Perhaps Suzuki Shosan was wise in teaching that to know death—that is the entire Buddhist teaching. While we are well-supported to ignore this truth, Zen practice does much to keep our mortality front and center. Doing so wisely, gently, with humility, and maybe a touch of humor, can steady the mind and open our hearts to poignancy and to our priorities for this precious human life.
A Life of Coherence
Questions on my mind after a week of meditation retreat in the Redwoods: What unifies and what divides us, our hearts and minds? How do we live a life that's sane amidst frenzy and whirl? An interactive community night on the topic of complexity and simplicity.
Zazen is Good for Nothing
The benefits of meditation are well-documented and worthwhile.
Yet, a pith teaching from 20th century Japan, "Zazen is Good for Nothing," points beyond our aims of self-improvement, to a freedom that refuses to be grasped by the mind bent on gain.
Three Bolts of Silk: The Practice of Giving in Harmony with Emptiness
Taking a page from Dogen's own collection of koans, we will turn Guishan's conversation with Yangshan about a gift of silk -- What role does giving play in our practice of radical thusness? And, what does our Zen tradition contribute to the conversation about such a foundational Dharma practice?
(3 of 3) Everything Included, One at a Time - Introduction to Zazen - Thinking, Shikantaza
Facilitated by Kodo, consider this three-part series a gradual entry into shikantaza, the foundational meditation practice of our school. This course is designed sequentially: we will develop our skills of awareness to include all parts of our experience, one at a time.
First session 8/9: To form our foundation: meditation on breathing and tips for establishing a daily practice.
Second session 8/16: To build upon our skills to include awareness of the body and wise practice with emotions.
Third session 8/23: To develop a mindful relationship to thinking. Having now trained with breath, body, and mind, we open to shikantaza, the heart of Zazen meditation.
(2 of 3) Everything Included, One at a Time - Introduction to Zazen
Facilitated by Kodo, consider this three-part series a gradual entry into shikantaza, the foundational meditation practice of our school. This course is designed sequentially: we will develop our skills of awareness to include all parts of our experience, one at a time.
First session 8/9: To form our foundation: meditation on breathing and tips for establishing a daily practice.
Second session 8/16: To build upon our skills to include awareness of the body and wise practice with emotions.
Third session 8/23: To develop a mindful relationship to thinking. Having now trained with breath, body, and mind, we open to shikantaza, the heart of Zazen meditation.
(1 of 3) Everything Included, One at a Time - Introduction to Zazen
Facilitated by Kodo, consider this three-part series a gradual entry into shikantaza, the foundational meditation practice of our school. This course is designed sequentially: we will develop our skills of awareness to include all parts of our experience, one at a time.
First session 8/9: To form our foundation: meditation on breathing and tips for establishing a daily practice.
Second session 8/16: To build upon our skills to include awareness of the body and wise practice with emotions.
Third session 8/23: To develop a mindful relationship to thinking. Having now trained with breath, body, and mind, we open to shikantaza, the heart of Zazen meditation.
Dongshan & The Inspiring Possibility of True Freedom
How can we relate wisely to the mind-bending teachings on emptiness? We will take cues from Dongshan’s Awakenings to find our footing.
Read moreTending the Flame: Caring for the Most Important Thing
Our final Zoom meeting before Young Urban Zen returns to the Buddha Hall at City Center, hosted by Kodo Conlin.
Zazen in Brief
Kodo surveyed 10 Dharma teachers for a brief teaching that clarifies the practice of Zazen. Here’s what he heard.
Freedom through Knowing and Seeing the Five Aggregates - The Working Ground of Bhāvanā
Teachings on the Three Working Grounds continue. This transformative framing of our experience radically undermines clinging as the heart grows wise: wise attention to the five aggregates.
My Imperfections are the Path
The Bodhisattva Precepts are the path and heritage of Zen. How can we practice them when conditions seem less than ideal? Kodo discusses an approach to practice with the Precepts that emphasizes community, self-awareness, trust, and growth.
A rendering of the Bodhisattva Precepts used at SFZC.
Another version that includes the positive formulation mentioned in this talk.
Dispatches from Tassajara
After a practice period in the Ventana Wilderness, Kodo returns to discuss a vision of urban practice as seen through mountain eyes, gleaning five commitments we can make to transformational practice.
Rev. Myo's Three Pillars of Soto Zen
The gate of Dharma is unsurpassably wide. All beings may enter. So what does it mean to have a family style? How can we think about what teachings are essential to the Soto Zen way that we have inherited from Suzuki Roshi? This talk can serve as a summary introduction to three keys of our living tradition.
Grappling with the Fearful Mind
“I'll take this opportunity to give a talk about koan #23 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate), a tale of the Sixth Ancestor and his encounter with his Dharma brother Huiming. I'll touch on mudita/empathetic joy and therefore the four brahmaviharas/divine abodes, but I hope to talk mainly about how to skillfully face fear, and how the encounter with what we fear can lead us to a deeper exploration of the sense of self.”
Read moreVen. Sāriputta & The Third Noble Truth
Kodo Conlin discusses three manifestations of the Third Noble Truth--the cessation of dukkha--and how they can be recognized and realized in practice.
Foundations of Dharma - The Second Noble Truth
This talk will serve as the second in an intermittent series on the foundational teachings of Buddhist Dharma, framed for Young Urban Zen. There's no requirement to have heard the first talk in the series, but if you would like to listen beforehand, the talk is available here:
Joy & the First Noble Truth
This talk will serve as the beginning of an intermittent series on the foundational teachings of Buddhist Dharma, framed for Young Urban Zen.
With this first talk, we will bring up such questions as, "What is this 'suffering' and why does Buddhism emphasize it so often?" "How is joy, too, part of the path?" and "What practices sustain us?"
Releasing the Inessential, Practicing the Essential
Inspired by a teaching by Jarvis Masters, Kodo Conlin asks, what is essential to our Dharma practice? How is the Dharma expressed through us when we stay close to the essential?
An Auspicious Day
Kodo shares an intuitive meditation on a timeless poem from the ancient Buddhist tradition.