323 – Zazen As Defiant Self-Care

323 – Zazen As Defiant Self-Care

by | Jan 29, 2026 | Meditation

Since the term arose in 1950’s, “self-care” has referred to a number of different things. If we consider self-care to be things you do to remain physically and mentally healthy, then Zazen – simple, goalless, Zen meditation – can be seen as excellent self-care. In these troubled times, such self-care can even be seen as defiant – refusing to be broken down by challenging circumstances. Other forms of meditation can also be seen as self-care, of course, but Zazen can be a little difficult to get your mind around. Framing it as self-care may help you appreciate what it’s all about.

321 – How Buddhist is Zen? The Buddha’s Teachings Compared to Radical Nondualism

321 – How Buddhist is Zen? The Buddha’s Teachings Compared to Radical Nondualism

by | Dec 31, 2025 | Zen Teachings

Viewed historically, Zen is a form of Mahayana Buddhism that evolved from the original forms Buddhism that were established in India after the Buddha’s death around 2,500 BC. Many aspects of original Buddhism are retained in Zen, including respect for Shakyamuni Buddha and his teachings. However, the degree of transformation Buddhism underwent when it took root in China and evolved into Chan (later called “Zen” in Japan) is difficult to overestimate, resulting in a path of radical nondualism. Both the ultimate goal of practice and the means to achieve that goal changed so radically that it’s legitimate to question whether Chan is even Buddhism. If you want to walk the path of Zen/Chan, it’s essential to understand how it differs from original Buddhism.

319 – Preguntas y Respuestas: Vida Universal, el Voto del Bodhisattva, el Monacato y otras Tradiciones

319 – Q&A: Universal Life, the Bodhisattva Vow and Monasticism, and Other Traditions

by | Nov 21, 2025 | Listener's Questions

This is one of my unscripted Q&A episodes, where I answer questions submitted by listeners. What does Kosho Uchiyama mean in his book Opening the Hand of Thought, when he talks about “settling as universal life?” Isn’t the Zen emphasis on monastic practice and self-liberation at odds with the Bodhisattva Vow to free all beings? What can we learn from practicing with other Buddhist traditions than our own, and is this recommended if we don’t live near a Zen center?

318 – Amar a Tus Enemigos: Extender Metta No Significa Capitular

318 – Loving Your Enemies: Extending Metta Does Not Mean Capitulation

by | Nov 15, 2025 | Buddhist Teachings

Unlike Jesus, the Buddha didn’t explicitly instruct us to “love our enemies.” However, he did instruct us to extend goodwill, or Metta, to all beings unconditionally – including, of course, our enemies. In this time of growing divisiveness, what does it really mean to follow this teaching? Most people will admit that nurturing resentment and hatred is probably a bad idea, but on the other hand it feels completely unacceptable to capitulate to – surrender to or stop resisting – those who we perceive as causing harm. Fortunately, there are many benefits to loving our enemies, and doing so does not mean capitulating to them.

317 – Capítulo 1 del Denkoroku de Keizan: la Sonrisa de Mahakashyapa

317 – Keizan’s Denkoroku Chapter 1: Mahakashyapa’s Smile

by | Oct 31, 2025 | Buddhist Texts, Zen Teachings

In this episode I read and reflect on Chapter One of Keizan’s Denkoroku: Record of the Transmission of Illumination. In it, Shakyamuni Buddha holds up a flower and blinks. Keizan says, “No one knew his intention, and they were silent.” Then Mahakashyapa gives a slight smile, and the Buddha acknowledges him as his Dharma heir. What is going on in this koan? Keizan challenges our ideas about awakening, time, causation, and the nature of self.

316 – Buddhist Communities and Public Political Stands: A Moral Quandary

316 – Buddhist Communities and Public Political Stands: A Moral Quandary

by | Oct 20, 2025 | Buddhism Today

When should Buddhist communities take public stands on issues that could be seen as political? If politics is about how we make decisions in groups (local communities, towns, cities, states, nations), are Sanghas really be free from politics when they are embedded in these larger groups? Silence can function as tacit approval, so is maintaining neutrality in keeping with our Buddhist values? On the other hand, there are many good reasons for Sanghas to avoid bringing discussions of politics in their places of practice, and I discuss them.

315 – Zazen Malo: No Es Solo un Oxímoron

315 – Bad Zazen: Not Just an Oxymoron

by | Sep 30, 2025 | Meditation

The form of meditation we do in Zen, unless we’re working on a koan, is called shikantaza – nothing but sitting – or silent illumination. It’s been called a “method of no method,” in which we let go of any striving whatsoever – even to control our meditative experience. So can we do “bad zazen?” Theoretically, there’s no such thing, and yet it sure feels like there is! What is this about?

Share