in the Cloud

Maria turns to Mumonkan Case 7, Joshu's "Wash your Bowl", his advice to a newcomer who earnestly asked him for instruction about the way. How does this simple instruction reflect the boundless way that Joshu himself asked his own teacher Nansen about when he first entered the monastery?

Recorded on November 20th, 2025

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How do we reconcile the wondrous and borderless reality of the essence with the messiness of our everyday lives? Are changing diapers, checking a phone or driving to work really compatible with "vast and void, no holiness?"

Carolyn explores this question as it was posed by Unmon in 10th century China (Case 16 of the Mumonkan) "the world is vast and wide like this. Why do we put on our seven-panel robe at the sound of the bell?" Delve in to see how there is no contraction here.

Recorded on November 13th, 2025

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In this talk, Scott takes up Case 10 of the Mumonkon, "Seizei the Poor."

Recorded on November 6th, 2025

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For this talk, Valerie is joined by friend, author, artist, and dharma teacher, Natalie Goldberg. Together, Natalie and Valerie take up case 25 in the Book of Equanimity or Shoyoroku as a way of exploring the dharma that is at the heart of every koan – this world that is at once broken and utterly complete.

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Recorded on October 30th, 2025

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How do we reconcile the wondrous and borderless reality of the essence with the messiness of our everyday lives? Are changing diapers, checking a phone or driving to work really

In this talk, Scott takes up Case 10 of the Mumonkon, “Seizei the Poor.” Recorded on November 6th, 2025 Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming a

For this talk, Valerie is joined by friend, author, artist, and dharma teacher, Natalie Goldberg. Together, Natalie and Valerie take up case 25 in the Book of Equanimity or Shoyoroku

This talk begins with the question, ‘What is it to be human?’ When Siddhartha Gautama was 29 years old, he leapt beyond the palace walls of his rarified life in search of an answer to this question. One of Shakyamuni Buddha’s earliest teachings points the way towards what he discovered: Stop and see. Stop the conditioned activity of our discursive minds, our habitual ways of framing the world, our fixed concepts about who and what we are. Put down the artifice of that narrow flashlight. Turn off the projector and see. See what remains. In effect, see in the dark.

In response to this invitation, Valerie turns to case 89 in the Hekiganroku or Blue Cliff Record, ‘Unmon’s Bright Light.’ Addressing the assembly, Unmon says, “Everyone has their own bright light. When you look at it, you can’t see it; it is complete darkness. Now, what is the bright light of you all?” Unmon’s own reply is a pointer to who we truly are and to how that matters in our lives.

This talk begins with the question, 'What is it to be human?' When Siddhartha Gautama was 29 years old, he leapt beyond the palace walls of his rarified life in search of an answer to this question. One of Shakyamuni Buddha's earliest teachings points the way towards what he discovered: Stop and see. Stop the conditioned activity of our discursive minds, our habitual ways of framing the world, our fixed concepts about who and what we are. Put down the artifice of that narrow flashlight. Turn off the projector and see. See what remains. In effect, see in the dark.

In response to this invitation, Valerie turns to case 89 in the Hekiganroku or Blue Cliff Record, 'Unmon's Bright Light.' Addressing the assembly, Unmon says, "Everyone has their own bright light. When you look at it, you can't see it; it is complete darkness. Now, what is the bright light of you all?" Unmon's own reply is a pointer to who we truly are and to how that matters in our lives.

Recorded on October 23rd, 2025

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This talk takes up case 34 in the Blue Cliff Record or Hekiganroku, "Kyozan's 'Not Wandering,'" as a guide to that exploration. Kyozan (Yangshan) asks a monk, "Where have you come from?" It's a common question – a fundamental question – that the monks of record repeatedly fail to realize. Here, the monk responds in terms of geography, the distance between here and there, near and far, coming and going. The exchange unfolds with a turning word addressed to the student and to us: Can you wander in the mountains without ever leaving home? Can you not?

Recorded on August 7th, 2025

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