The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-08595 Bussho Salon Week This talk centers on Dogen's influence during the Mappo period, a time perceived as a decline in Buddhist practice. It describes Dogen's historical context, outlining his return from China, his establishment of Koshoji temple,...

Serial: SF-08605 Bussho Salon  The talk focuses on the relevance of Dogen's teachings, highlighting the approach of reading Dogen's works with a devotional practice similar to Lectio Divina, without fixating on understanding every word. It emphasizes...

Serial: SF-09530 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-06-30 The talk explores Zen practice through various anecdotes and teachings, focusing on Suzuki Roshi's insights about the pitfalls of practice, such as idealistic goals and competition, and the concept of critique versus criticism in...

Serial: SF-08424 06/29/2024, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at City Center. This talk was given by Shosan Victoria Austin at one of Beginner’s Mind Temple’s pop-up events at Unity Church on Page St in San Francisco. Sōtō Zen teaches that... The talk discusses the metaphor of "grandparent mind" as a lens for understanding and practicing compassion, based on Buddhist principles. The focus is on translating compassion into action through three referenced models,...

Serial: SF-08270 06/16/2024, Ryuko Laura Burges, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Laura talks about how we can practice with grief, loss, and ordinary everyday suffering, She weaves in stories from her recent book from Shambhala, The Zen Way of... This talk highlights the exploration of impermanence and loss as catalysts for Buddhist practice, referencing both personal experiences and the teachings of Suzuki Roshi. The discussion emphasizes the necessity of remaining...

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-08465 06/12/2024, Keido Keith Baker, dharma talk at City Center. This talk was given by Keido Keith Baker at Beginner’s Mind Temple, San Francisco. The Han's wooden knock calls countless practitioners to come to the Zendo for... The talk explores the Han's message on the impermanence of birth and death, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness and meditation to understand this central truth. The Han, a traditional wooden board used in Zen practice,...

Serial: SF-08658 Talk by Keido Keith Baker at City Center on 2024-06-12 The talk focuses on the Han's teachings regarding the impermanence of life, emphasizing its connection to the Zen practice of Zazen and the contemplation of birth and death. The Han serves as a reminder to be present and mindful...

Serial: SF-08311 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. The talk discusses the essence of Zen practice, focusing on the alignment with one’s present experience rather than adherence to specific techniques or methods. Highlighting the comparison with Chan Buddhism, it delves into the...

Serial: SF-09759 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-06-09 The talk centers on exploring the dynamic interplay between "big mind" and "small mind," and the concept of "knowing and not knowing" as framed in Suzuki Roshi's teachings, particularly examining the metaphor of "sound and...

Serial: SF-08263 06/05/2024, Kim Kōgen Dai-Hō Hart, event at City Center. In the event, Mitsue discussed her artistic and photographic process, as well as her experience of quiet sitting in preparation for taking photographs. Kay then discussed... The talk focuses on the dual aspects of non-dual reality, discussing how Zen meditation fosters freedom by liberating practitioners from habitual perceptions and conditioning. It emphasizes the Buddhist teachings of the two...

Serial: SF-08454 06/01/2024, Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple’s monthly one-day sitting, (this time held at Haight Street Art Center) Abbot David shares highlights of his recent... The talk emphasizes the importance of internalizing Zen practice to transcend the need for specific physical locations or conditions, highlighting Keizan Jokin's influence on Soto Zen and his efforts to make it accessible and...

Serial: SF-08370 05/29/2024, Kazuaki Tanahashi, Mitsue Nagase, dharma talk at City Center.In this discussion, held in the conference center at Beginner's Mind Temple, Mitsue Nagase and Kaz Tanahashi discuss their new book “Gardens of... The talk explores Zen aesthetics through photography and personal experiences with Zen gardens, emphasizing qualities such as intimacy and mindfulness cultivated via extended time spent observing the environment. It transitions...

Serial: SF-08399 Talk by Sonja Gardenswartz at Green Gulch Farm on 2024-05-26 The talk centers on the theme of transition and the journey of spiritual practice, drawing on Zen teachings and stories to emphasize patience and presence in the moment. Reflecting on personal experiences and Zen koans, the...

Serial: SF-09815 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2024-05-26 The talk centers on the practice of "right effort" as articulated by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, highlighting its role within the Noble Eightfold Path and emphasizing attention to fine detail in Zen practice. It challenges...

Serial: SF-08678 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2024-05-25 The talk explores the concept of trusting the process of practice and the spontaneous emergence of awareness, using examples from experiences in Ireland and Slovenia. It emphasizes the importance of embracing both moments of...

Serial: SF-08666 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2024-05-25 The talk centers on the guided meditation practice and the "seven factors of awakening," as articulated by Shakyamuni Buddha. Emphasizing the foundation of Zen practice, the discourse explores the facets of sensory awareness,...

Serial: SF-09507 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Zen Mind Beginners Mind Gui Spina on 2024-05-19 The talk focuses on a discourse by Suzuki Roshi titled "Zen and Excitement," which argues that Zen practice is not about seeking excitement but is about deeply engaging with the mundane routines of life. The speaker explores how...

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-08507 Talk by Gengyoko Tim Wicks Audio Only at City Center on 2024-05-11 The talk titled "The Stranger in the Mirror" discusses the concepts of reincarnation, rebirth, and the interconnectedness of all phenomena within Buddhist philosophy, contrasting the idea of a permanent soul with that of karmic...

Serial: SF-08684 Talk by Gengyoko Tim Wicks Full Edited Audio Only at City Center on 2024-05-11 The talk explores the concepts of rebirth and reincarnation within Buddhist philosophy, contrasting them with more traditional views and highlighting their impact on understanding karmic continuity. It delves into how personal...