In the Rinzai tradition there are three core elements that form the foundation of practice. They are the Great Root of Faith, the Great Mass of Doubt and a Great Fierce Resolve. But why are they “great”? I have always loved the idea that the character for great, 大, features the pictographic element of someone standing with their arms outstretched.
Peter explores Zhaozhou’s koan “The Supreme Way is not difficult”. Flowing through Yuanwu’s pointer, the Xinxin Ming, family life, and Xuedou’s verse, this koan shows us how practice meets difficulty without turning clarity, non-discrimination, Buddha, or Zen into something we subtly dwell in. This teisho given by apprentice teacher Peter Bursky at Winter sesshin 2026 at Annandale is from Case
Peter explores in Nanquan’s “Like a Dream,” how profound words can become another dream, how philosophical insight can miss ordinary life, and how Nanquan cuts through it all by pointing to one flower. Xuedou’s verse deepens the question: seeing, hearing, awakening, knowing — can we meet them before they harden into understanding? This teisho given by apprentice teacher Peter Bursky
Yang-shan had a dream in which he went to Maitreya’s realm and preached to the assembly (Case 25 Wu-men Kuan). In this teisho about a teisho, there is some discussion of the teachings of Nagarjuna and its influence on the Ch’an or Zen school. In Yang-shan’s teaching we are brought back to this very moment, to the Kanzeon view of
How do I transcend equality and differentiation? asked a monk of the priest Feng-hsueh (Case 24 Wu-men Kuan). Jane explores the meaning for us of these terms and how they relate to practice. She also relates this case to the theme of Winter sesshin: ‘Live neither in the entanglements of outer things, not in inner feelings of emptinesss.’ This teisho was
Will explores what it means to sit with a Metta practice. He gives a guided meditation which involves bringing loving kindness to ourselves, our friends and family, those people we don’t know, and all beings. This practice instruction was given at Autumn sesshin at Kodoji in 2026 instruction was given by Will Moon, roshi at Autumn sesshin 2026 at Kodoji.
Will explores the interaction between Fayan and two students about the simple question of whether the student came to the temple by boat or land. The student responds that he came by boat. Fayan then asks where is the boat? The student responds that “it is on the river.” This response is key to the discussion and to our insight
In this Practice instruction Will explores the history of koans and how to approach and work with them in our practice today. This talk was given by Will Moon, roshi at Autumn sesshin 2026 at Kodoji
In this teisho Will turns our attention within to see what is there. What do we see? Observing the mind that thinks, what do we see? Who is the thinker? The talk discusses the importance of not stopping at emptiness. This is not enough if we are to be truly human. This tesiho given by Will Moon, roshi, explores Case
Subhana explores if we are lost in the world of coming and going, arising and ceasing, or can the very Spring mood itself of scented grasses and falling flowers, confirm our original dwelling place based on Ch’ang-sha’s wandering in the Mountains. This teisho is fromCase 36 of Blue Cliff Records, and was given by Subhana Barzaghi, roshi during Autumn sesshin
