Podcasts

Below is a selection of the Sydney Zen Centre podcasts published on Soundcloud.
If you are interested in listening to more, click here for access to all of SZC podcasts.

This very mind is Buddha

Ta-mei asked Ma-tsu, “What is Buddha?” Ma-tsu said, “This very mind is Buddha.” In this talk, Peter takes up the well-known case 30 of the Mumonkan. Shibayama Roshi said that “This very mind is Buddha’ is a very important philosophical saying which concisely depicts the essence of zen” yet any philosophical expositions on “This very mind is Buddha”,...

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Hakuin Zenji

Hakuin Zenji is credited with revitalising the Rinzai (Linji) tradition in 18th century Japan. In this talk, Jane looks at aspects of Hakuin’s life which serve as a reflection on our modern-day Zen practice. She explores Hakuin’s art and calligraphy as teaching, and his efforts to transform Zen from a quietist practice to one of vigour,...

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Stone Woman

Dogen’s metaphor of Stone Woman giving birth to a child by night encapsulates the wisdom of seeing into the empty nature of the ‘self’ and all hence all phenomenal things.  This realisation opens out to the way of true intimacy of interconnectedness with the 10,000 things of the world.  The awakening to the interpenetration of...

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Who is Hearing?

Peter takes up two koans that revolve around the primary koan of "Who is Hearing". Challenging the self to see where we begin and end, we eventually realise it’s not about beginnings or endings at all. There is only one timeless present, sometimes its valley streams, sometimes its rain drops... This teisho, given by apprentice...

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Silent Illumination

Subhana gives meditation instructions for Silent Illumination, also known as Just Sitting or Shikantaza.  Zen master’s Hongzhi illuminated Silent Illumination as both method and realisation of mind.  She gives a guided meditation of 15 mins, sitting in open expansive spacious awareness and letting go of identification with body and mind.  This talk was given by...

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Giving and Receiving

We recently honoured Sally Hopkins, who gave herself unstintingly to our sangha, and, in a couple of weeks, will honour Tony Coote, who gave so much to create Kodoji, our wilderness retreat centre. So, Gilly explores the concept of Dana, the Sanskrit word for giving or relinquishment. Dana is the first of the Ten Perfections,...

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The Way of Love

Subhana explores what sprinkling Holy Water on the Dragon's Tail might mean. The Christian legend of Martha and the Dragon reveals a beautiful teaching of cultivating compassion to those parts that we don’t like; pain, jealousy, judgemental reactivity and old unworthy beliefs the “dragon” parts of ourselves.   Instead of slaying the dragon or hating ourselves,...

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Bright Boundless Field

Peter introduces us to the first paragraph of Master Hongzhi’s “Practice Instructions”. In these opening lines, Hongzhi's gives us a sense of the infinite potential that we each possess, a wonderful field of boundlessness within our own experience. "With thoughts clear, sitting silently, wander into the centre of the circle of wonder..." This talk was given by Peter Bursky...

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Ritual

Maggie explores and valorises the role of ceremony in Zen practice.  Ritual objects and actions help us to forget the self and be fully present. They bring sangha into a harmonious one.  Beyond formal practice in the dojo, any action in life can be taken with loving care and presence, in the interest of all...

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