Yokoji Zen Dharma Talks: Recent Episodes
Tenshin Fletcher Roshi
Monthly Dharma talks by Tenshin Fletcher Roshi at Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center. Yokoji is a year-round Zen Buddhist Training Center in the Southern Californian mountains.
Tenshin Roshi talks about case 85 of the Book of Equanimity, The National Teacher's Seamless Tomb.
Tenshin Roshi talks about case 42 of The Gateless Gate, "A Woman Comes Out of Samadhi."
Tenshin Fletcher Roshi talks about case 87 of the Blue Cliff Record, "Medicine and Disease."
Tenshin Roshi speaks about case 20 from the Book of Equanimity, "Jizo's Not Knowing is Most Intimate."
Tenshin Roshi talks about cases 12 and 19 of The Gateless Gate, "Zuigan Calls Himself Master," and "Ordinary Mind is the Way."
Tenshin Fletcher Roshi talks about case 95 of the Book of Equanimity, "Rinzai's One Stroke."
Tenshin Roshi talks about Master Dogen's writing, Fukan Zazengi, or Universal Promotion of Zazen.
Tenshin Roshi talks about the Buddhist festival of Obon, which, at Yokoji we link to Halloween and Día de los Muertos. The text referenced is "The Five Buddha Families," from The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 2 of the Blue Cliff Record, "The Supreme Way is Without Difficulty."
Tenshin Roshi talks about the start of the training period and the importance of transmission in the Zen tradition. Roshi opens the talk with Mumon's verse from case 41 of the Gateless Gate, "Coming from the West and pointing directly to it – all the trouble comes from the transmission; The one who disturbs the monasteries is originally you."
Tenshin Roshi talks about case 14 of the Book of Equanimity, "Attendant Kaku Serves Tea".
Tenshin Roshi talks on case 1 of the Blue Cliff Record, "The Highest Meaning of the Holy Truths".
Tenshin Roshi talks on case 1 of the Blue Cliff Record, "The Highest Meaning of the Holy Truths".
Tenshin Roshi talks on case 17 of the Gateless Gate, "The National Teacher's Three calls".
Tenshin Roshi talks about case 3 of the Book of Equanimity, "An Invitation for the Patriarch".
Tenshin Roshi talks more on Master Dogen's Uji, or "Being Time". This is the fourth talk in the series.
Tenshin Roshi talks more on Master Dogen's Uji, or "Being Time". This is the third talk in the series.
Tenshin Roshi talks more on Master Dogen's Uji, or "Being Time". This is the second talk in the series.
Tenshin Roshi talks on Master Dogen's "Uji", or "Being Time". This is the first talk of a series.
Tenshin Roshi talks on case 54 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ungan's Great Compassionate One".
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 31 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ummon's Free-Standing Pillar".
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 4 of the Book of Equanimity, The World-Honored One Points to the Earth.
Tenshin Roshi talks on Parts 1 and 6 of Master Dogen's Bendowa or "On the Endeavor of the Way."
Tenshin Roshi reads from the Writings of Zen Master Hakuin:
“I am not trying to tell you to discard completely quietistic meditation and to seek specifically for a place of activity to carry on your practice. What is most worthy of respect is a pure koan meditation that neither knows nor is conscious of the two aspects, the quiet and the active. That is why it has been said that the true practicing person walks but does not know they are walking, sits but does not know they are sitting.
For penetrating to the depths of one’s own true self-nature and for attaining a vitality valid on all occasions, nothing can surpass meditation in the midst of activity.”
Tenshin Roshi speaks on the first two sections of Henzan or All-Inclusive Study, from Moon in a Dewdrop, Writings of Zen Master Dogen.
Head Trainee for the spring period at Yokoji, Deanne Shinzan Larsen, spoke on the koan, "Tozan's Illness" and engaged in Dharma Combat with the assembly (via Zoom).
Tenshin Roshi touches on the koan, "Nansen Kills the Cat" and talks about the essence of practice.
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 23 of the Blue Cliff Record, "The Summit of the Mystic Peak."
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 86 of the Book of Equanimity, "Rinzai's Great Enlightenment".
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 2 of The Blue Cliff Record, "The Supreme Way is Without Difficulty". Jokai Sensei steps in to answer questions toward the end of the talk as an end to the Fall Training Period.
Stefanie Kisen Fredella was the Head Trainee for the Fall Training Period of 2020. This recording is of her Dharma Combat ceremony. Kisen talks on the koan "Ryuge Passes the Chin Rest"
(https://zmc.org/blog/2020/11/koan-for-dharma-combat-fall-2020-training-period/) and engages the assembly in dharma combat.
Tenshin Roshi talks about Obon, a traditional Buddhist festival which we have aligned with our western celebration of Halloween. Check on the blog at https://zmc.org/blog for a post coming soon with the Gate of Sweet Nectar which is mentioned in the talk.
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 66 of the Book of Equanimity, "Kyuho's Head and Tail." This dharma talk was given on October 25, 2020.
This dharma talk was given on October 18, 2020 by Tenshin Roshi at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. Roshi talks on Case 23 of The Gateless Gate, "Think Neither Good Nor Evil."
Tenshin Roshi talks on the "Identity of Relative and Absolute", a verse written by Sekito Kisen in the 8th century and one that is chanted daily in Soto Zen temples and training centers.
Tenshin Roshi talks on the "Way of Realization", a short expression of the dharma that he wrote. The full text can be seen here: https://zmc.org/blog/2020/09/news-events-september-2020/
Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 54 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ungan's Great Compassionate One."
Tenshin Roshi talks on case 3 of the Book of Equanimity, "Invitation for the Patriarch".