana Buddhism, emphasizing how various traditions of Buddhadharma like Zen, Theravada, and Vajrayana contribute to contemporary practice in America. It narrates a personal...

Serial: SF-08373 05/15/2024, Dan Gudgel, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Dōshin Dan Gudgel investigates how using the word and idea of ‘enemy’ affects our every day experience. Dan examines our national... The main thesis of the talk is the exploration of the concept of "enemies" and the assertion that we have no true enemies, challenging listeners to reconsider the implications of labeling others as enemies. The speaker analyses...

Serial: SF-08352 05/12/2024, Thiemo Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. "This talk was presented by Thiemo on Mothers Day at the end of an introductory Sesshin (meditation retreat) at Green Dragon Temple. The Investigation of - “the true... The talk at Green Gulch Farm delves into Zen practices and teachings, emphasizing the exploration of the true nature, or "true dragon," through forms and ceremonies within Zen practice. The speaker draws parallels between the...

Serial: SF-09728 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-05-12 The talk reflects on the themes of Zen practice, emphasizing the cultivation of mindfulness through simple, repetitive, and seemingly mundane actions, illustrated through the koan "Count the Stars" from John Tarrant’s book Bring...

Serial: SF-08683 Talk by Gengyoko Tim Wicks Video Only at City Center on 2024-05-11 -

Serial: SF-08682 Talk by Gengyoko Tim Wicks Edited Audio Only First Minutes Of at City Center on 2024-05-11 The talk focuses on the concept of interconnectedness in Zen practice, emphasizing rebirth, reincarnation, and the notion of karma as actions rather than fate. It also explores the relevance of historical events and their ongoing...

Serial: SF-08368 05/08/2024, Eli Brown-Stevenson, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Eli Brown-Stevenson describes how to find practical application of Buddhist teachings by bringing inquiry and curiosity... The talk focuses on the practice of Zen Buddhism, emphasizing the role of expectations and their impact on personal growth and suffering. It explores how practitioners can integrate teachings like impermanence, non-attachment,...

Serial: SF-08253 05/05/2024, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Offering a talk on the day of a funeral service for Caroline Meister, Jiryu observes that in the subtle, tender mind that is truly open and present in not-... The talk primarily explores the Zen practice of living fully in the present moment, emphasizing the tender and subtle mind as a means to experience wholeness beyond dualistic distinctions like life and death. It highlights the...

Serial: SF-08392 05/04/2024, Jisho Lisa Beth Hoffman, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Jisho Lisa Beth Hoffman explores the meaning of refuge and the experience of doing so through teacher, teaching and... The talk explores the concept of taking refuge in the "Three Jewels" of Buddhism: the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It emphasizes the importance of community and personal mentors in spiritual practice, highlighting teachings from...

Serial: SF-08670 Talk by Panel Community Village Meditation Group at City Center on 2024-05-01 This talk addresses the dynamics between the San Francisco Zen Center and the Community Village group, focusing on fostering community connections, especially among younger practitioners. The discussion highlights the...

Serial: SF-09515 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-04-28 The talk discusses the transformative power of Zen practice and its teachings on mindfulness, sincerity, and gratitude. It focuses on the koan "The Old Woman Steals Zhao Zhou's Bamboo Shoots" from "The Hidden Lamp," exploring...

Serial: SF-08266 04/27/2024, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis discusses the Zen text "Harmony of Difference and Equality". Written in the 8th century in China, the... The talk focuses on the Chinese Zen poem "Sandokai," attributed to Sekito Kisen, exploring its themes of the interplay between relative and absolute realities. The discussion emphasizes the importance of rituals and chanting...

Serial: SF-08271 04/21/2024, Wendy Johnson, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk was given at Green Gulch Farm by Wendy Johnson. This 2024 Earth Day Dharma Talk was offered on the 30th anniversary of the Green Gulch Farm Apprenticeship... The talk emphasizes the profound connection between Zen practice, ecological awareness, and the symbolic and practical significance of trees in cultural and spiritual contexts. It explores historical and contemporary practices of...

Serial: SF-09773 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-04-21 The central theme of this talk is the exploration of the Zen concept of "Nothing Special," as articulated by Shunryu Suzuki in "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind." Discussing the egalitarian nature of realizing one's Buddha nature, the...

Serial: SF-08256 04/17/2024, Anshi Zachary Smith, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Anshi Zachary Smith digs into the well-known Case 17 of the Blue Cliff Record. Here, we discover that there are... The talk explores the essential teachings of Zen through the koan "case 17" from the Blue Cliff Record, focusing on the meaning behind Bodhidharma's journey to China. The discussion emphasizes the centrality of Zazen practice,...

Serial: SF-09509 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-04-14 The talk emphasizes the significance of bowing within Zen practice as outlined by Shunryu Suzuki in "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind." It explores the physical act of bowing as a means to unify body and mind, highlighting the practice'...

Serial: SF-08328 04/13/2024, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at City Center. Zen forms work both in clear and hidden ways. In this interactive lecture, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Shosan Victoria Austin discusses the ancient chants,... The talk explores the Shosai Myo Kichijo Dharani, detailing its nature as a dharani, a type of chant or incantation in Zen practice, transcribed through multiple languages and used as a tool for evoking spiritual teachings. The...

Serial: SF-09495 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-04-08 The talk focuses on Zen practices, specifically the teachings from "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Suzuki Roshi, emphasizing the non-dual nature of existence through the koans and instructions like "No Dualism." Discussion...

Serial: SF-09516 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-04-07 The talk centers on exploring concepts of non-duality and the integration of form and emptiness within Zen practice, particularly in the context of zazen meditation. It references Suzuki Roshi’s teachings to highlight how...

Serial: SF-08598 Talk by Laura Burges at City Center on 2024-04-06 The talk focuses on the early life and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, more commonly known as the Buddha, emphasizing his childhood, path to enlightenment, and the fundamental aspects of his teachings, such as the Four Noble...

Serial: SF-08239 03/31/2024, Shoho Kuebast, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk, Shoho Kuebast is reflecting on how taking refuge can be taken as a daily practice. It seems to go hand in hand with the understanding of all things as... The talk delves into the concept of taking refuge in Buddhism, emphasizing the inherent awakened nature of the mind as the true refuge. It highlights the teachings of Dogen on devotion and refuge, and the transformative potential...

Serial: SF-08274 03/24/2024, Eijun Linda Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk by Eijun Linda Cutts was offered and dedicated to Caroline Meister, a Tassajara resident whose accidental death touched so many with sorrow. The talk looks... The talk, dedicated to the memory of Caroline Meister, explores themes of mortality, interconnection, and the Buddhist path of precepts and zazen as a means of understanding life and death. It discusses the seamless integration...

Serial: SF-08397 Talk by Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts on 2024-03-24 This talk focuses on the themes of death, loss, and compassion, dedicated to the memory of Caroline Meister, a member of the Zen community who passed away in an accident. It explores the integration of Buddhist precepts with the...

Serial: SF-08594 Talk by Marc Lesser at City Center on 2024-03-23 The talk explores themes of grief, life, and the nature of existence through the lens of Zen philosophy, with references to the teachings of Suzuki Roshi, and literary works by Mary Oliver and William Stafford. The discussion...