October Break Message

FromThe Zen Studies Podcast

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October Break Message

FromThe Zen Studies Podcast

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Length:

1 minute

Released:

Oct 12, 2017

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Hello! I didn't produce an episode for you this week because I'm spending time with my parents - they live in Minnesota but are here in Oregon on their annual visit. I'll release a new episode next Thursday, Oct. 19th. Thanks for listening!

Released:

Oct 12, 2017

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Host Domyo Burk is a Soto Zen priest and teacher. She records episodes specifically for podcast listeners on traditional Zen and Buddhist teachings, practices, and history.

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What Is "Zen Practice," Anyway?: If you've spent any time in a Zen community, or reading Zen books, you will have encountered the term “practice” countless times. Buddhist teachers throughout the centuries have told us to “practice” diligently. Students of Zen are called... by The Zen Studies Podcast
29 min listen
Zazen Part 2: How to Deal with Thinking, Stay Engaged, and Maintain a Practice: If you haven’t already done so, you may want to listen to Zazen (Seated Meditation) Part One: What Zazen Is and How to Do It before this episode. In this episode, I cover how to deal with stimulus-independent thinking during meditation, how to stay... by The Zen Studies Podcast
21 min listen
How Does Zen Fit Within the Context of Buddhism as a Whole?: Zen is a type of Buddhism, which is a 2,500-year-old tradition. When and how did Zen arise, and what is unique about it? by The Zen Studies Podcast
30 min listen
20 - The Heart Sutra Part 2: Line by Line Explanation, Continued: In this episode I complete my line-by-line exploration of the Heart Sutra. I cover what the sutra means when its says "there is no" such-and-such, why it proceeds through such long lists of things that don't exist the way we conceive of them... by The Zen Studies Podcast
43 min listen
It-with-a-Capital-I: The Zen Version of God: Zen Buddhism is a non-theistic religious tradition. However, it's not entirely correct to say that there is no God in Zen. While we don’t conceive of, or worship, an omnipotent personification of the Divine, at the heart of our tradition is the... by The Zen Studies Podcast
33 min listen
27 - The Buddha's Teachings Part 2 – The Four Noble Truths: The Buddha's very first teaching as about the Four Noble Truths: Dukkha, the Origin of Dukkha, the Cessation of Dukkha, and the Path Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha. In this episode I introduce the Four Noble Truths and how the Buddha meant us to... by The Zen Studies Podcast
40 min listen
18 - Zen Forms (Customs and Rituals) and Why They Matter: In traditional Zen practice, we have a lot of what we call “forms.” Forms are the established ways we enact our practice with our bodies… including the ways we move in the meditation hall, sit in the meditation posture, place our shoes outside... by The Zen Studies Podcast
23 min listen
Dharma Talk - Beyond Mindfulness: The Radical Practice of Undivided Presence: This episode is a Dharma Talk, where I present my own take on traditional Zen and Buddhist teachings & practices. In this talk I present an alternative to mindfulness practice, because I believe the concept of mindfulness – at least the way... by The Zen Studies Podcast
33 min listen
22 - How Buddhists Should Behave: Evolution of the Buddhist Precepts Part 1: Many people are unaware that, from the beginning, Buddhism has said as much about how you should behave in your daily life as it does about meditation or study. In this episode, I cover the first Buddhist teachings about moral conduct, and then talk... by The Zen Studies Podcast
38 min listen
Zazen (Seated Meditation) Part 1: What Zazen Is and How to Do It: Learn about what zazen is, why it's the central practice of Zen, and how to do it. by The Zen Studies Podcast
24 min listen
Sangha: The Joys, Challenges, and Value of Practicing in a Buddhist Community: Is it really necessary to participate in a Sangha, or Buddhist community? What are the benefits, joys, and challenges of doing so? You may be surprised by some of the aspects of Sangha practice I talk about in this episode (it's not all about enjoying... by The Zen Studies Podcast
35 min listen
47 - How to Guide Your Own Meditation Part 1: Do Something, Don’t Just Fall Asleep: We sometimes get stuck in simplistic meditation instructions and therefore sell our meditation short. It's valuable to learn how to guide your own meditation - being mindful of your experience, arousing determination to do your best, and then being... by The Zen Studies Podcast
28 min listen
19 - The Heart Sutra Part 1: Introduction to the Most Common Mahayana Text: The Heart Sutra is probably the best-known Buddhist text in the world. It's less than 250 words long and considered to present the essence of Mahayana Buddhism. However, its meaning – and its attraction to Buddhists – may not be immediately... by The Zen Studies Podcast
35 min listen
Arising of Buddhism Part 2: New Religious Questions and Answers Around 500 BCE: This episode is a continuation of episode 5, which focused on the historical and religious context in India before the Buddha, and how social, economic, and political changes inspired new, alternative religious movements around the time of... by The Zen Studies Podcast
19 min listen
Shakyamuni Buddha's Enlightenment: What Did He Realize?: Buddhism began over 2,500 years ago with the spiritual enlightenment of a man named Siddhartha Gautama, who became the "Buddha," or "awakened one." What exactly did the Buddha realize upon his enlightenment? by The Zen Studies Podcast
33 min listen
Life of Shakyamuni Buddha Part 1: Source Texts, and Birth Through Homeleaving: Buddhism began when Siddhartha Gautama experienced a spiritual awakening over 2,500 years ago in India, and became an “awakened one,” or Buddha. Over the course of two episodes, I tell the story of the Buddha’s life from birth to death, while... by The Zen Studies Podcast
36 min listen
The Three Treasures of Buddhism: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha: What are the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and what does it mean to "take refuge" in them? by The Zen Studies Podcast
31 min listen
31 - Six Realms of Existence Part 3: Hungry Ghost and Human Realms: In this third episode of a 3-part series on the Buddhist teaching of the Six Realms of Existence, I describe the Hungry Ghost and Human Realms. I continue offering a traditional, mythological account of the realms, followed by a section about how to... by The Zen Studies Podcast
27 min listen
21 – Sesshin: 24-7 Silent Meditation Retreats: Buddhists all over the world regularly gather for silent meditation retreats with a 24-7 schedule. In this episode I describe a Zen retreat, or sesshin, including what a typical day is like, and the challenges and rewards of maintaining silence and... by The Zen Studies Podcast
35 min listen
Buddha's Teachings Part 1: The Three Marks and the Teaching of Not-Self (Anatta): From the beginning, the Buddha's teachings featured the Three Characteristics of Existence: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (dissatisfactoriness), and anatta (not-self). This episode introduces the Three Characteristics and then goes into the teaching... by The Zen Studies Podcast
32 min listen
44 - The Value of Buddhist Prayer Part 2: Aid-Seeking If There’s No God: I continue our exploration of Buddhist prayer with a discussion of "aid-seeking" prayer, or prayer for a positive result. In particular, in this episode I cover the long-established traditions of Buddhist prayer for positive physical or external... by The Zen Studies Podcast
28 min listen
33 – Life of Shakyamuni Buddha Part 4: Further Teachings and Colorful Stories: This episode finishes up my story of Shakyamuni Buddha's life. It continues with the development of the early Sangha, including the ordination of women and the establishment of a code of discipline for monastics. It also covers teachings given by the... by The Zen Studies Podcast
46 min listen
24 – Deepen Your Zazen by Not Getting Stuck in Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction: It's tempting, particularly in Mahayana Buddhism, to get stuck in a kind of superficial satisfaction with your zazen and practice. Of course, it's possible to get stuck in dissatisfaction as well. In this episode I walk you through four steps to... by The Zen Studies Podcast
39 min listen
Life of Shakyamuni Buddha Part 2: Spiritual Struggle, Enlightenment, Teaching, and Death: Buddhism began when Siddhartha Gautama experienced a spiritual awakening over 2,500 years ago in India, and became an “awakened one,” or Buddha. Over the course of two episodes, I tell the story of the Buddha’s life from birth to death, while... by The Zen Studies Podcast
35 min listen
Arising of Buddhism Part 1: Historical and Religious Context in India: This is the first episode in my “Buddhist History and Seminal Texts” series. I discuss the historical and religious context for the beginnings of Buddhism in India in the 500s BCE. I give you a brief overview of the history of civilization in... by The Zen Studies Podcast
26 min listen
23 - How Buddhists Should Behave: Evolution of the Buddhist Precepts Part 2: I continue with the story of the Theravadin precepts - particularly how the Vinaya has affected the ordination of monks and nuns, and how lay people participate in precept practice. Then we move on to China, and I talk about how the Chinese dealt with... by The Zen Studies Podcast
37 min listen
34 - Dogen’s Genjokoan: A Verse by Verse Exploration – Part 1: Part of my Buddhist Texts series, this episode focuses on a famous Zen text called “Genjokoan,” written by Japanese Zen master Eihei Dogen in 1233. Genjokoan is one of the most popular and widely studied of Dogen’s essays. In the interest of... by The Zen Studies Podcast
39 min listen
38 - The Two Sides of Practice: Samadhi Power and Karma Relationship: Buddhist practice can be seen as consisting of two sides, and both are essential. The first side is cultivating “samadhi power,” or our ability to perceive – or be awake to – the absolute aspect of reality. The second side is working on... by The Zen Studies Podcast
31 min listen
28 - Q&A: The Teaching of Rebirth and Too Much Thinking During Zazen: This week’s episode is a Q&A session, based on listener’s questions I’ve received by email. I’ll start out with a series of questions about the Buddhist teaching of rebirth, and end with a question about how to deal with a busy mind during... by The Zen Studies Podcast
28 min listen
Life of Shakyamuni Buddha Part 3: First Sermons and Students, and the Early Sangha: In this first of two episodes about the Buddha's 45-year teaching career and the early Buddhist community, I’ll talk about the Buddha’s first sermons, the enlightenment of the first disciples, the first lay students of the Buddha and how lay... by The Zen Studies Podcast
39 min listen

More Episodes from The Zen Studies Podcast

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268 - Teisho, An Encouragement Talk During Zazen: Last week I led a , or silent Zen retreat. Participants participated in a 24-hour schedule of zazen, chanting, silent work, formal meals, and rest. Once or twice a day, I offered a "teisho" during zazen. "Tei" means to offer or put forth, and "sho"... by The Zen Studies Podcast
30 min listen
267 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chp 4 - Mindfulness: Cultivating Awareness Every Moment: The third Field of Zen practice is Mindfulness, which is cultivating clear awareness of what is happening, moment by moment, within you and around you. Mindfulness is absolutely fundamental to Zen practice, allowing you to practice within all the... by The Zen Studies Podcast
29 min listen
266 - What Would the Buddha Say About the Suffering in the World?: Recently, someone submitted a Dharma question for me to address: “I wonder what Buddha would say to us about the crises facing humanity, particularly the suffering of our own making?” I can't know, but I dare to put some words in the Buddha's... by The Zen Studies Podcast
21 min listen
265 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter Three, Part 3: Zazen – Our Total Response to Life: This is the third episode of three comprising the “Zazen” chapter of my book, “The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners.” I start by offering what I should have put at the beginning of my chapter on Zazen: Basic instructions... by The Zen Studies Podcast
23 min listen
264 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter Three, Part 2: Zazen – Our Total Response to Life: This is the second episode of three comprising the "Zazen" chapter of my book, "The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners.” I finish my discussion of the five efforts of Zazen, covering becoming intimate with Life, seeing the true... by The Zen Studies Podcast
32 min listen
263 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter 3, Part 1 - Zazen – Our Total Response to Life: The second Field of Zen practice is Zazen. “Za” means seated, and “zen” means meditation. However, as 13th-century Zen master Dogen famously stated, “…Zazen is not meditation practice.” Superficially, our Zazen may look like the... by The Zen Studies Podcast
37 min listen
262 - The Value, Care, and Feeding of Dharma Friendships – Part 2: The Buddha famously said “admirable friendship,” or what I’m calling Dharma friendship, is the entirety of the holy life. In the last episode, I discussed the value and nature of personal Dharma friendships. In this episode, I talk about what... by The Zen Studies Podcast
29 min listen
261 – The Value, Care, and Feeding of Dharma Friendships – Part 1: The Buddha famously said the “admirable friendship,” or what I’m calling Dharma friendship, is the entirety of the holy life. In this episode, I discuss the value and nature of personal Dharma friendships. In Part 2, I will talk about what makes... by The Zen Studies Podcast
24 min listen
260 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter Two: Bodhicitta, Way-Seeking Mind: This episode on Bodhicitta, or Way-Seeking Mind, is chapter two of my book The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners.” Bodhicitta is the first Field of practice because without it we never even begin practice, and, if we don’t... by The Zen Studies Podcast
33 min listen
259 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter One: What Is Zen Practice?: In this introductory chapter to my book, “The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners," I discuss the nature of practice and "progress" on the path of practice. I then introduce the Ten Fields, and the rest of the book will consist of... by The Zen Studies Podcast
38 min listen
258 - One Reality, Many Descriptions Part 6: The Two Truths of Absolute and Relative 2: The Two Truths teaching is another classic Chan/Zen description of Reality-with-a-Capital-R. Reality has two aspects, often called relative and absolute. I call them the “dependent dimension” and the “independent dimension.” I describe this... by The Zen Studies Podcast
26 min listen
257 - One Reality, Many Descriptions Part 5: The Two Truths of Absolute and Relative – Part 1: The Two Truths teaching is another classic Chan/Zen description of Reality-with-a-Capital-R. Reality has two aspects, often called relative and absolute. I call them the "dependent dimension" and the "independent dimension." I describe this teaching... by The Zen Studies Podcast
25 min listen
256 - Do Your Own Practice: Spiritual Translation Versus Transformation: One way to frame our practice is to say it has a "translation" aspect and a "transformation" aspect. Translation means to apply Buddhist teachings and practice to our life to free self and other from suffering, and live with greater wisdom and... by The Zen Studies Podcast
31 min listen
255 – The Medicine of Emptiness When Witnessing Suffering and Injustice: When we witness - or experience - suffering or injustice, the medicine of emptiness can give us strength and equanimity. It should also increase our compassion, allowing us to be open, sensitive, and responsive without getting overwhelmed by anxiety,... by The Zen Studies Podcast
35 min listen
254 - Practice is How You Live Each and Every Moment – Part 2: Everyday life gives us countless opportunities for "awakening work." I discuss ways to practice each and every moment in order to awaken to the truth of Dukkha and the ending of Dukkha, and to the truth Emptiness. In Part 3 I will talk about how we... by The Zen Studies Podcast
36 min listen
253 - Practice is How You Live Each and Every Moment – Part 1: The formal aspects of Buddhist practice – the things you can look at and identify as “Buddhist practice” – are very important. These include meditation, Dharma study, and time with Sangha. However, unless you’re a monk in a really strict... by The Zen Studies Podcast
32 min listen
252 - Reflections on Dogen’s “Bussho, The Buddha-Nature” Part 2: Total Existence: In my second episode reflecting on Dogen's “Bussho,” or “The Buddha-Nature," I discuss how Buddha-Nature is a teaching about our existential koan as human beings. I also talk about how Dogen says we have already got Buddha-Nature, and then... by The Zen Studies Podcast
28 min listen
251 – Reflections on Dogen’s “Bussho: The Buddha-Nature” Part 1: Total Existence: In his essay "Bussho," or "The Buddha-Nature," Dogen explores and expands a classic Mahayana Buddhist teaching. I reflect on a few central concepts from the first paragraph. by The Zen Studies Podcast
29 min listen
250 - In Zazen We Stop Imposing Ourselves on the World and Meet It Instead: In zazen we stop imposing ourselves on the world either through our habitual thinking or through any effort to control or judge our meditative experience. Only then can we meet the world us it is unfolding around, within, and through us - but this... by The Zen Studies Podcast
31 min listen
249 - Are the Buddha’s Teachings on Renunciation Relevant for Householders? – Part 2: In this second half of a two-episode discussion, I briefly review the limitations of sensual or worldly pleasures. Then I explore how engagement with the world, contrary to simply being a compromise, can be its own path of practice. Finally, I talk... by The Zen Studies Podcast
33 min listen
248 - Are the Buddha’s Teachings on Renunciation Relevant for Householders? – Part 1: The Buddha was pretty clear. If you wanted to experience complete liberation, it was best practice renunciation - to leave all worldly things behind: Family, sex, alcohol, fancy food, music, entertainment, frivolity, etc. Why did the Buddha recommend... by The Zen Studies Podcast
27 min listen
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42 min listen
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246 - Sangha Challenges: How and Why to Open Up to the Treasure of Sangha – Part 2: In Part 2 of my “Sangha Challenges” discussion, I talk about various reasons you may resist joining a Buddhist community or find it challenging to maintain your relationship with one over time. I present each challenge as an opportunity for growth... by The Zen Studies Podcast
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245 - Sangha Challenges: How and Why to Open Up to the Treasure of Sangha – Part 1: Should you join a Sangha? Sangha, or community, is one of the “Three Treasures” of Buddhism, but is it really necessary? How important is it? There are many "Sangha Challenges" - reasons you might feel resistance to joining a community, or... by The Zen Studies Podcast
23 min listen
244 - Zazen as a Religious Act: Seated Zen meditation – zazen – is less like the meditative practices of many other spiritual traditions, and more like prayer in theistic traditions. This is not because we believe in God (although we might), but because zazen can be seen as a... by The Zen Studies Podcast
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243 - The Buddha’s Life Story as Archetype and Teaching: Understanding the teachings of Buddhism starts with becoming familiar with the Buddha's life story. This isn't because he is believed to have been divine, or even a prophet. Instead, his story is important because it serves as an archetype for the... by The Zen Studies Podcast
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242 - Reflections on Sansuikyo, Dogen’s Mountains and Waters Sutra: One of Zen master Dogen’s most beloved writings is a relatively short essay called “Sansuikyo,” or the Mountains and Waters Sutra. In this episode, I reflect on two aspects this work: The statement that mountains and waters are, in of... by The Zen Studies Podcast
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October Break Message

October Break Message

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from The Zen Studies Podcast