San Francisco Zen Center Dharma Talks

Our Own True Home—Dedicated to Caroline Meister

03/24/2024, Eijun Linda Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk by Eijun Linda Cutts was offered and dedicated to Caroline Meister, a Tassajara resident whose accidental death touched so many with sorrow. The talk looks at the Koan “Daowu’s...

Living A Full Life

03/23/2024, Marc Lesser, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk Marc Lesser examines some instructions from Zen Mind Beginner's Mind, for living a full life; a life of practice, joy, grief, ordinary, and sacred.

Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha

03/20/2024, Gendo Lucy Xiao, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Gendo Lucy Xiao explores case number 3 from the koan collection "The Blue Cliff Record” — the case known as “Master Ma is Unwell.” In...

Seeing One Thing Through: The Zen Life And Teachings Of Sojun Mel Weitsman

03/16/2024, Sojun Mel Weitsman - Norman Fischer - Andrea Thach - Susan Moon, book release at City Center. In this discussion, three long-time Zen practitioners discuss their experiences with Sojun Mel Weitsman, and highlight key portions of his autobiography and teachings....

Walking into Loss and Grief – Walking Out Together!

03/13/2024, Koshin Steven Tierney, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Koshin Steven Tierney discusses the experience of loss and grief, and how these very natural and individual human experiences unfold within spiritual community. We...

Song of the Trusting Mind

03/10/2024, Kokyo Henkel, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The great Way is not difficult for those who hold no preferences, it is like vast space with nothing lacking and nothing extra. At the moment awareness turns around and illuminates itself,...

Everything Leans

In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Teah Strozer reminds us everyone is enough — you, yourself, are perfect just as you are, even if, as Shunryu Suzuki Roshi said, we can also ‘use a little improvement.' In the...

The New Chevy V8

"In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Gengyoko Time Wicks, the current tanto (head of practice) at SFZC City Center, uses the koan “Shishuang's 100 Foot Pole” to discuss deepening our practice. He also uses Eihei Dogen's “Eihei Koso...

Harry Potter Zen

03/03/2024, Thiemo Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk Thiemo Blank uses a scene from "Harry Potter" to playfully teach about penetrating the "Walls" in our lives as a journey of liberation.

Zen Is Good For You!

In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, visiting monk Yogetsu Akasaka discusses the contrasts he’s seen between Soto Zen in Japan and in the United States. Yogetsu explains the path he’s taken from touring as a beatbox musician, to...

In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Roger Hillyard discusses what we mean when we “take refuge” — particularly when we take refuge in dharma, as we do as part of the liturgy of the Full Moon Precepts Ceremony....

Save Me, Save Us: ‘Salvation’ in Zen

02/25/2024, Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The first of the four Great Bodhisattva Vows is to “save all beings”, but what exactly does this mean and how might I engage in such an impossible endeavor? Abbot...

Save Me, Save Us: ‘Salvation’ in Zen

The first of the four Great Bodhisattva Vows is to “save all beings,” but what exactly does this mean and how might I engage in such an impossible endeavor? In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, central abbot Tenzen...

Swimming Together In The Ocean Of Enlightenment

02/21/2024, Shundo David Haye, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Shundo reflects on how a community based on zazen can help human flourishing and offer much-needed connection. Featuring an examination of selected sections...

Every Moment Is A Crossroads - How Will You Meet It?

02/18/2024, Sonja Gardenswarz, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Zazen, a yogic practice, a word, an invitation, a posture, a pause in time, a space, a clearing between the edges of here and then. A space to breathe, to feel,...

Right View and Not-Knowing

In this talk, given during the second one-day sitting of the winter 2024 practice period, Abiding Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel discusses the power and peace of not-knowing. In the Zen tradition, ‘not-knowing’ is not the same as the ignorance or...

Vow to Live the Life You’re Already Living

02/14/2024, Kim Kōgen Daihō Hart, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Kim does a deep dive into the five remembrances to support us to live the life that we are already living with all...

Becoming Yourself

02/11/2024, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk, Abbot Jiryu reflects on Suzuki Roshi's core teaching that Zen practice is fundamentally about "becoming yourself," and explores the strong resonance there with the Silent Illumination teaching that awakening...

Ceasefire

02/10/2024, Shogen Jody Greene, dharma talk at City Center. This talk was given at Beginner's Mind Temple by Shogen Jody Greene. While Dōgen Zenji once described 'shikantaza' (just sitting) as “the dharma gate of repose and bliss,” our teachers have also...

Embracing Zen with Change

In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Rev. Eli explores how Zen practice, particularly the precepts, can be supportive when going through major life change—especially when dealing with loss of identity, decision making, and working with an inner critic....

Practice Compassion Without Delay

02/04/2024, Eijun Linda Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Avalokiteshvara in the Avatamsaka Sutra lets us know of the powerful practice of Great Compassion to meet the great challenges of our life.

The Power of Precepts

02/03/2024, Onryu Mary Stares, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Onryu Mary Stares explores the current City Center Practice Period theme of the Bodhisattva precepts, describing her personal experiences of taking refuge and encouraging...

Exploring Conditions and Consequences of Ethical Beliefs

In this talk, given during the first one-day sitting of the winter 2024 practice period, Abiding Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel discusses the sources and outcomes of the many different places and ways we construct our individual ethical frameworks. This talk...

All Living Beings Fully Possess The Wisdom And Virtues Of The Buddhas, And Yet...

01/21/2024, Tenshin Reb Anderson, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In the great flower adornment scripture, chapter 67, the Buddha says, “All sentient beings without exception, fully possess the wisdom and virtues of the Buddha, and yet because of misconceptions...

What Is Community?

01/20/2024, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis, dharma talk at City Center. Now our community is meeting only in the single room of the Zendo. What are some teachings on Sangha transformation in a Zendo? How can we see forms of the infinite, miraculous...

Beginner’s Mind Zendo: An Embodied Mandala of Sangha

01/17/2024, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Shosan explores how we are practicing with the current physical changes to the temple space. This year, our urban temple is “residents out, contractors...

Courageously Practicing the Teaching of Suchness in the Midst of Illness and Fear

01/14/2024, Tenshin Reb Anderson, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk by Tenshin Reb Anderson considers how to apply the Teaching of Thusness to the significant outbreak of infection and disruption in the midst of our January meditation intensive.

Meeting the Moment and MLK, Jr.

In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple on the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, Sozan Michael McCord unpacks many life events from this historic civil rights icon and looks at how he could have had a much more...

Is Every Day REALLY Good?

01/10/2024, Anshi Zachary Smith, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, Zachary discusses an often-used koan (teaching story): Yúnmén’s “Every day is a good day.” Zen, a Mahayana Buddhist school that theoretically eschews lists, dualities, categories...

The Teaching of Thusness

01/07/2024, Tenshin Reb Anderson, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk is a contemplation of the Flower Adornment Scripture saying “Clearly observe the Dharma of the king of Dharma. The Dharma of the king of Dharma is thus.” Tenshin Reb...

Skillful View And Three Essential Aspects of Healing

In this talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, Liên speaks about how Skillful View, in services of restoration, is about opening up to acknowledging harm and harming, (re)learning ways to be more skillful, and then enacting them. The talk also serves...

Live And Be Lived To Benefit All Beings

01/03/2024, Jisan Tova Green, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, Tova speaks of the importance of sangha as we vow to be of benefit to all beings. This first talk of 2024 is also the...

Navigating Transitions

In light of several major transitions unfolding for SFZC and the sangha at large, including the upcoming yearlong renovation of Beginner’s Mind Temple, Abbot David offers dharma pointers for how we might relate to and navigate changes and transitions in...

The Secret of Zen Practice

12/03/2023, Chosetsu Lauren Bouyea, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Suzuki Roshi said that beginner's mind - meeting the world and ourselves just-as-it-is - is the secret of Zen practice, but there are many powerful cultural and evolutionary forces that...

Buddhism and Philosophy

12/02/2023, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis, dharma talk at City Center. This talk from Beginner's Mind Temple addresses the aspect of philosophy in the practice and study of Buddhism, based on the fourth - contemplation of the dharmas - of the Four...

You Gotta Friend

11/26/2023, Furyu Schroeder, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In times of trouble, may the gracious teachings of the gentle Buddhas aid us in healing ourselves and the world.

Virya

This talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, was given by City Center tanto (head of practice) Tim Wicks. Virya Paramita is often translated as "joyful" or "enthusiastic" energy. Working with the shadow side of energy — depression and low self-esteem —...

Thanksgiving Message

This talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, was given by senior dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller. This talk was based on a Thanksgiving message from Brother David Steindl-Rast and examines how to sustain gratitude and be uplifted in the face of...

Newts, Dogs, Lions, and Hara

11/19/2023, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The one practice for every moment of our life is just to welcome and care for whatever is right here - why do we forget that so easily, and how can...

Love's In Need of Love Today

In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, Greg Fain discusses how the new book “Home Is Here” by Rev. Keiryu Liên Shutt has influenced his practice, and the vital necessity of metta (loving kindness) practice. Recorded on Nov. 18, 2023.

Dualistic and Non-Dualistic Practice

This talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, was given by senior dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller. Practicing with the Paramitas brings initially asks us to see the dualistic perspectives of the absence of the virtues of the Paramitas and to practice...

Going On Intimate Pilgrimage

11/05/2023, Eijun Linda Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. After finishing 11 days on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Linda brings up the koan, Case 20 in the Book of Serenity, "Not Knowing is Most Intimate,"...

Trusting the Moment

This talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, was given by senior dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller. As we witness the war in the Middle East and the suffering it creates, it's challenging not to get caught in choosing which side has...

Buddha Samadhi

10/29/2023, Tenshin Reb Anderson, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. During this talk it was suggested that all Buddha ancestors who uphold the true Dharma have made it the true path of awakening to sit upright, practicing our individual samadhis...

The Challenge of Anger, the Power of the Paramitas

In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, Shosan Victoria Austin discusses working skillfully with anger. Many ancient texts mention anger as an unwholesome emotion that undercuts or destroys our relationships and our true intention. However, we can practice using anger...

Fully Engaging Body and Mind: Wholehearted Practice

In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, Ryushin Paul Haller discusses how the practice of fully engaging body and mind is expressed through attention to posture and awareness in sitting zazen and wholeheartedness in the activities of daily life. Dogen...

Not Thinking Good and Evil

10/22/2023, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. For those who have vowed to "do all good" and "avoid all evil," Zen offers a compassionate but counter-intuitive teaching, equally relevant to meditation and to the ethics of daily living:...

Finding Clarity

In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, Marc Lesser discusses the conundrum of clarity. If you seek for clarity, you cannot find it. Clarity itself is necessary before you can acquire or find clarity. Recorded on Oct. 21, 2023.

Finding the Genjo Koan in Everyday Circumstances

In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, given by Ryushin Paul Haller, two different circumstances are described to illustrate how the teachings of the Genjo Koan can guide how to practice with challenging events. The first event is working with...

Why Put on the Robe at the Sound of the Bell?

10/15/2023, Kokyo Henkel, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk, Kokyo discusses Case 16 in the Gateless Barrier koan collection: The world is so vast and wide - why do you always put on the robe at the...