Nebraska Zen Center Dharma Talks

Mind of the Way Part 1 is the first talk from May Sesshin, 2017. In the talk, Dosho introduces Dogen's Extensive Record, #200, and explores awareness of impermanence in the context of wholehearted practice.

Recorded 09 November 2014 Tetsugan discusses the ninth of Dogen's Guidelines for Studying the way: You Should Practice Throughout the Way

Dharma Talk By Dosho given in 2016 regarding The first fascicle in Dogen Zenji's Shobogenzo entitled Genjokoan

"The Record of Empty Hall?" is from Sunday, February 7, 2021, with Boundless Way Zen. In this talk, Dosho Roshi gives some introductory information on this recently published koan collection and reads Cases 38 Baoying Immediately Entering Hell, and 54 Danxia's Lucky Guy and it Sucks to be You. A lively dharma dialogue ensues, including Boundless Way teachers Melissa Blacker Roshi and David Rynick Roshi.

"What is the True Moon?" from Sunday, September 13, 2020, with the North Carolina Zen Center. In this talk, Dosho Roshi comments on "Going Through the Mystery's 100 Questions," #74: What is the True Moon?, including the importance of first enlightenments and continuing practice to fully enter the dark. The finger-pointing-at-the-moon dignified forms and teachings of the Zen school are emphasized.

"How Much Did You Practice Today?" March Sesshin, 2020, talk #2, by Dosho Port Roshi: Commentary on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #28. Themes include the importance of kensho (awakening), practice when you're hobbling along, the complete manifestation koan, and only occupying now.

"Who Unexpectedly Hears Liberation?" March Sesshin, 2020, talk #1, by Dosho Port Roshi: Commentary on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #27. Themes include thinking, not thinking, nonthinking and the awesome presence of the active buddha.

"Who Hears the Music?" Sunday, March 8, 2020, by Dosho Port Roshi. The talk is a commentary on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #26 which begins, "A mud ox bellows at the moon. Who can hear it?" The talk focusses on the teacher side of the teacher-student relationship.

"Where Does One Return" Sunday March 1, 2020, by Dosho Port Roshi, on the Thirty-Year Memorial Day of his first teacher, Dainin Katagiri Roshi. The talk is a commentary on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #25: "How Many Years did it Take Zhaozhou to Make a Seven Pound Robe?" Themes include awakening, post-awakening practice, and intimacy with this very body.

"Bring Me the Rhino" Sunday, February 23, 2020, by Dosho Port Roshi. The talk explores how the self and things of the world are originally buddhas and how Zen training makes manifest buddhas from such people and things of the world. The talk was inspired by Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #24: "Who did Yanguan Tell to Bring the Rhinoceros fan?"

"Is There Still Zen?" Sunday, February 2, 2020, by Dosho Port Roshi. The talk focusses on the story of Bodhidharma in the light of our present cultural circumstances, based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #22: "Bodhidharma's future is this earth-still there is Zen, no?"

"We Are The Future Of Our Ancestors," Sunday, January 26, 2020, by Dosho Port Roshi. In the talk, Dosho continues the Going Through the Mystery series with Question 21, to paraphrase, are our dharma ancestors still informing our practice? The "Top Ten Reasons for Practicing Sesshin" is included.

"What Is Our Country? Zen Practice and Social Action," Sunday, January 19, 2020, by Dosho Port Roshi. In the talk, Dosho takes up the question asked by Going Through the Mystery: "What is our country?" And Ten Thousand Pines response: "In the midst of hot dispute." See how our ancestors on the Zen path brought their practice into the marketplace, with guidance for our own practice in today's world.

"Pushing Open the Window of Illumination: An Audacious Awakening," Sunday, January 5, 2020, Dosho Port Roshi. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions: Question 19. Dosho tells enlightenment story of one of Nagasawa Sozen's student's and emphasizes the importance of diligence in practice.

"No Place Not Known: An Audacious Awakening," Sunday, December 22, 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 18: What Conditions No Place Not Known," and "Yaeko Iwasaki's Enlightenment Letters to Harada-Roshi and his Comments" from The Three Pillars of Zen.

"How to Reach the Way's Inner Pattern in a Single Leap?" Friday, December 13, the fifth talk of Rohatsu Sesshin 2019, Dosho Port Roshi and Tetsugan Zummach Osho. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 17."

"What is Not -Two's Nature?" Thursday, December 12, the fourth talk of Rohatsu Sesshin 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 16."

"How Would You Scale the Peak of Wonder?" Thursday, December 12, the third talk of Rohatsu Sesshin 2019, Tetsugan Zummach Osho. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 15."

"Who Can Enjoy It?" Tuesday, December 10, the second talk of Rohatsu Sesshin 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 14."

"Is This the Same or Different?" Monday, December 9, 2019, the first talk of Rohatsu Sesshin 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 13."

"The Audacious Zen Shout" Sunday, November 24, 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. This vigorous talk is an introduction to the teaching of Great Master Linji (aka Rinzai), based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 12: When the Buddhas and Ancestors Comes, He Shouts - Why?"

"The Zen of Beatings," Sunday, November 3, 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. This talk is about receiving corrections while practicing Zen, sorting past stimuli from present reality, and really meeting the moment. Based on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, "Question 11: Beating Buddhas and Ancestors."

"Where Do I Become My Future Self?" Sunday, November 3, 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. This talk is the fluid nature of the self and the light of liberation. Includes water buffaloes, water bottles, past and future, as well as Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #10, "Where Did Guishan Turn Into a Water Buffalo?"

"Knock On The Door: The Teacher-Student Relationship," Sunday, October 27, 2019, Dosho Port Roshi. This talk is about the teacher-student relationship's central role in Zen practice. "Sanzen," four types of meditation, and "the wind of the way" are emphasized. Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #9, is Dosho's source of inspiration.

"What Doesn't Change?" from Sunday, October 13, 2019, by Dosho Port Roshi. Buddha taught the importance of impermanence (and) the deathless, the permanent. In this talk, Dosho leads an examination of what is permanent, and offers a Zen view. The "Ten Line Kanzeon Sutra of Timeless Life," and "Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #8, are cited.

"How Can I Realize The True?" September 27, 2019, Dosho Roshi. In this talk, Dosho explores what we can do to realize suchness and, yet, how we don't control when realization comes. Selections from Dogen's Extensive Record and Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #6, are cited.

"Pivotal Moments" Dosho Roshi, Sunday, September 22, 2019. Dosho talks about the importance of pivotal moments in our practice and in our lives with the examples of Greta Thunberg, Katherine Gun, and an experience from his past. "Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #5, serves as the dharma container: "The great ocean serves as ink. Mt. Sumeru serves as brush. Yet, say, what single thing are you writing?"

"How Can This Be Avoided?" Dosho Roshi, 9/8/19. In this talk, Dosho Roshi comments on Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, #4. It begins with the question, "Hot as hell. Summer rain like boiling water. Just now, how can this be avoided?" Ten Thousand Pines' response offers a radical shift from our culturally condition sense of the isolated, alienated self.

August 4, 2019, Dosho Roshi. How can we be free in this world of light and dark? In this talk, Dosho Roshi addresses this question with a passage from Tongxuán's One hundred Questions, that begins, "In the dark, dark, dark [one] must also exhale."

This is 6 of 6 Dharma talks for the 2019 NZC Summer Sesshin given by Dosho Roshi. This Sesshin is exploring Dogen Zenji's fascicle "One Bright Pearl" from the Shobogenzo.

This is 5 of 6 Dharma talks for the 2019 NZC Summer Sesshin given by Tetsugan Osho. This Sesshin is exploring Dogen Zenji's fascicle "One Bright Pearl" from the Shobogenzo.

This is 4 of 6 Dharma talks for the 2019 NZC Summer Sesshin given by Dosho Roshi. This Sesshin is exploring Dogen Zenji's fascicle "One Bright Pearl" from the Shobogenzo.

This is 3 of 6 Dharma talks for the 2019 NZC Summer Sesshin given by Tetsugan Osho. This Sesshin is exploring Dogen Zenji's fascicle "One Bright Pearl" from the Shobogenzo.

This is 2 of 6 Dharma talks for the 2019 NZC Summer Sesshin given by Dosho Roshi. This Sesshin is exploring Dogen Zenji's fascicle "One Bright Pearl" from the Shobogenzo.

This is 1 of 6 Dharma Talks for the 2019 NZC Summer Sesshin given by Dosho Port. This Sesshin is exploring Dogen Zenji's fascicle "One Bright Pearl" from the Shobogenzo.

"What Place is Smooth?" July 14 2019, Dosho. In the midst of all that's happening in the world, What does Zen practice have to offer? In this talk, Dosho addresses this question with a passage from Tōngxuán's One Hundred Questions, that begins, “Mysterious conduct is like wading through a rugged stream. What place is smooth?”

"Zazen is Our Long Lost Home," June 23, 2019. This talk is Dosho's introductory talk for the June zazenkai (all-day sitting). In the talk, he outlines the purpose and flow of the day, and retells a story about our true nature from Lawrence Shainberg's new book, Four Men Shaking.

"Faith in Practice," June 13, 2019. In this talk, Tetsugan and Dosho offer reflections on recent teaching themes at NZC, including the role of faith in practice.

"What is Essential Zen?" June 9, 2019. In this introductory talk, Dosho comments on the Four Great Vows and great vehicle expression of the Four Noble Truths, with several dashes of Ikkyu poems thrown in for good measure.

"Where Is Katagiri Roshi?" In this talk from Sunday, June 2, 2019, Dosho explores his first teachers biography, awakening experiences, and teaching for hints.

In this talk, Tetsugan addresses a newer student's recent question: How can I go deeply into practice? She emphasizes the importance of clarifying one's intention for spiritual practice, and working closely with a teacher for guidance along the path. She also talks about consciously cultivating attention to become a "noticer" of life and quotes the poet, Mary Oliver: "Attention is the beginning of devotion."

"Affection, Good Friends, and the Zen Path," Sunday, May 19, 2019. In this talk, Dosho talks about how we depend on teachers and mentors (kalyanamitra) to walk the dharma path. Discussion of "Upaddha Sutta" and Xuefeng's enlightenment story are included.

"In or Out? Up or Down? Near of Far?" Sunday, April 21, 2019. Working with The Record of Empty Hall, "Case 1: The World Honored One Breaks Through Inside and Outside," Dosho considers the different perspectives we take in our lives and in our relationship with our community.

"Don’t Seek From Others Or You’ll Be Estranged From Yourself," April 7, 2019. In the talk, Dosho tells three stories from a key ancestor in the Caodong/Soto lineage: the life of Dòngshān (Cave Mountain Virtuous Servant), his definitive awakening, teaching that led to a monk being threatened with death, and his "feast for fools" before he died.

"Is My Meditation on Track?" is Dosho's talk from March 17, 2019. What is the purpose of your meditation? Zen practice offers a path of radical acceptance of this very mind, and all our bits and pieces, as the Buddha.

"On Working for Teacher Time" is Dosho's talk for March 3, 2019. In the talk, Dosho weaves the life and teaching of Shítóu, author of the Soto classic verse, "The Harmony of Difference and Sameness," into his comments on the nature and function of the teacher-student relationship in contemporary Zen practice.

“Fine Snowflakes, They Do Not Fall Elsewhere” is Dosho’s talk from a snowy Sunday, February 17, 2019. In the talk, Dosho addresses the issue of radical self acceptance, especially applied to our thinking and feeling during meditation practice. When the mind is divided the whole world is divided. When the mind is healed, the whole world is one snowflake.

Confusion and Kōan Introspection: Sunday, February 3, 2019, Dōshō offers instruction for how to work with a kōan, specifically the mū kōan. In addition, the talk includes Wúmén’s vivid comment on mū, well-being and ground-of-being intentions, meditation apps, and Socrates.

"Zen in the West: Challenges and Opportunities," from Sunday, January 20, 2019. Dosho gives a brief summary about where the Zen movement is at the moment, particularly in the US. Much of the talk looks at the challenges and opportunities we now face.

January Sesshin 2019 Talk 4: "Zazen is Dropping Body and Mind." This phrase opened Dogen to great enlightenment and forms the essential teaching about zazen in Soto Zen. In this talk, Dosho comments on what zazen is not and what it is, based on Dogen's Extensive Record, 432.

January Sesshin 2019 Talk 3: "Repaying Our Debt of Compassion." Dogen taught, "Extending the buddhas' and ancestors' compassion freely and unlimitedly, we are able to attain buddhahood and let go of the attainment." In this talk, Tetsugan talks about our debt to the buddhas' and ancestors' for continuing this incredible practice so that we today have access to it. How can we repay our debt?