by Domyo | Sep 28, 2017 | Zen Teachings
The Zen practice of “not-knowing,” or “don’t-know mind,” is a way of honoring the absolute dimension of our lives – even as we engage in “knowing,” as necessary, in the relative dimension. We center ourselves in the here-and-now, and recognize all “knowing” is ultimately an abstraction and not reality itself. It’s not a cop-out; it’s medicine we apply when we get attached to our opinions, caught in judgment, stressed, or overwhelmed, ironically allowing us be more responsible, responsive, compassionate, and effective.
by Domyo | Sep 21, 2017 | Buddhist Teachings
In this third episode of a 3-part series on the Buddhist teaching of the Six Realms of Existence, I describe the Hungry Ghost and Human Realms. I continue offering a traditional, mythological account of the realms, followed by a section about how to practice with each realm as a particular mind state you might experience in the course of your daily life.
by Domyo | Sep 14, 2017 | Buddhist Teachings
In this 2nd episode of a 3-part series, I cover the Asura (fighting demigod), Beast, and Hell Realms. I continue offering a traditional, mythological account of the realms, followed by a section about how to practice with each realm as a particular mind state you might experience in the course of your daily life.
by Domyo | Sep 7, 2017 | Buddhist Teachings
In this episode, part 1 of 3, I explain the Buddhist teaching of the Six Realms of Existence, also known as the Wheel of Life, or the Wheel of Samsara. I share the rich mythology and imagery of this teaching while explaining how it can be a useful teaching for everyday life independent of a belief in literal rebirth. In this first episode I introduce the overall teaching and talk about the Heaven Realm.
by Domyo | Aug 24, 2017 | Listener's Questions, Meditation
This week’s episode is a Q&A session, based on listener’s questions I’ve received by email. I’ll start out with a series of questions about the Buddhist teaching of rebirth, and end with a question about how to deal with a busy mind during zazen, or seated Zen meditation.
by Domyo | Aug 17, 2017 | Buddhist Teachings
The Buddha’s very first teaching as about the Four Noble Truths: Dukkha, the Origin of Dukkha, the Cessation of Dukkha, and the Path Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha. In this episode I introduce the Four Noble Truths and how the Buddha meant us to practice with them. Then I go through each truth in detail.
by Domyo | Aug 10, 2017 | Buddhist Practice
This episode is part 2 of “Work as Spiritual Practice According to Dogen’s “Instructions to the Cook.” In this episode I take you through five ways to engage your work as spiritual practice, based on Dogen’s teaching.
by Domyo | Aug 3, 2017 | Buddhist Practice
Zen demands that we engage our everyday activities, particularly work, as spiritual practice. Few writings describe Zen work practice as well as Zen master Dogen’s “Tenzokyokun,” or “Instructions to the Tenzo” (a tenzo being the head cook in a monastery), so I’ll use this short text to frame my presentation. Although the Tenzokyokun describes the work of a specialized role within a Zen monastery, its teachings about taking care, serving others, appreciating everything, and becoming one with your work are relevant to everyone, no matter what their work or life circumstances.
by Domyo | Jul 27, 2017 | Meditation
It’s tempting, particularly in Mahayana Buddhism, to get stuck in a kind of superficial satisfaction with your zazen and practice. Of course, it’s possible to get stuck in dissatisfaction as well. In this episode I walk you through four steps to deepen your zazen by using your dissatisfaction as guide for your efforts. I also compare zazen to walking on a tightrope – the instructions are simple, but actually doing it is challenging and requires experience, effort, and attention.
by Domyo | Jul 21, 2017 | Buddhist History, Buddhist Practice
In this episode, I continue with the story of the Theravadin precepts (see Part 1 for the first part of the story) – particularly how the Vinaya has affected the ordination of monks and nuns, and how lay people participate in precept practice. Then we move on to China, and I talk about how the Chinese dealt with the question of how to establish an authentic Buddhist lineage while adapting the Vinaya to China, and avoiding the trap of “hinayana” practice that Mahayana sutras warned about (was the Vinaya “hinayana” practice?). They responded by creating additional Mahayana precepts, and elaborate sets of monastic regulations.
by Domyo | Jul 13, 2017 | Buddhist History, Buddhist Practice
Many people are unaware that, from the beginning, Buddhism has said as much about how you should behave in your daily life as it does about meditation or study. In this episode, I cover the first Buddhist teachings about moral conduct, and then talk about the evolution of the Buddhist precepts, including the code of discipline for fully ordained monks and nuns.
by Domyo | Jun 29, 2017 | Buddhist Practice, Meditation
Buddhists all over the world regularly gather for silent meditation retreats with a 24-7 schedule. In this episode I describe a Zen retreat, or sesshin, including what a typical day is like, and the challenges and rewards of maintaining silence and meditating for 6-10 hours a day.
by Domyo | Jun 21, 2017 | Buddhist Texts
In this episode I complete my line-by-line exploration of the Heart Sutra. I cover what the sutra means when its says “there is no” such-and-such, why it proceeds through such long lists of things that don’t exist the way we conceive of them (and what those lists refer to), and the significance of the mantra presented at the end.
by Domyo | Jun 15, 2017 | Buddhist Texts
The Heart Sutra is probably the best-known Buddhist text in the world. It’s less than 250 words long and considered to present the essence of Mahayana Buddhism. However, its meaning – and its attraction to Buddhists – may not be immediately evident! In this episode, I first recite the Heart Sutra for you and give you a brief overview of its history to provide you with a little context. Then I start working my way through the text line by line, offering definitions of terms, explaining references, and giving you a sense of the teaching being conveyed. I’ll finish the line-by-line analysis in the next episode.
by Domyo | Jun 8, 2017 | Buddhist Practice
In traditional Zen practice, we have a lot of what we call “forms.” Forms are the established ways we enact our practice with our bodies… they include the ways we move in the meditation hall, sit in the meditation posture, place our shoes outside the door, chant and offer incense, show respect for one another, eat communal meals, and enact our rituals and ceremonies. Why do we have so many forms instead of just going with the flow and letting people do things the way they want to?
by Domyo | Jun 1, 2017 | Buddhist History
This is the first episode of two on the Buddha’s 45-year teaching career and the establishment of the Buddhist community. I’ll talk about the Buddha’s first sermons, the enlightenment of the first disciples, the first lay students of the Buddha and how lay practice figures into early Buddhism, and the initial formation of the ordained Sangha and how they practiced on a daily basis.
by Domyo | May 25, 2017 | Buddhist Practice
Is it really necessary to participate in a Sangha, or Buddhist community? What are the benefits, joys, and challenges of doing so? You may be surprised by some of the aspects of Sangha practice I talk about in this episode (it’s not all about enjoying the pleasant company of enlightened people!).
by Domyo | May 18, 2017 | Zen Teachings
Liberation from self-concern is central to all forms of Buddhism, although the methods used to achieve that liberation differ widely. In this episode, I present a classic Zen teaching on not-self: Zen Master Dogen’s statement that “to study Buddhism is to study the self” and “to study the self is to forget the self.”
by Domyo | May 11, 2017 | Buddhist Teachings
This episode explains several of the Buddha’s first teachings: the Three Marks and the teaching of Anatta, or Not-Self. From the beginning, the Buddha’s teachings featured the Three Marks, or Characteristics, of Existence: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (dissatisfactoriness), and anatta (not-self). Here I introduce the Three Characteristics and then go into the teaching of not-self in detail – what it means and doesn’t mean. For example, did you know the Buddha did not teach that we have no self?
by Domyo | May 4, 2017 | Zen Teachings
The practices of acceptance and non-attachment are critical to Zen and Buddhist practice, but they are easily misunderstood. It can sound like we’re being asked not to care about things, or not to try to change things for the better. Fortunately, this is not what Zen means by acceptance or non-attachment, because 1) it’s impossible (or psychologically and spiritually damaging) not to care, and 2) trying to change things for the better is the bodhisattva path itself!
