Rochester Zen Center Teisho (Zen Talks)

January 2025 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on Silent Illumination: A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening by Zen Master Guo Gu Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Silent Illumination” #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A look at knowing and not knowing, in the intellectual sense — that is, using the discriminating mind — versus the Zen sense of waking up to the truth of No Self. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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December 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

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December 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

The post Deepening Zen #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The foundation of the Buddha’s Path is recognizing and accepting how “things” are. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Right View and the Three Marks of Existence appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The true potential of Taking the Precepts comes from our efforts to live them, to integrate them into our practice and our everyday interactions. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Reflections on an Election Disaster appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Noticing when we’re lost in the dream and returning to direct, embodied experience. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Get Out of Your Head appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

It is what it is. The recent presidential election affected many people on a deep emotional level, and in differing ways. From the vantage point of Zen practice, how do we work with whatever we’re feeling? How do we step back and see more clearly things as they are? Dharma Talk by Tom Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Es lo que Hay appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2024 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on “Everyday Zen: Love and Work” by Charlotte Joko Beck. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2024 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on “Everyday Zen: Love and Work” by Charlotte Joko Beck. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2024 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Faith in Mind #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2024 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Faith in Mind #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Faith in Mind #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Cynicism is a mindset characterized by mistrust and negativity, obstructing one’s ability to see things clearly. It’s also a social phenomenon that can spread across individuals and communities. A look at the science of cynicism and how Zen practice can help us to uncover our innate clarity and compassion. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Seeing Through Cynicism appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Breaking free from our preoccupation with the opinions of others. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Living Your Own Life appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September-October 2024 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Mumonkan (The Gateless Barrier) #22, “Kasyapa and a Flag Pole” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September-October 2024 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on Charlotte Joko Beck’s Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice. Edited by Brenda Beck Hess. Shambhala Press, 2021. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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September-October 2024 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on Charlotte Joko Beck’s Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice. Edited by Brenda Beck Hess. Shambhala Press, 2021. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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September-October 2024 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on Guo Gu’s The Essence of Chan: A Guide to Life and Practice According to the Teachings of Bodhidharma. Shambhala Press, 2012. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Bodhidharma #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September-October 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on Guo Gu’s The Essence of Chan: A Guide to Life and Practice According to the Teachings of Bodhidharma. Shambhala Press, 2012. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Bodhidharma #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September-October 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on Guo Gu’s The Essence of Chan: A Guide to Life and Practice According to the Teachings of Bodhidharma. Shambhala Press, 2012. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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Recognizing our propensity for mental shortcuts that cut us off from what’s actually happening and learning to take more in. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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What is happening in the brain when we feel bored? How can boredom aid us in our practice? Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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September 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Subtitle: Working With This Conceptualizing Mind in Sesshin. Reading from the book Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

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September 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Subtitle: Working With Problems and Distractions in Sesshin. Reading from the book Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana. Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

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October 1973 Sesshin, Day 6
From October 1973 Sesshin, Day 6. A commentary on the koan. Played on Founder’s Day – August 18, 2024. Teisho by Roshi Philip Kapleau.  Automated Transcript

The post Teisho by Roshi Philip Kapleau: Blue Cliff Record #7 “Fayen’s ‘You are Echo'” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Joy is not outside ourselves. It’s what we uncover through practice. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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The radical approach of Zen meditation: Turning inward rather than looking outside ourselves. Reading and commenting on I Gave Myself Three Months to Change My Personality: The Results Were Mixed by Olga Khazan and Novice to Master: An Ongoing Lesson in the Extent of My Own Stupidity by Roshi Soko Morinaga Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

The post No-self, Personality, and Our Desire to Change appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A look at Right Speech as a form of practice “off the mat”, using ways of responding to micro-aggressions as an example. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Transcript

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July 2024 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Mumonkan # 13, “Tokusan Carries His Bowls” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2024 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on Dream Conversations: On Buddhism and Zen by Muso Kokushi, translated by Thomas Cleary (Part 3) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Muso Kokushi #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2024 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on Dream Conversations: On Buddhism and Zen by Muso Kokushi, translated by Thomas Cleary (Part 2) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Muso Kokushi #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2024 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on Dream Conversations: On Buddhism and Zen by Muso Kokushi, translated by Thomas Cleary (Part 1) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Muso Kokushi #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu, translated by J. C. Cleary (Part 2) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu, translated by J. C. Cleary (Part 1) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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The simplicity of Zen practice, with some inspiration from Henry David Thoreau. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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Our discriminating mind divides the social world into groups based on perceived differences — racial, gender, class, age, ability, etc. How can we actualize our intrinsic not-twoness through Zen practice? Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post No Other appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2024 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on the teachings of Roshi Maurine Stuart (Part 3). From Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Roko Sherry Chayat. Shambhala Press, 1996. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Forgetting Everything appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2024 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on the teachings of Roshi Maurine Stuart (Part 2). From Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Roko Sherry Chayat. Shambhala Press, 1996. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Listening to the Mind appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2024 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on the teachings of Roshi Maurine Stuart (Part 1). From Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Roko Sherry Chayat. Shambhala Press, 1996. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post No Big Deal appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2024 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on the teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi (Part 3). From Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha: The Life and Teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi. Translated by Belenda Attaway Yamakawa. Edited by Kogen Czarina. Afterword by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede. Shambhala Press, 2012. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Suffering appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on the teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi (Part 2). From Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha: The Life and Teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi. Translated by Belenda Attaway Yamakawa. Edited by Kogen Czarina. Afterword by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede. Shambhala Press, 2012. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post The Illusion of a Separate Self appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on the teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi (Part 1). From Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha: The Life and Teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi. Translated by Belenda Attaway Yamakawa. Edited by Kogen Czarina. Afterword by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede. Shambhala Press, 2012. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Zazen appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

At the heart of clergy sexual misconduct is the breaking of sacred trust. This is one woman's story of finding her way back to spiritual practice and community in the aftermath of filing a complaint of clergy sexual misconduct.  Coming to the Path Talk by Anna Belle Leiserson.  Transcript

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Bringing awareness to the habitual reactivity that diminishes our lives. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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April 2024 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on the teachings of Charlotte Joko Beck from Everyday Zen: Love and Work. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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April 2024 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on the teachings of Ajahn Chah (Part 2) from Living Dharma: Teachings and Meditation Instructions from Twelve Theravada Masters by Jack Kornfield. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Living Dharma #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

April 2024 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on the teachings of Ajahn Chah from Living Dharma: Teachings and Meditation Instructions from Twelve Theravada Masters by Jack Kornfield Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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April 2024 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen, Part 3. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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April 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen, Part 2. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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April 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on the teachings of Chan Master Sheng Yen Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Dropping our habitual, compulsive busyness and finding our refuge in the direct experience of this moment. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Birth and death are not discrete events, but rather part of a continuing process of coming and going. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

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Daring to live fully in the shadow of possible disaster. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Coming to the Path Talk by Christopher Maley.  Automated Transcript

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Conditions come and go. At times, one may feel motivated and energized by practice, and, at other times, discouraged and stuck in a rut. How do we stay engaged in the midst of changing conditions? Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post The Ebb and Flow of Zen Practice appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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February 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Chan Master Sheng Yen’s Helps and Hindrances to Sesshin Practice, Part 2. Sources: Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic by Chan Master Sheng Yen; Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart by Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield; One Hand Clapping: Zen Stories for All Ages by Rafe Martin; Taking Flight: A... Dharma Talk by Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry.  Automated Transcript

The post Advice on Sesshin Practice #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Chan Master Sheng Yen’s Helps and Hindrances to Sesshin Practice, Part 1. Sources: Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic by Chan Master Sheng Yen; Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart by Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield; One Hand Clapping: Zen Stories for All Ages by Rafe Martin; Taking Flight: A... Dharma Talk by Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry.  Automated Transcript

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Full title: No-Self and Habits as Far as the Eye Can See Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Coming to the Path Talk by Maimoona Ramaswamy.  Automated Transcript

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Finding a way beyond grasping and rejecting, beyond success and failure. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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The experience of physical pain is part of the human condition. In taking up a sitting practice, we have the opportunity to learn how to work with pain and transform our relationship to it. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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January 2024 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice by Charlotte Joko Beck Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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January 2024 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on Nothing Special: Living Zen by Charlotte Joko Beck (Part 2) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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January 2024 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on Nothing Special: Living Zen by Charlotte Joko Beck (Part 1) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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January 2024 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on Teachings of a Buddhist Monk by Ven. Ajahn Sumedho (Part 3) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of a Buddhist Monk #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2024 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on Teachings of a Buddhist Monk by Ven. Ajahn Sumedho (Part 2) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of a Buddhist Monk #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2024 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on Teachings of a Buddhist Monk by Ven. Ajahn Sumedho (Part 1) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Gaza: Revenge and the Law of Karma appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The human experience of time is shaped by social conditioning. Through Zen practice we learn to let go of our attachment to time as linear and cumulative, releasing ourselves into the eternal, present now. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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December 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle (Part 2). Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

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December 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle (Part 1). Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

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Full Title: Outrage, Resentment, Acceptance, and Forgiveness. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2023 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on the teachings of Charlotte Joko Beck (Part 2). Source: Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck. Edited by Steve Smith. Harper Collins, 1989. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Charlotte Joko Beck #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2023 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on the teachings of Charlotte Joko Beck (Part 1). Source: Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck. Edited by Steve Smith. Harper Collins, 1989. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Charlotte Joko Beck #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on the teachings of Maurine Stuart (Part 4). Source: Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Sherry Chayat. Shambhala, 1996 Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on the teachings of Maurine Stuart (Part 3). Source: Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Sherry Chayat. Shambhala, 1996 Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on the teachings of Maurine Stuart (Part 2). Source: Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Sherry Chayat. Shambhala, 1996 Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on the teachings of Maurine Stuart (Part 1). Source: Subtle Sound: The Zen Teachings of Maurine Stuart. Edited by Sherry Chayat. Shambhala, 1996 Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Coming to the Path Talk by Ven. Kanji Argetsinger.  Automated Transcript

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Practice and our lives are not two. Insight comes when the thinking mind falls silent. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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September 2023 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Shoyoroku (Book of Serenity) #89, “Dongshan’s ‘No Grass’” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2023 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on the teachings of American Zen teacher Joko Beck (Part 3). Source: Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck. Edited by Steve Smith. Harper Collins, 1989. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of American Zen teacher Joko Beck #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on the teachings of American Zen teacher Joko Beck (Part 2). Source: Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck. Edited by Steve Smith. Harper Collins, 1989. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of American Zen teacher Joko Beck #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on the teachings of American Zen teacher Joko Beck (Part 1). Source: Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck. Edited by Steve Smith. Harper Collins, 1989. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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September 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on the teachings of Zen Master Foyan. Sources: Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Masters and their Teachings (Expanded Edition) by Andy Ferguson. Wisdom Publications, 2011. Zen Essence: The Science of Freedom, translated and edited by Thomas Cleary. Shambhala Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Teachings of Zen Master Foyan appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on the teachings of Zen Master Yuanwu. Sources: Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Masters and their Teachings (Expanded Edition) by Andy Ferguson. Wisdom Publications, 2011. Zen Essence: The Science of Freedom, translated and edited by Thomas Cleary. Shambhala Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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How to engage your practice in the midst of activity, whether it involves manual work or intellectually-demanding tasks. Resources: Sweeping Changes: Discovering the Joy of Zen in Everyday Tasks by Gary Thorp (Walker Books, 2000).  “The Value of ‘Deep Work’ in an Age of Distraction,” Hidden Brain podcast featuring Cal Newport (July 25, 2017). Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Transcript

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September 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Reading from Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana. Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

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September 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Meditation: Why Bother? Developing the Right Attitude. Reading from Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana. Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

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From October 1975 Sesshin, Day 1. A commentary on the koan and the teacher- student dynamic. Played on Founder’s Day – August 20, 2023. Teisho by Roshi Philip Kapleau.  Automated Transcript

The post Teisho by Roshi Philip Kapleau: Mumonkan #38 “A Buffalo Goes Through a Window” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2023 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Mumonkan #11, “Joshu and Two Hermits” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2023 Sesshin, Day 5
A commentary on Zen Essence, translated and edited by Thomas Cleary. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post “Zen Essence” #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
A commentary on Zen Essence, translated and edited by Thomas Cleary. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
A commentary on Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui. (translated by J.C. Cleary). Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
A commentary on Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui. (translated by J.C. Cleary). Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Roshi Kjolhede begins this teisho with biographical highlights of Zen Master Ta Hui, based on Andy Ferguson’s Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Master’s and Their Teachings.   He then continues with a commentary on Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui. (translated by J.C. Cleary). Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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When we let go of all the ways we discriminate between self and other, we open up to the suffering of all beings, and to the transformative power of love. Sources: Anthony De Mello, The Way to Love, Image Books, 1995. bell hooks, “Contemplation and Transformation,” Buddhist Women on the Edge: Contemporary Perspectives from the... Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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Coming to the Path Talk by Bill Lindenfelser.  Automated Transcript

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Our eagerness to cut short whatever feels tedious by chasing after distractions and excitement comes to diminish our lives. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Comments about the Center’s Board of Trustees recent decision not to display the Black Lives Matter flag (or other non-Dharma-symbol flags) on the Arnold Park building. Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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June 2023 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on dialogues between Bankei and students (Part 2). Source: The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693. Revised edition translated with an introduction by Norman Waddell. North Point Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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June 2023 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on dialogues between Bankei and students (Part 1). Source: The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693. Revised edition translated with an introduction by Norman Waddell. North Point Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei #5 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on Bankei’s public talk delivered during a training period at Ryumon-ji (Part 2). Source: The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693. Revised edition translated with an introduction by Norman Waddell. North Point Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on Bankei’s public talk delivered during a training period at Ryumon-ji (Part 1). Source: The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693. Revised edition translated with an introduction by Norman Waddell. North Point Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on the life of 17th-century Japanese Zen Master Bankei Yotaku (Part 2). Source: The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693. Revised edition translated with an introduction by Norman Waddell. North Point Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on the life of 17th-century Japanese Zen Master Bankei Yotaku (Part 1). Source: The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693. Revised edition translated with an introduction by Norman Waddell. North Point Press, 2000. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Transcript

The post Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Two of the four Brahma-viharas. Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

The post Equanimity and Compassion appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

How do we embody the Precepts in our everyday lives? An overview of morality in Zen and the RZC’s Taking the Precepts Ceremony. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Taking the Precepts: An Introduction appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Exploring the intersection between Zen practice and neuroscience on our capacity for experiencing awe in ordinary activities. Commentary on Dacher Keltner’s “The Quiet Profundity of Everyday Awe”, The Atlantic: January 13, 2023. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Discovering Awe in Just This appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

May 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Question:  Should I try or should I not try? Do I apply effort in practice or do I surrender? Ought there be discipline or should it come naturally? Answer: Yes! Sources: Awakening to Zen by Roshi Philip Kapleau; Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart by Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield. Dharma Talk by Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry.  Automated Transcript

The post Not Too Hard, Not Too Soft: Finding the Sweet Spot in Practice appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

May 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
How to make the most of chanting, talks, and personalized instruction during sesshin. Sharing the teachings of Roshi Philip Kapleau, founder of Rochester Zen Center, on the 19th anniversary of his death. Source: Zen: Merging of East and West by Roshi Philip Kapleau. Dharma Talk by Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry.  Automated Transcript

The post Making the Most of Each Moment of Sesshin appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Bodhin-roshi’s comments on the controversy surrounding the February video of “the Dalai Lama and the boy.” (Correction: the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959, not 1951 as was stated in the talk.) Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post The Dalai Lama and the Boy appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A look at Master Dogen’s treatise ‘Instructions to the Cook,’ with reflections on my own experiences as a cook, particularly at the Zen Center, as well as on work practice in general. Dharma Talk by Ven. Kanji Argetsinger.  Automated Transcript

The post Instructions to the Cook appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The layering of suffering. Coming to the Path Talk by Rebecca Gilbert.  Automated Transcript

The post Coming to the Path Talk by Rebecca Gilbert appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Further exploration of practice off the mat. (Continuing the theme of the teisho of February 19, 2023.) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Stop Fixing Yourself appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2023 Sesshin, Day 6
Mumonkan #13, Tokusan Carries His Bowls. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Mumonkan #13, Tokusan Carries His Bowls appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2023 Sesshin, Day 5
Illuminating Silence: Insights on the Path of Chinese Zen by Master Sheng-Yen and John Crook. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Illuminating Silence #5 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
Illuminating Silence: Insights on the Path of Chinese Zen by Master Sheng-Yen and John Crook. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Illuminating Silence #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
Illuminating Silence: Insights on the Path of Chinese Zen by Master Sheng-Yen and John Crook. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Illuminating Silence #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Illuminating Silence: Insights on the Path of Chinese Zen by Master Sheng-Yen and John Crook. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Illuminating Silence #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Illuminating Silence: Insights on the Path of Chinese Zen by Master Sheng-Yen and John Crook. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Illuminating Silence #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post A Buddhist View of Non-violence and the War in Ukraine appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Zen practice is a method, not a technique. As a result, practice can sometimes feel frustrating since there’s no step-by-step instruction manual telling us “Exactly What to Do.” (Nor will there ever be.) So how do we practice? Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

The post Skillful Effort, Skillful Concentration appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

We’re socially conditioned to lead with the head, however Zen is not a mental activity. How do we get our practice into the body-mind? Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Practicing with Our Whole Being appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
Blue Cliff Record #21 “Chimon and the Lotus.” Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Blue Cliff Record #21 “Chimon and the Lotus.” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on “Attaining the Way: A Guide to the Practice of Chan Buddhism” by Master Sheng Yen. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post “Attaining the Way” by Master Sheng Yen appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on “Subtle Wisdom: Understanding Suffering, Cultivating Compassion Through Chan Buddhism” by Master Sheng Yen Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post “Subtle Wisdom” by Master Sheng Yen #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on “Subtle Wisdom: Understanding Suffering, Cultivating Compassion Through Chan Buddhism” by Master Sheng Yen. Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post “Subtle Wisdom” by Master Sheng Yen #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Zen practice has the potential to change our lives for the better. So what are we doing when we’re not facing a wall?  (See also the teisho Stop Fixing Yourself.) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Transcript

The post Practice Off the Mat appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The usual human response to trouble and uncertainty is anxiety and resistance. How can we learn to live wholeheartedly with things as they are? Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post It’s OK to Suffer appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A senior student speaks candidly about his time at the Center, including his intense efforts to stay with Zen practice through severe depression and cancer. Coming to the Path Talk by Jonathan Hager.  Automated Transcript

The post Coming to the Path Talk by Jonathan Hager appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Marsha Linehan is the creator of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) which was the first form of psychotherapy proven effective for suicidal people with personality disorders. Her work was driven by her own struggles and by her experience in Zen training. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Marsha Linehan and Radical Acceptance appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2023 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Song of Mind” by Sheng Yen, Part 2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2023 Sesshin, Day 5
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Song of Mind” by Sheng Yen, Part 1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2023 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away: Teachings on Impermanence and the End of Suffering” by Ajahn Chah (trans. by Paul Breiter) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away” by Ajahn Chah #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2023 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away: Teachings on Impermanence and the End of Suffering” by Ajahn Chah (trans. by Paul Breiter) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away” by Ajahn Chah #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2023 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away: Teachings on Impermanence and the End of Suffering” by Ajahn Chah (trans. by Paul Breiter) Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away” by Ajahn Chah #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2023 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away: Teachings on Impermanence and the End of Suffering” by Ajahn Chah (trans. by Paul Breiter). Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away” by Ajahn Chah #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Separating Dharma from Dogma. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen and Religion appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post The Privilege of Being Present at Transitions appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Teisho by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Working with the Urge to Consume appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post The Precepts, Part 2: The Ten Cardinal Precepts appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Thanksgiving Advice appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post The Precepts, Part 1: The Three Poisons, Repentance, The Three Refuges, and The Three Pure Precepts appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2022 Sesshin, Day 6
Description: What is my light? Why can’t I see it? How do I stop objectifying myself and those around me? Source(s): The Golden Age of Zen by John C.H. Wu, Doubleday 1996. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Automated Transcript

The post Hekiganroku #86, Ummon’s “Everybody has their own light” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2022 Sesshin, Day 5
Description: Zen practice is experiential — we each have to find our way to the truth, giving up our egoistic striving. Source(s): Subtle Sound by Roko Sherry Chayat, Shambhala 1996. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Automated Transcript

The post The Teachings of Maurine Stuart-roshi 5 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
Description: Pride in our good deeds reinforces our sense of self-importance, and therefore works at cross-purposes to our efforts to free ourselves from the delusion of separation. Source(s): Subtle Sound by Roko Sherry Chayat, Shambhala 1996. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Automated Transcript

The post The Teachings of Maurine Stuart-roshi 4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Description: A master once said, “The taste of Zen is pain in the knees.” How do we work creatively with pain and weariness in these early days of sesshin? Source(s): Subtle Sound by Roko Sherry Chayat, Shambhala 1996. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Automated Transcript

The post The Teachings of Maurine Stuart-roshi 3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Description: Practising right where we are. Source(s): Meetings with Remarkable Women by Lenore Friedman, Shambhala 1987; Subtle Sound by Roko Sherry Chayat, Shambhala 1996. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Automated Transcript

The post The Teachings of Maurine Stuart-roshi 2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Description: Biographical material Source(s): Meetings with Remarkable Women by Lenore Friedman, Shambhala 1987; Subtle Sound by Roko Sherry Chayat, Shambhala 1996. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Automated Transcript

The post The Teachings of Maurine Stuart-roshi 1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

How Zen practice deconstructs the self while the Dharma nourishes the Self, with a commentary on the koan “Linji’s Blind Donkey”. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Destruction and Aspiration appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Blue Cliff Record #53, “Hyakujo and the Wild Duck” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 Sesshin, Day 5
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Master Bassui from Mud and Water (trans. by Arthur Braverman) #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Master Bassui from Mud and Water (trans. by Arthur Braverman) #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Transcript

The post Zen Master Bassui from The Three Pillars of Zen appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Master Foyan from Instant Zen: Waking Up In the Present (trans. by Thomas Cleary) #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Master Foyan from Instant Zen: Waking Up In the Present (trans. by Thomas Cleary) #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A look at the sanctioning next month of Donna Kowal and at my stepping aside, featuring Case 40 in the Mumonkan, “Kicking Over the Water Bottle.” Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Transcript

The post Zen Teacher Authorization appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 2-Day Sesshin, Day 2
Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

The post Faith: Passages from “And There Was Light” by Jacques Lusseran appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

September 2022 2-Day Sesshin, Day 1
Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

The post The Teachings of Empty Cloud (Xu Yun) followed by Q & A appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

By trying to wall off the inevitable pain we encounter, we make it hurt more and last longer. Acceptance and practice show us another way. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post OK with Things as They Are appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

From December 1979 Sesshin, Day 7. Played on Founder’s Day – August 14, 2022. Teisho by Roshi Philip Kapleau.  Automated Transcript

The post Teisho by Roshi Kapleau: Hekiganroku #38, “Fuketsu and the Dharma Seal” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2022 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2022 Sesshin, Day 5
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Dream Conversations: On Buddhism and Zen: Kokushi, Muso (trans. by Thomas Cleary) #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Dream Conversations: On Buddhism and Zen: Kokushi, Muso (trans. by Thomas Cleary) #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

July 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Dream Conversations: On Buddhism and Zen: Kokushi, Muso (trans. by Thomas Cleary) #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The images revealed by the Webb Telescope will vastly extend our knowledge. Wisdom, however, grows from looking inward. Who is seeing that projection of the mind we call the universe? Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Seeing Into Space, Seeing Into Mind appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The book Buddhism, by Smith and Novak, identifies six aspects of religion. How many fit with Zen? Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Buddhism–Religion, or Not? appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Faith is the anchor of Zen practice, but faith in what? Not a person, not a thing. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Transcript

The post Faith appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

The post Forbearance: the Third Paramita appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 7
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Shoyoroku # 14, “Attendent Huo Serves Tea” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Mumonkan # 9, “Daitsu Chisho Buddha” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 5
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post The Practice of Zen by C.C. Chang #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post The Practice of Zen by C.C. Chang #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

June 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A look at the first of the Ten Cardinal Precepts, particularly with respect to the Buffalo mass shooting, abortion, and self-immolation. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post The First Precept: Not to Kill appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A Rochester Zen Center staff member gives her account of coming to the Dharma and to the Center. Coming to the Path Talk by Desiree Jaeger-Fine.  Automated Transcript

The post Coming to the Path Talk By Desiree Jaeger-Fine appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Master Hakuin’s Chant in Praise of Zazen, Part 2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Master Hakuin’s Chant in Praise of Zazen, Part 1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

On taking refuge in Sangha (Community). Dharma Talk by Sensei Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

The post Being Sangha appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Advice from a 21st century Stoic. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Learning to Want What We Have appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The leader of the Louisville Zen Center and a Rochester Zen Center staff member, gives her account of coming to the Dharma and to the Center. Coming to the Path Talk by Jeanette Prince-Cherry.  Transcript

The post Coming to the Path Talk by Jeanette Prince-Cherry appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 7
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Nothing Special: Living Zen” by Joko Beck #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 6
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Nothing Special: Living Zen” by Joko Beck #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 5
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice” by Joko Beck appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Silent Illumination: A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening” by Guo Gu #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Silent Illumination: A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening” by Guo Gu #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Silent Illumination: A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening” by Guo Gu #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Silent Illumination: A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening” by Guo Gu #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

The post Practice and the Inner Critical Voice appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Cultivating openness and awareness in the face of habit energies that pull us in the other direction. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Transcript

The post Ups and Downs of Practice appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Ukraine and Russia: What Would Buddha Do? appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

With Russia’s invasion the world has changed. Facing up to uncertainty and suffering. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Russia Invades Ukraine appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic” by Master Sheng Yen #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic” by Master Sheng Yen #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic” by Master Sheng Yen #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic” by Master Sheng Yen #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Working with the body and attitudes towards the body in Zen practice. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen and the Body (Part 2) appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Body awareness as a key to Zen practice. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen and the Body (Part 1) appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

A “CoronaCast.” Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post Advice From a Zen Fool appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The compulsive and unsettled tenor of modern life was diagnosed well over 300 years ago by the French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, who wrote, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Restlessness appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 7
On Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui, (trans. by J.C.Cleary). Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 6
On Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui, (trans. by J.C.Cleary). Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 5
On Being Dharma: The Essence of the Buddha’s Teachings by Ajahn Chah (trans. by Peter Breiter). Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Being Dharma” by Ajahn Chah #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 4
On Being Dharma: The Essence of the Buddha’s Teachings by Ajahn Chah (trans. by Peter Breiter). Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Being Dharma” by Ajahn Chah #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Everyday Zen: Love and Work” by Charlotte Joko Beck appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Nothing Special: Living Zen” by Charlotte Joko Beck #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

January 2022 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Transcript

The post “Nothing Special: Living Zen” by Charlotte Joko Beck #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

The three essentials of Zen practice. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Transcript

The post Faith, Doubt, Determination appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Roshi’s latest podcast episode: a blur of change. Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

The post CoronaCast: December 18 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

December 2021 Sesshin, Day 2
Dharma Talk by Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

The post “Opening the Hand of Thought” by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

December 2021 Sesshin, Day 1
Dharma Talk by Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript

The post “Opening the Hand of Thought” by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Replacing grasping and aversion with awareness. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Zen Practice and the Thinking Mind appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Morality as the first of the three foundations of Zen practice. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post A Look at the Precepts appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2021 Sesshin, Day 7
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn. Automated transcript Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post Mumonkan #16, “The Sound of the Bell” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2021 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui, translated by J.C. Cleary. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2021 Sesshin, Day 5
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

The post “Everyday Zen” by Charlotte Joko Beck #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

November 2021 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2021 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2021 Sesshin, Day 2
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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November 2021 Sesshin, Day 1
Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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On Calvin Malone’s Razor-Wire Dharma: A Buddhist Life in Prison. Dharma Talk by Eryl Kubicka.  Automated Transcript

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Examining helpful (and not so helpful) ways of approaching Zen practice. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Transcript

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September 2021 Sesshin, Day 7
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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September 2021 Sesshin, Day 6
Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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September 2021 Sesshin, Day 5
Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu (trans. by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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September 2021 Sesshin, Day 4
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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September 2021 Sesshin, Day 3
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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September 2021 Sesshin, Day 1
Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui (trans. by J.C. Cleary) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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To one degree or another, we allow habitual reactions to pain and anxiety to limit our lives. Zen practice shows us another way. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Like individuals, all nations and worlds pass. By fully facing this, with daily practice we can breathe life and even joy into our lives. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Transcript

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Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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Roshi’s latest podcast: Deja Vu – Adapting to the COVID variants. Talk by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 7
Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 6
Commentary on The Way of Korean Zen by Kusan Sunim (trans. by Martine Batchelor) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 5
Commentary on The Way of Korean Zen by Kusan Sunim (trans. by Martine Batchelor) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 4
Commentary on The Way of Korean Zen by Kusan Sunim (trans. by Martine Batchelor) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 3
Commentary on The Way of Korean Zen by Kusan Sunim (trans. by Martine Batchelor) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 2
Commentary on The Way of Korean Zen by Kusan Sunim (trans. by Martine Batchelor) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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July 2021 Sesshin, Day 1
Commentary on The Way of Korean Zen by Kusan Sunim (trans. by Martine Batchelor) Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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On working with habit forces and boredom. Commentary on excerpts from Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice by Charlotte Joko Beck, edited by Brenda Beck Hess (Shambhala, 2021). Dharma Talk by Donna Kowal.  Automated Transcript

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Looking for Truth in all the wrong places. Teisho by Sensei John Pulleyn.  Automated Transcript

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We can celebrate the 1865 Emancipation while acknowledging the enduring shackles of systemic racism and those of our own afflictions. Teisho by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede.  Automated Transcript

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June 2021 Sesshin, Day 5
Working with spiritual poverty. Teisho by Roshi Amala Wrightson.  Transcript

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