“… even satori disappears. There is no more consciousness of being enlightened. When you stand, there is just standing; when you sit, there is just sitting.” Enlightenment is gone—just this ...”   Description: This talk explores the koan, “Beiko’s “Enlightenment,” from the Book of Equanimity. Beiko sends a monk to ask Kyôzan, “Do people these days really need […]

“… the core message of Zen—it is all right here, just this, right now ...”     Description: The focus of this talk is the koan, “Kempô’s “One Line,” from the Book of Equanimity. It also appears in The Gateless Gate. A monk says to Master Kempô, “I wonder where the Way is.” Kempô lifts up his stick, […]

Description: Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer and a self-described scholar practitioner. Stephen considers Buddhism to be a constantly evolving culture of awakening rather than a religious system based on immutable dogmas and beliefs. The central topic of this talk is the practice of speech. The meaning of the word practice […]

“… It is all makyô, or deceptive phenomena. The dust is swept away, and we see “Buddha,” and the dust reveals itself to be none other than Buddha all along ...”   Description: In exploring the koan, “Kassan Brandishes the Sword,” Case 68 from the Book of Equanimity, Henry begins by giving us a taste of the […]

“… three elements that are essential to serious Zen practice: great faith, great doubt and great determination …”   Description: This talk covers three elements that the 11th century master Tahui and the 18th century master Hakuin developed as “essential” to serious Zen practice. (The first and third equate to the 3rd and 4th paramitas – patience and […]