The Zen Studies Podcast
Dharma Talks (a bit more personal take on Dharma topics)
216 – The Fourfold Bodhisattva Vow Part 1: Freeing All Beings
In this episode I review the meaning of the Fourfold Bodhisattva Vow, and then explore the first of the vows in detail: Beings are numberless, I vow to free them. What does it mean to free beings, and what does it mean to our practice that we vow to free every last one of an infinite number of beings? In the next couple episodes I will similarly explore the second, third, and fourth vows.
read more215 – Moriremos Pronto: Contemplando La Impermanencia Para Motivar La Práctica
Category: Enseñanzas Budistas ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 215 Desde la época de Buda, los Budistas han dedicado tiempo a contemplar la...
read more215 – We Will Die Soon: Contemplating Impermanence to Motivate Practice
From the time of the Buddha, Buddhists have spent time contemplating impermanence - often by deliberately meditating on their own mortality and eventual death. This practice isn't for everyone, but it can help motivate us stay motivated to practice, focus on our deepest aspirations, take responsibility for our karma, maintain equanimity, and remember the preciousness of this moment. It can also lead to profound insights about the nature of the self.
read more214 – ¿Cómo Haces Tú Zazen, De Todos Modos?
Category: Meditación ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 214 He ofrecido muchos episodios sobre zazen, o meditación Zen, en el Zen Studies...
read more214 – How Do You DO Zazen, Anyway?
Offering you another episode on zazen risks me repeating myself, but I don’t think it hurts to offer a fresh new talk on zazen periodically. The practice – while profoundly simple – also can be frustratingly elusive. What are you supposed to do during zazen, anyway? We’re told to just sit, and then allow thoughts to come and go, neither chasing them nor pushing them away. Is that it? In this episode I explore exactly what we’re supposed to be doing in zazen, and how to know if we’re doing it correctly.
read more213 – Deconstruyendo el Yo: ¿Qué aspectos son buenos y cuáles causan sufrimiento?
Category: Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 213 La enseñanza central del Zen es que comprender la verdadera naturaleza del yo es de...
read more213 – Deconstructing Self: Which Aspects Are Fine, and Which Cause Suffering?
The core teaching of Zen is that understanding the true nature of self is of the utmost importance to living a life that is liberated, compassionate, generous, wise, and skillful. Mindful examination of a subject like the self classically involves something akin to deconstruction; once we recognize the component parts of something, our sense of it as monolithic thing or force is undermined. I parse "the self" into six aspects, and discuss how each relates to our practice.
read more212 – La Sabiduría del Juego
Category: Práctica Budista, Textos Budistas ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 212 Cuando jugamos de todo corazón, nos enfrentamos al mundo con...
read more212 – The Wisdom of Play
When we play wholeheartedly, we engage the world with energy, joy, lightheartedness, and enthusiasm, welcoming challenge and enjoying our activity for its own sake. We rarely have the same attitude toward our work, responsibilities, difficulties, or even our Buddhist practice. What if we did? Zen Master Hongzhi suggests a playful attitude might actually be an enlightened one.
read more211 – Book Review – Kosho Uchiyama’s “Opening the Hand of Thought”
Uchiyama Roshi's Opening the Hand of Thought is a great book for the beginner as well as the advanced practitioner of Zen. Uchiyama manages to balance philosophical discussion of the most challenging Zen topics - the nature of zazen, and awakening to universal self - with a compassionate, down-to-earth, creative (and sometimes humorous) style that makes you think, "I just might get it this time!"
read more210 – Book Review: Kyogen Carlson’s “You Are Still Here”
This book is a treasure in that it collects in one place the essential subjects and themes of Kyogen Carlson’s teaching, which remains faithful to his Soto Zen lineage through Roshi Jiyu Kennett but reflects Kyogen’s ability to express the Dharma in a down-to-earth, inviting, but nonetheless challenging way.
read more209 – Book Review: Issho Fujita’s “Polishing a Tile”
In this episode I review Issho Fujita's Polishing a Tile. This is far and away my favorite book on zazen of all time, and it covers other essential aspects of Zen practice as well. This book isn't available as a hard copy, although I wish it was! However, you can access a pdf online in a number of places.
read more208 – Nueve Beneficios de la Práctica Budista en Tiempos Difíciles
Category: Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 208 ¿Cómo puede ayudarnos la práctica a lidiar con las fuertes emociones negativas que...
read more208 – Nine Benefits of Buddhist Practice in Difficult Times
How can practice help us deal with the strong negative emotions we experience in difficult times, such as anger, hatred, fear, or despair? Fortunately, Buddhist practice is a powerful way to decrease our pain, agitation, reactivity, and preoccupation no matter what difficulties we’re facing, whether the challenges are in our personal lives or out in the world. I talk about nine benefits of Buddhist practice that are especially helpful when you’re facing difficult times.
read more207 – Zendo Tierra, Zendo Nube, Una Sangha: La Comunidad Budista en la Era Digital – Parte 2
Category: Budismo Hoy ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 207 En el último episodio, describí los espacios de práctica físicos y virtuales en Bright Way...
read more207 – Dirt Zendo, Cloud Zendo, One Sangha: Buddhist Community in the Digital Age – Part 2
In the last episode, I talked about the new phenomenon of a virtual space for practice, including its merits and benefits. In this episode, I talk about the merits of practicing in a "Dirt Zendo" - a physical practice space, in-the-flesh. I then describe, at Bright Way Zen, we are attempting to create a sense of Sangha that connects and includes anyone who practices with us, regardless of whether they participate in-the-flesh, online (in our Cloud Zendo), or both.
read more206 – Zendo Tierra, Zendo Nube, Una Sangha: La Comunidad Budista en la Era Digital – Parte 1
Category: Budismo Hoy ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 206 Desde el cierre por COVID, las comunidades Budistas han ampliado enormemente sus...
read more206 – Dirt Zendo, Cloud Zendo, One Sangha: Buddhist Community in the Digital Age – Part 1
Since COVID lockdown, Buddhist communities have greatly expanded their online practice opportunities. Virtual spaces are surprisingly effective for practice and building a sense of Sangha. Many Buddhist and Zen centers are now facing the prospect of permanently including options for virtual participation, which brings many opportunities but also many challenges. I discuss how the virtual and physical practice spaces look at my Zen center, and how we structure hybrid meetings. Then I talk about the merits of what we call the “Cloud Zendo.” In my next episode, I’ll discuss the merits of a good old-fashioned physical practice space, which we call the “Dirt Zendo,” and the ways my Zen center is trying to integrate and care for both of our Zendos and create a sense of being one Sangha.
read more205 – Motivación para la práctica: ¿Qué amas más profundamente?
Category: Práctica Budista ~ Translator: Claudio Sabogal Click here for audio + English version of Episode 205 Para encontrar la motivación para la práctica diligente, puede ser útil identificar y...
read more205 – Motivation for Practice: What Do You Love Most Deeply?
In order to find motivation for diligent practice, it can help to identify and connect with what you love more than anything else in the whole world. What love makes your life worth living? Love for your children, grandchildren, animals, nature, music, beauty, justice, knowledge? What or who arouses an unconditional sense of affinity and inspiration in the core of your being? Then practice for the subject of your love, because practice makes you better able to access, express, and manifest your love.
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