Zen

The Creative Dance

Jane Andino, musician and apprentice Zen teacher, delves into our understanding of the creative and expressive world as it relates to our Zen practice. She uses Case 82, Blue Cliff Record as an entry point into this discussion. This talk was given on day 4 of the SZC Winter sesshin 2019

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Dependent Co-Arising

Our ancestral teachers spoke of Zen as not relying on words and letters, but they did not neglect words and letters. They used words. They were not used by words. From the records of their sayings, it is clear that they were well versed in the Buddha’s sutras, as were their students. Unlike those people raised in Buddhist cultures, who

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Immanence

Paul Maloney, roshi, explores what is meant by Buddha Nature. The Zen Buddhist view on the human condition can be summarised by the following proposition of Hakuin Zenji, in the conclusion of his Song of Zazen. “This very place is the Lotus Land, this very body the Buddha.” If this can be believed, then I think it follows that there

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Walking the Way

Maggie Gluek, roshi, while wandering with Henry David Thoreau, wonders how we can open the Dharma gates of ease and joy? Caught in ideas of the importance of self, isolated from the world, and following a stream of self centred conditioned thoughts, we fail to be aware of the world around us – the scent of grasses or the colour

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Challenging Times

How do we meet the challenges of our times? And how does zazen change or save our world? Subhana Barzaghi, roshi explores the relationship between our inner and outer work in the world and the relationship between our mind and the environment. She draws on Case 32 from the Book of Serenity. This talk was given at Autumn sesshin 2019

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Be Wide Awake

Maggie Gluek, roshi talks about setting aside time and building spaces in your life where you can let everything else go and touch the place of practice in whatever form it might take. She uses Case 12 of the Wu-Men Kuan to explore how simple reminders can help to cultivate discipline. This talk was given on day 5 of the

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Everyday life

‘Carrying water and chopping wood’ is an ancient Zen description of the importance of being present now, and enjoying the simple gifts of everyday life. This talk was given by Subhana Barzaghi, roshi at Autumn sesshin 2019, day 4, at Kodoji

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How Can I Help?

Subhana Barzaghi, roshi asks a critical question for Zen practitioners, ‘What should we do in these heart-breaking times with this ecological crisis?’  How can we help our fractured and troubled world?  In challenging times we are called upon to bring as much love, wisdom, courage, compassion and gratitude as we can into the world to alleviate the suffering around us. 

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Bodhisattva Vows

Maggie Gluek, roshi helps us understand and experience what it means to be a Bodhisattva and connect deeply with the vows: The many beings are numberless, I vow to save them; greed, hatred, and ignorance rise endlessly, I vow to abandon them;dharma gates are countless, I vow to wake to them;the Buddha’s way is unsurpassed, I vow to embody it

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The Source

Dr Helen Redmond explores how Zen Practice and Environmental Activism spring from the same source. Helen has been involved in Zen for over 30 years, has been a doctor for 25 years, and has been an environmental activist for Doctors for the Environment Australia for 9 years. In this dharma talk Helen explores how how her love of nature brought her

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