Yokoji Zen Dharma Talks

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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 Fletcher Roshi


    • May 23, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 59m AVG DURATION
    • 140 EPISODES

    4.8 from 51 ratings Listeners of Yokoji Zen Dharma Talks that love the show mention: deeply, talks, teaching, straight, clear, words, life, work, tenshin roshi's.


    Ivy Insights

    The Yokoji Zen Dharma Talks podcast has been a staple in my life for the past five years. As a regular listener, I find myself continuously drawn back to this podcast for its stripped-down and authentic approach to zen practice. Unlike many other podcasts that are filled with western influences and romanticism, this podcast offers a pure and enriching addition to my practice. It is like a breath of fresh air amidst a cluttered world.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the calming and balanced quality of Tenshin Roshi's speech. His words resonate deeply within me and have a profound effect on my daily life. The teachings are presented in a straightforward manner that is easy to understand and apply, even for novices like myself. Listening to these talks throughout my day brings a sense of peace and clarity that carries me through any challenges or obstacles I may face.

    Another highlight of this podcast is the depth and content of Tenshin Roshi's dharma talks. Each talk is full of wisdom, insight, and practical guidance for navigating life's ups and downs. I have listened to every episode multiple times over, and each time I am blown away by the profundity of his words. Whether you are a monastic practitioner or simply someone curious about zen practice, there is something in these talks that will resonate with you.

    While it is difficult to find any major flaws with this podcast, one minor downside is the occasional technical issues that arise. There have been instances where tracks would loop or skip due to technical problems, which can be frustrating for listeners. However, it seems that the team behind the podcast is dedicated to resolving these issues promptly.

    In conclusion, The Yokoji Zen Dharma Talks podcast is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in zen practice or seeking spiritual guidance in their everyday lives. Tenshin Roshi's teachings cut through misconceptions and delusions effectively while reminding us to appreciate all aspects of our lives, both light and dark. The podcast offers a direct and unadorned approach to practice, making it a must-listen for anyone looking for a genuinely enriching addition to their spiritual journey.



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    Latest episodes from Yokoji Zen Dharma Talks

    Fine Wine

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 66:28


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case 53 from The Book of Equanimity, "Obaku's Dregs". 

    Strategy and Tactics in Zen

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 61:26


    Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Koan but Were Afraid to Ask

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 68:26


    Tenshin Roshi talks about the koan system used in the White Plum Asanga.

    Ordinary

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 68:28


    Tenshin Roshi talks about cases 12 and 19 of The Gateless Gate, "Zuigan Calls Himself Master,"  and "Ordinary Mind is the Way."

    Happy New Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 61:00


    Tenshin Roshi discusses case 12 of the Book of Equanimity, "Jizo Plants the Field."

    Good Day?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2024 60:29


    Tenshin Roshi discusses case 6 of the Blue Cliff Record, "A Good Day."

    Reflections of This

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 63:42


    Technique and Intrinsic

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 59:57


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case nine from The Gateless Gate, "Daitsū Chishō."

    Questions Out of the Blue

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024 62:09


    Incidental Teachings

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 66:46


    Tenshin Fletcher Roshi talks about case 95 of the Book of Equanimity, "Rinzai's One Stroke."

    Uji (Sections 6-10)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 60:36


    Into Me See

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024 54:23


    The One Treasure of Daily Life

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2024 56:24


    Cause and Effect

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 65:12


    Tenshin Roshi talks about Case 2 of the Gateless Gate, "Hyakujo's Fox."

    Basic Practice and Tying Up Loose Ends

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2024 70:10


    Fukanzazengi Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 63:52


    Fukan Zazengi Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2024 71:57


    Tenshin Roshi talks about Master Dogen's writing, Fukan Zazengi, or Universal Promotion of Zazen.

    Buddhas Are Not Elsewhere, You Are You

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2023 62:50


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case seven of the Blue Cliff Record, "Asking about Buddha."

    Halloween / Obon / Día de los Muertos

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 65:05


    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.

    What is Your Light?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 60:00


    Faith Plus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2023 64:05


    Tenshin Roshi continues talking on the Record of Rinzai.

    Faith

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023 66:29


    Tenshin Roshi talks about Master Rinzai and shares readings from the Record of Rinzai.

    Standing On Your Own Feet

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 65:25


    Tenshin Roshi talks on case 12 of the Gateless Gate, "Zuigan Calls Himself 'Master.'"

    The Supreme Way is Without Difficulty

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2023 62:44


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 2 of the Blue Cliff Record, "The Supreme Way is Without Difficulty."

    What Remains?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2023 64:53


    Tenshin Roshi discusses case 30 of The Book of Equanimity, Daizui's Kalpa Fire.

    Mistake

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2023 68:33


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case 98 of the Blue Cliff Record, "Two Mistakes."

    Wholehearted Effort and Transmission

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2023 62:55


    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."

    Sit Like a Kid

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2023 63:40


    The Plain Food of Daily Living

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2023 56:26


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 78 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ummon's Farm Rice Cake".

    A Lifetime Strategy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2022 62:21


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case 14 of the Book of Equanimity, "Attendant Kaku Serves Tea".

    Practice as Daily Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2022 60:11


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 52 of the Book of Equanimity, "Sozan's Dharmakaya".

    The Closest Thing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 60:10


    Tenshin Roshi talks on case 1 of the Blue Cliff Record, "The Highest Meaning of the Holy Truths".

    The Forge of Training Period

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 51:10


    Tenshin Roshi talks on "Baso's Illness", case 36 of the Book of Equanimity.

    Finding Your Balance

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2022 65:33


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case 66  of the Book of Equanimity, "Kyuho's Head and Tail".

    Standing Back-to-Back

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2022 63:34


    Tenshin Roshi talks on case 17 of the Gateless Gate, "The National Teacher's Three calls".

    Is this Common or Holy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2022 56:55


    Tenshin Roshi talks on case 22 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ganto's Bow and Shout".

    Not Getting Lost in Words

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 62:03


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case 3 of the Book of Equanimity, "An Invitation for the Patriarch".

    The Buddha Way is Coffee and Toast

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2022 54:56


    Tenshin Roshi talks about Master Dogen's "Everyday Activity".

    Tracking Down an Ancestor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2022 65:36


    Tenshin Roshi talks about case 23 of the Gateless Gate, "Think Neither Good Nor Evil".

    Being Time Part 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 59:53


    Being Time: Part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2022 63:25


    Being Time: Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2022 60:43


    Tenshin Roshi talks more on Master Dogen's Uji, or "Being Time". This is the third talk in the series.

    Being Time: Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2022 60:37


    Tenshin Roshi talks more on Master Dogen's Uji, or "Being Time". This is the second talk in the series.

    Being Time: Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2022 72:15


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Master Dogen's "Uji", or "Being Time". This is the first talk of a series.

    Reaching For a Pillow

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2021 58:53


    Tenshin Roshi talks on case 54 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ungan's Great Compassionate One".

    Watch Out! A Snake!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 65:53


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 59 of the Book of Equanimity, "Seirin's Deadly Snake".

    The Pillar that Supports Heaven and Earth

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 59:43


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 31 of the Book of Equanimity, "Ummon's Free-Standing Pillar".

    Attention!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2021 68:55


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 4 of the Book of Equanimity, The World-Honored One Points to the Earth.

    The Inquisitive Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2021 65:26


    Tenshin Roshi talks on Parts 1 and 6 of Master Dogen's Bendowa or "On the Endeavor of the Way."

    In The Midst of Activity

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2021 61:08


    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.”

    All-Inclusive Study

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2021 61:39


    Tenshin Roshi speaks on the first two sections of Henzan or All-Inclusive Study, from Moon in a Dewdrop, Writings of Zen Master Dogen.

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