Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple and Zen Center Dharma Talks

Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple and Zen Center Dharma Talks

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Weekly Talks given by the Venerable Deokwun Sunim and others at the Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple and Zen Center.

Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple and Zen Center


    • Apr 28, 2015 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 13m AVG DURATION
    • 93 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple and Zen Center Dharma Talks

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life: The Conclusion

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2015 5:43


    The Venerable Deok Wun concludes the series "A lIved Life" with a talk on karma.

    GR Zen Center : Why I Became a Dharma Teacher

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2015 8:09


    As a follow-up to his ordination as a Dharma Teacher, The Rev Ahm Kwang Su discusses why he made the decision to ordain and what it means to be a Dharma Teacher.

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life Part Eight

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2015 7:01


    Here, the Ven Hung Su Sampson discusses the Bodhisattva Khshitigarbha and what he has to teach us about a Lived Life. No written transcript is available.

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life Part Seven: Joy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2015 7:50


    Here, the Ven Deok Wun examines the element of joy as perfected by the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra.

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life Part Six: Understanding and Wisdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2015 9:43


    The Ven Deok Wun present Manjushri, Boddisattva, as a model for understanding as an aspect of a Lived Life.

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life Part 5: Compassion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2015 9:51


    In this talk the Ven Deok Wun begins a five part sub-set of talks based on the practice theme of a Lived Life. In this talk he begins an examination of five specific attribute represented by Five Bodhisattvas. In this first talk, he discusses the attribute of Compassion as represented by the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion: Avalokitesavara, Kuan Yin.

    GR Zen Center : The Bodhisattvas

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2015 4:24


    In this talk the Ven Hung Su Sampson gives an overview of why the Bodhisattvas are models for our behavior as we consider what it means to engage a Lived Life.

    GR Zen Center : A Live Life: Part Four

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2015 10:21


    Who ARE we? What is "self"? In this talk Venerable Deok Wun discusses the Buddha's teaching of the Five Skandhas (The Five Aggregates) that are the mental process that leads to the concept of "self".

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life: Part 2: The Lover

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2015 11:48


    This is the second talk in the series A Lived Life. In this talk the Venerable Deok Wun discusses the love affair we have with our own mind, how it is a dangerous love affair, and why it is important to atone for the stress and suffering we have caused. This talk was delivered as part of the Temple's annual atonement ritual. There is a guided meditation at the end of the talk that comes from the Temple's monthly Lojong Meditation practice.

    GR Zen Center : A Lived Life: Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2015 8:54


    Guiding Teacher, Venerable Deok Wun, begins the winter practice period with the first of a series of talks on what it means to Live Life from a Buddhist point of view.

    GR Zen Center : The Bodhisattva Vows as A New Year's Resolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2015 7:27


    Senior Student Ahm Kwang delivers the annual New Year's Dharma Talk.

    GR Zen Center : Rejoice!!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2014 18:48


    Guiding Teacher, Ven Deok Wun, shares a meditation on why Rejoicing is a hallmark of the Bodhisattva's practice.

    GR Zen Center : Buddhism Is Not a Passive Practice

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2014


    Ven Hung Su offers his insights on why our practice is an active one.

    GR Zen Center : Who We Are Part 4: The Bodhisattva Path

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2014 25:27


    In this fourth installment of the series The Venerable Deok Wun briefly describes the importance of the Bodhisattva Path as part of the temple's foundational teachings. At the end of the talk there is a guided meditation entitled "Invoking the Names of the Bodhisattvas". The meditation is included in this recording, but is not included in the printed version.

    GR Zen Center : Who We Are Part 3: Hua Yin Buddhism

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2014 7:04


    In this talk Venerable Deok Wun explains why Hua Yin Buddhism is at the root of our temple beliefs and practices.

    GR Zen Center : Why I Chose to Become a Teaching Monk

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2014 6:35


    The Venerable Hung Su Sampson discusses why he chose to train as a teaching monk. This talk is a prelude to his ordination as a Teaching Monk on Sunday December 7.

    GR Zen Center : Anger Gatha

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2014 0:53


    A Gatha (verse) for reflection on anger

    GR Zen Center : Who We Are Part 2: The Refuge Commitments

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2014 9:57


    The foundational commitment of Buddhism is that of Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. In this talk Venerable Deok Wun explains why these are the first and foundational commitments for all Buddhists.

    GR Zen Center : Who We Are Part 1: Expedient Means

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2014 7:04


    In this talk Guiding Teacher, Ven Deok Wun, sets out the first foundation of the beliefs and practices of this Temple. The subject is upaya---expedient means.It is the first talk in a series entitled "Who We Are" wherein Teacher will present the foundations of this temple's practices. As always, questions about the teaching are encouraged.

    GR Zen Center : The Parachute

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2014 9:46


    Novice monk Ven Zhen Su delivers a talk on facing our fears.

    GR Zen Center : Children Will Listen

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2014 21:46


    Ven Deok Wun delivers the 2104 Mother's Day Dharma Talk.

    GR Zen Center : What is the One Thing

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2014 16:21


    The Ven Deok Wun explains the hwadhu as a method of meditation and cutting through the self.

    GR Zen Center : Enlightenment/Waking Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2014 12:51


    The Ven Deok Wun raises the issue of way is enlightenment; what does it mean to wake up.

    GR Zen Center : Karma Vipaka

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2014 15:35


    The Ven Deok, Guiding Teacher, delivers a teaching on karma vipaka---action and result. There is a graphic that was used during the talk that is included here a PDF file for downloading.

    GR Zen Center : Spring and Spiritual Practice

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2014 5:27


    Senior Dharma student Ahm Kwang Tony Benac discusses how Spring can be a time for renewal of one's spiritual practice.

    GR Zen Center : Suffering

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2014 13:34


    In this Dharma talk the Venerable Deok Wun discusses the categories of suffering from the Lamrim Chenmo. Attached as a PDF file is a chart of those categories that one should have in front of them as they listen to this talk.

    GR Zen Center : Ju In Gong

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2014 13:12


    This talk is based on Sutra 53 of the Book of Tens in the Angutarra Nikaya entitled, "One's OWn Mind". It also includes a meditation based on the ten questions for self examination stated in the sutra. A copy of the ten questions is provided as a PDF file.

    GR Zen Center : Awareness and Mindfulness

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2014 35:16


    A talk in two parts. Part One talks about the difference between awareness and mindfulness. Part Two is a guided meditation on the awareness and mindfulness of the breath. The talks in 9 minutes and the guided meditation is 25 minutes.

    GR Zen Center : Emptiness

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2014 14:57


    Ven Deok Wun uses the metaphor of a paper cup in an attempt to explain emptiness.

    GR Zen Center : Humility

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2014 25:39


    GR Zen Center : Patience

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2014 11:24


    GR Zen Center : The Path

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2014 13:47


    Ven Zhen Su discusses the fundamental aspects of the Buddhist Path.

    GR Zen Center : The Eight Winds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2014 16:09


    Ven Deok Wun teaches how the Eight Winds can blow us off the Path of accepting that what we already have is enough and perfect.

    GR Zen Center : New Year 2014

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2014 9:46


    This talk suggests a resolution for 2014.

    GR Zen Center : Thanksgiving Talk

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2013


    Transcript of the talk given by Ven Deok Wun at the Grand Rapids City Wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.

    GR Zen Center : The Chicken and the Egg

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2013 11:56


    Teaching delivered by Dharma Student Ahm Kwang Benac

    GR Zen Center : Considering the Heart Sutra

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2013 12:55


    This talk by the Venerable Deok Wun takes a look at the meaning of Perfect Wisdom as set forth in the Heart Sutra.

    GR Zen Center : Mouth Zen

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2013 14:32


    Mouth Zen is the practice of keeping the mouth still and silent in the face of rumor and gossip. This talk explores the relationship between Mouth Zen, Right Speech, and Gossip.

    GR Zen Center : Purification of Alms Food

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2013 9:17


    Rev Bup Jih discusses the way in which ordinary daily activities can be a time for reflection and insight.

    GR Zen Center : The Tao Te Ching

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2013


    This is not a Dharma talk but a set of slides used as part of the class that begins October 29. It is here for those who want to know more about the Tao and cannot attend the class. Also has a PDF of the Tao reorganized by the three central themes of The Tao, The Individual, The State.

    GR Zen Center : The Fear of an Unlived Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2013 16:29


    Our lives are plagues by fears, but the root of all fear is the fear of an unlived life. This talk explores two antidotes to that fear: choice and surrender.

    GR Zen Center : Merit

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2013 17:41


    Merit is often misunderstood term in the West. This talk discusses the concept of merit for a western practitioner.

    GR Zen Center : Disciples of the Buddha

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2013 19:14


    This is a talk by three senior students in which they explain which disciple of the Buddha or Zen Master they have chosen as the model for their personal and ministerial practices.

    GR Zen Center : Pure Land Practice

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2013 18:47


    Pure Land practice is an expedient means to realize one's Original Mind, Buddha Nature, Buddha Wisdom. This talk explains this and Pure Land's relationship to Zen.

    GR Zen Center : Watery Creatures

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2013 17:45


    Discusses what is meant by the expression "spiritual practice". A continuation of the previous week's Dharma talk on "No-practice practice."

    GR Zen Center : No-Practice Practice: The Practice of the Buddhas

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2013 18:01


    Too often we see"practice" as something separate and apart from our lives. But is the what the Buddhas practiced? This Dharma Talk raises the question: what does it mean to practice like a Buddha?

    GR Zen Center : The Sangha: The Third Jewel

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2013 6:59


    A talk by Rev Bup Jih Steve Sampson on the importance of the Sangha.

    GR Zen Center : Gotami

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2013 8:07


    This talk by the Rev Bup Jih relates the story of a woman who loses her child. It is a lesson in sadness, loss, love, and equanimity.

    GR Zen Center : Is there a Soul in Buddhism?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2013 14:46


    This talk issues a challenge to our thinking about the nature of soul and questions our understanding of what soul means and how Buddhism addresses it.

    GR Zen Center : Emptiness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2013 12:24


    Tony Benac on our experience with our minds, reality, and what exactly *is* emptiness?

    GR Zen Center : Anger and Patience

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2013 14:14


    This Dharma talk discusses how anger removes us from our spiritual path and why patience and compassion are its antidotes.

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