The Zen Studies Podcast

Dharma Talks (a bit more personal take on Dharma topics)

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

by | Oct 20, 2025
316 – Buddhist Communities and Public Political Stands: A Moral Quandary

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.

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315 – Bad Zazen: Not Just an Oxymoron

by | Sep 30, 2025
315 – Bad Zazen: Not Just an Oxymoron

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?

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313 – Ten Fields of Zen, Field 7 – Karma Work: Learning and Caring for the Self (3 of 3)

by | Sep 14, 2025
313 – Ten Fields of Zen, Field 7 – Karma Work: Learning and Caring for the Self (3 of 3)

This is the third part of three of my episodes on “Learning the Self,” one of my Ten Fields of Zen. In the first episode I discussed why we “study the self” in Zen, and what “self” we’re talking about if – according to the teachings – the self is empty of any inherent nature! In the second episode I talked about what is meant by “studying” or “learning” the self. I also explained the idea of Karma and discussed why it’s valuable to work on it. In this episode, I cover how we do Karmic Work. 

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312 – Ten Fields of Zen, Field 7 – Karma Work: Learning and Caring for the Self (2 of 3)

by | Aug 31, 2025
312 – Ten Fields of Zen, Field 7 – Karma Work: Learning and Caring for the Self (2 of 3)

This is part two of three of my series on “Learning the Self,” one of my Ten Fields of Zen. In the first episode I discussed why we “study the self” in Zen, and what “self” we’re talking about if – according to the teachings – the self is empty of any inherent nature! Now I’m moving on what is meant by “studying” or “learning” the self. This part of our practice has two essential aspects. Karma Work is taking care of your Phenomenal Self - becoming intimately familiar with your own body and mind and learning to live in accord with the Dharma. Realization of your True Nature involves seeking out, questioning, and seeing through your belief in an inherent self-nature, thereby awakening to your True Nature.

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310 – Three Paths: The Value of Monastics, Clergy, and Lay Practitioners in Western Zen

by | Aug 16, 2025
310 – Three Paths: The Value of Monastics, Clergy, and Lay Practitioners in Western Zen

Since the Buddha’s time, certain practitioners have chosen to leave the household life to dedicate themselves completely to formal Buddhist training. Undergoing a ceremony of ordination in which they took monastic vows, these monks and nuns lived the remainder of their lives within a Sangha – community – of other ordained people. In modern Western Zen, you will find a thoroughly confusing situation where ordained people who live fully monastic lives are rare, most ordained people are called “priests” and live householder lives, and practitioners who are not ordained often teach the Dharma and lead lay Sanghas (functions historically reserved for ordained people). What is the use – if any – of continuing with a tradition of “ordination?” I discuss the value of monks, priests, and lay practitioners in the context of Zen as it is currently manifesting in the United States.

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309 – Dana, the Paramita of Generosity: Buddhist Teachings on Giving (2 of 4)

by | Jul 31, 2025
309 – Dana, the Paramita of Generosity: Buddhist Teachings on Giving (2 of 4)

I discuss the oldest source of Buddhist teachings on Dana as a bodhisattva perfection – the Jataka tales, or stories about Shakyamuni Buddha’s remarkable actions during previous lifetimes. Such stories inspired people to follow the bodhisattva path in both Theravadin and Mahayana Buddhism, so I spend some time discussing the Theravadin paramis, and particularly the parami of Dana.

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308 – Q&A: Sharing the Dharma with Children, Mindfulness, and a Posture Mistake

by | Jul 25, 2025
308 – Q&A: Sharing the Dharma with Children, Mindfulness, and a Posture Mistake

In this episode I answer listener questions: How do you address the dharma and practice with young kids? If I'm trying to be mindful on work breaks, should I just go cold turkey and not look at my phone at all or maybe try a more moderate approach like eating my meal and then looking at my phone? Is it even possible to be mindful while looking at social media, checking email, etc.? And: When sitting in meditation posture, what should I do with my stomach?

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307 – Dana, the Paramita of Generosity: Buddhist Teachings on Giving (1 of 4)

by | Jul 8, 2025
307 – Dana, the Paramita of Generosity: Buddhist Teachings on Giving (1 of 4)

Dana, generosity or giving, is the first Mahayana Buddhist paramita. Generosity is where the journey to self-transcendence begins. In this first episode on Dana, I give an overview of the Buddha’s teachings on the virtue of giving. These teachings are from before Dana was defined as one of the paramis or paramitas – that is, perfections cultivated by someone on the bodhisattva path. In the next episode I discuss Dana as a perfection.

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