Podcasts about Koan

In this Teisho, given on June 23rd, 2025, at Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji's Summer Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines case 70 of the Hekiganroku: Isan's, "I Would Ask You To Say It." How do we find harmony in a world full of dischord? How does Zen training help us to open our ears to listen?

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on May 1, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 44th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Basho and a Stick.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

In this Teisho, given on May 18th, 2025, Rinzan Osho examines Dieu Nhan's Without Words from The Hidden Lamp. When we attach to things, we lose the essence. Zen practice is the practice of presence. Being present, we see that there is nothing to attach to. Then the whole world reveals itself.

Engo Kokugon war ein bedeutender Rinzai-Zenmeister (1063-1135). Er hat die Koan-Sammlung Hekiganroku kommentiert und mit zusätzlichen Versen versehen. In diesem Teisho geht Christoph Rei Ho Hatlapa auf das Erleuchtungsgedicht Engos ein, das im Koan 106 des Shūmon Kattōshū zu finden ist. Darin zeigt sich Engo als ein Mensch, der Beziehungen zu Menschen aus Fleisch und Blut eingeht und auf deren Bedeutung hinweist. Auch Buddha sprach von der Bedeutung spiritueller Freunde, den Kalyāṇamitta, die einander auf dem spirituellen Weg unterstützen. In diesem Sinne ist der ToGenJi-Tempel ein Knotenpunkt in Indras Netz, an dem Menschen zusammenkommen, gemeinsam praktizieren, Freundschaften schließen und auf der Grundlage ihrer Erkenntnisse den Dharma verbreiten. Um für junge Erwachsene den Aufenthalt im ToGenJi zu ermöglichen, bitten wir um eine Spende: Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website https://choka-sangha.de/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

 This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on April 3, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi finishes her discussion on the 43rd case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Shushan's Short Bamboo Staff.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.

Happy Summer Solstice!I feel deep gratitude to be on this path of friendship, communion and inquiry with you. The path of dharma is a path of truth, of getting closer to the actuality of our lives—to the heart of what is right here.In this journey of the heart there are so many encounters, so many opportunities for reflection, so many relationships, learnings, emotions, sensations. Fear is a natural part of the human experience. It is often connected to a sense of not feeling safe or a-getting-closer-to-what-is unfamiliar, unknown, uncertain.And fear can be quite ephemeral—leaving in its wake anger, anxious thoughts, panic, doom—as we attempt to distract ourselves, numb out or push it away.In the Buddhist tradition we have a lot of different practices for meeting fear and meeting our reactions to feeling fear. All of these practices are grounded in the four immeasureables: loving kindness, joy, compassion and equanimity.In the audio dharma talk I share some of the practices I have learned for practicing with fear, including metta, insight, working with Jizo Bodhisattva and tonglen. At the end of the recording I lead a guided tonglen practice for meeting fear/anxiety in ourselves and the world, opening to spaciousness and offering love. May we meet our fears with understanding and compassion, as we cultivate the courage to welcome everything that comes our way! …Summer Read—The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women (First Session Monday 6/23)This Summer I will be offering teachings and open discussion on 15 selected koans and stories from The Hidden Lamp. I am inviting you to join in this Summer read.The Hidden Lamp offers stories from the Women Ancestors in the Buddhist tradition. These stories are raw, humble, playful and speak of this very human path of awakening. Each story is accompanied with commentary from a contemporary Buddhist teacher.The koans are stories that tell of the awakened life. They invite us with their metaphors and images to recognize our own awakened life.I will host a meditation, dharma talk and discussion weekly on each koan and provide brief commentary and inquiry questions here. You are invited to attend the meditation/discussion, share your comments here, read along or engage in whatever way feels good for you.the light of the dharma is shining through every experience of our lives. sometimes it appears hidden. this offering is an invitation to recognize the light of awakening in the midst of our living this summer.We will start this coming Monday June 23rd with the first Koan story: The Old Woman of Mount Wu Tai.I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and somatic mindfulness. I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring supportive practice forms for engaging the dharma in life outside of retreat.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKZen Practice opportunities through ZCOGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin—August 11 - 17, in-person at Great Vow Zen Monastery (this retreat is held outdoors, camping is encouraged but indoor dorm spaces are available)In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaInterdependence Sesshin: A Five Day Residential Retreat Wednesday July 2 - Sunday July 6 in Montrose, WV at Saranam Retreat Center (Mud Lotus is hosting its first Sesshin!) Currently full, contact me to be added to the waitlist.Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Ausgehend von Koan 99 des Hekiganroku beschäftigt sich Christoph Rei Ho Hatlapa mit unserer Sehnsucht nach etwas Höherem, die uns dazu verleitet, die Welt in Heilig und Unheilig aufzuteilen. In diesem Gefüge steht etwas Göttliches weit über uns und wir bemühen uns, Gutes zu tun. Doch solange wir aus einer Welt der Getrenntheit heraus tätig werden, fehlt es unserem Handeln an Kraft. Meist rufen unsere helfenden Bemühungen die Hungergeister auf den Plan und wir fühlen uns ausgelaugt und missverstanden. Wirklich selbstlos zu handeln, ist eine große Kunst, die den Zugang zum universellen Feld des Mitgefühls erfordert. Avalokiteśvara, der Bodhisattva des universellen Mitgefühls, erkannte, dass es hinter den Erscheinungen eine Welt der Leerheit gibt, die alle Wesen verbindet. Wahres Mitgefühl entspringt dieser Welt des Abwesenden. Um den Zugang dazu zu finden, müssen wir aufhören, uns Heiligenbilder gegenüberzustellen und uns vielmehr selbst auf den Weg machen, unseren Geist zu befreien. Dazu wenden wir uns zunächst liebevoll uns selbst zu und stellen uns den inneren Hungergeistern. Denn wer mit der Übung beginnt, gleicht einem Regenfass mit zahllosen Löchern. Nur wer diese Löcher gestopft hat, kann Wasser speichern, um andere Wesen damit zu nähren. Nur ein solcher Mensch vermag es, allen Wesen absolut bescheiden zu dienen. Um für junge Erwachsene den Aufenthalt im ToGenJi zu ermöglichen, bitten wir um eine Spende: Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website https://choka-sangha.de/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

Teisho by Sangen Salo sensei during zazenkai 28.4.2025 at Helsinki Zen Center, Finland.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on March 13, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 41st case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Bodhidharma Puts the Mind to Rest.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

6/12/25: Journalist Craig Johnson: "How to Talk to Your Son About Fascism." Ruth Griggs w/ Koan Collective musicians Ian Behrstock & Jahain Cooper-Monize. Rep. Natalie Blais: HIP, SNAP, POTpourri, Pride, & students' testimony. EHS educators Kelley Brown & Jeff Sealander, w/ students Oscar, Leia & Michael – a cross-generational book club: founding fathers & “The Pursuit of Happiness.”

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This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on March 6, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 39th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Unmon and a Mistake in Speech.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

05/24/2025, Monitsu Pamela Weiss, dharma talk at City Center. Monitsu Pamela Weiss explores the twin themes of refuge and compassion in Cases 4 and 54 of the Book of Serenity.

 This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on March 3rd, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 38th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as A Buffalo Passes Through A Window.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

In this talk Chozen Roshi discusses working with koans. She discusses the differences between koan study and formal koan training with a teacher. This talk was given on April 16th 2025 during Koan Sesshin. ★ Support this podcast ★

What does homelessness look like to you? In this episode, author Michelle Prak tells her latest story – thriller novel Barren Cape – through the lens of the housing affordability crisis. Michelle chats to us about the book's inspiration, her own writing beginnings and much more! 00:00 Welcome03:20 Writing tip: Visit museums for inspiration06:24 WIN!: Invisible Woman by Katia Lief08:15 Word of the week: ‘Koan’11:27 The World of words: Compliment vs complement13:31 Writer in residence: Michelle Prak14:33 Overview of the novel Barren Cape16:20 The explosion of the Aussie crime genre17:21 Author inspirations19:32 The little red typewriter21:39 Balancing writing and life responsibilities23:25 Exploring themes of homelessness in Barren Cape27:54 Inspiration behind the setting and characters31:04 Writing multiple perspectives33:10 On writing younger characters36:57 Michelle’s daily writing habits and process39:16 Upcoming projects 40:35 Advice for aspiring thriller writers41:52 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on February 28, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 38th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as A Buffalo Passes Through A Window.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

In this Teisho, given on April 20th, 2025, Rinzan Osho examines case 68 of the Hekiganroku: Kyozan Asks Sancho's Name. Deep investigation takes us to a place so vast and free that we can feel the relief of "nothing matters." From that place, we can spring forth revived, and with a profound sense that "everything matters." 

Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at City Center. Central Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman takes up Case 12 from the Book of Serenity, titled ‘Dizang Planting the Fields', which touches upon a number of key practice questions that can be beneficial to consider as we encounter and navigate the distressing state of the world.

Zen is a practice to deeply explore and fully live our true Self. Might the Koan about the stone deep down in the sea of Ise be a helpful pointer

**Room Echo is Present in this podcast due to the way the talk was recorded. Attempts have been made to reduce the impact on the intelligibility of the teaching.**   This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on February 21, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 37th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as The Oak Tree in the Front Garden.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on February 14, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 36th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Meeting a Person of the Tao Along the Way.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

Höchstwahrscheinlich wird der FC Bayern München sehr bald als Deutscher Meister feststehen. Doch was nimmt man aus dieser Saison mit – und wie sehr muss man sich zur kommenden Saison verändern?

In this Teisho, given on March 2nd, 2025, the final day of No-Rank Zen Temple's Spring Odayaka Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines case 60 of the Hekiganroku: Ummon's Staff Becoming a Dragon. The staff has swallowed up the universe, where are the mountains, rivers and the great world?

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on January 28, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 34th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Wisdom Is Not The Tao.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

04/13/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler reflects on comments from Suzuki Roshi's talks on Case #36 of the Blue Cliff Record, exploring lines like “Buddhists resign from the world of suffering in order to live in the world of perpetual joy” and “human beings prefer the unreal to the real.”

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on January 24, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 33nd case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as No Mind, No Buddha.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on January 12, 2024. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 32nd case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as The Buddha Responds to an Outsider.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

In this Teisho, given on February 29th, 2025, the second day of No-Rank Zen Temple's Spring Odayaka Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines Lingzhao's Shining Grasses. To open to Dharma practice and the deep spiritual life, one has to be willing to do hard things with an everyday mind.        

A talk given at Berkeley Zen Center on Saturday, March 29th 2025 by Gary Artim.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on Dec 20, 2023. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 31st case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Joshu Sees Through an Old Woman.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

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

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on Dec 7, 2023. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 30th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Mind is Buddha.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

In this Teisho, given on February 28th, 2025, the first day of No-Rank Zen Temple's Spring Odayaka Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines case 59 of the Hekiganroku: Joshu's "Why Not Quote to the End?" The Real Way is not difficult. It only abhors choice and attachment. So how can we be free to flow in a world of like and dislike?

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on Nov 29, 2023. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 29th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Not the Wind, Not the Flag.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

03/09/2025, Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler explores the practice of seeing the present moment, just as it is, as “the mystic peak” of spiritual fulfillment, with reference to Suzuki Roshi's comments on case #23 of the Blue Cliff Record.

In this Teisho, given on January 26th, 2025, Rinzan Osho examines The Hidden Lamp: Kakuzan Shido's Dagger. Zen training initiates us into a new way of being. How do we respond to the world with authenticity, depth and presence?

Come join us on Patreon! We'd love a contribution but you are also welcome to join as a free member: https://patreon.com/kindmind and access more.With the big shifts happening, it is a good time for quiet reflection and listening with one's whole heart.In communication, when we speak, we mostly share what we think we know but when it is our turn to listen there is every possibility of learning and growth.Deep listening often requires cultivating inner silence and stillness. By quieting the mind and ego, one creates space to perceive subtler layers of meaning, insight, or even divine presence.In Zen Buddhism, for example, the classic Koan of listening to the "sound of one hand clapping" symbolizes an inward journey toward understanding the unspoken truths of existence.Theologian Henri Nouwen said:"To listen is very hard because it asks of us so much interior stability that we no longer need to prove ourselves by speeches, arguments, statements, or declarations. True listeners no longer have an inner need to make their presence known."

02/19/2025, Anshi Zachary Smith, dharma talk at City Center. Anshi Zachary Smith asks “How can we study and engage with memory and mind processes in such a way that it allows for skillful, discerning activity?”

In this Teisho, given on January 21st, 2025, the fourth full day of No-Rank Zen Temple's January Rohatsu Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines the Hidden Lamp: Ling's Question. "To be a human being is to live in calamity." How is it that we live a caring spiritual  life amidst this?

2025-02-18 I Inquiry I When a koan takes hold I Joel Barna by Appamada

This talk was given by Kisei Sensei at Great Vow Zen Monestary on February 4th, 2025 during Parinirvana Sesshin. In this talk Kisei discusses a Koan about death and the deathless as well as the story of Patacara and how great loss can bring us to practice.  ★ Support this podcast ★

In this Teisho, given on January 20th, 2025, the third full day of No-Rank Zen Temple's January Rohatsu Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines case 54 of the Hekiganroku: Ummon Stretches Out His Hands. Who are we when we greet the world that is beckoning us forward? How do we respond to its open armed invitiation.

In this opening session of the Winter Practice Period, Roshi Joan Halifax and Senseis Wendy, Kodo, and Kozan welcome practitioners to the month-long immersion in Zen practice. The session focuses […]

Dr. Tara B. M. Smith is an early career interdisciplinary academic that works in the fields of science fiction, literature, religion and popular culture. Tara is currently a research affiliate at the University of Sydney. In 2024 Tara was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at the Harvard Divinity School, Boston, writing on religious ideas and experiences of people that paint and play within the science fiction “grimdark” universe of Warhammer 40,000. Tara is a passionate educator who holds a Graduate Certificate of Higher Education and has taught in academic settings for over 5 years across a variety of units including media studies, religious studies, writing skills and composition. When Tara is not studying, she spends time with her two cats Thomas and Momo and her fiancé Luke in Sydney, Australia.While most people who talk and think about the story of Dune focus on the political and religious aspects of the series [for example, the Bene Geserit with their genetic breeding program and the Kwisatz Haderach, or the Butlerian Jihad -the war against thinking machines = technology and AI], Tara's article, “The Anthropocene in Frank Herbert's Dune Series” from 2021 takes a different approach and explores the ecological/philosophical aspects of the story. As she notes, Frank Herbert was warning his readers about their anthropocentric tendencies and urging people instead to think about ecological conservation, or at least he appears to be planting a seed in the minds of the readers to be more aware of their place or role on the Earth.Poem mentioned in this interview:“I drove my feet through a desertWhose mirage fluttered like a host.Voracious for glory, greedy for danger,I roamed the horizons of al-Kulab,Watching time level mountainsIn its search and its hunger for me.And I saw the sparrows swiftly approach,Bolder than the onrushing wolf.They spread in the tree of my youth.I heard the flock in my branchesAnd was caught on their beaks and claws!”– from Arrakis Awakening by the Princess Irulan (Herbert 1978, 228)Dr. Tara Smith:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-b-m-smith-phd-fhea-306418192/“The Anthropocene in Frank Herbert's Dune Series”, Foundation 140, 50.3 (2021): 62-74. The_Anthropocene_in_Frank_Herberts_Dune.docTheme Music and Editing: Daniel P. SheaEnd Production: Stephanie SheaThe full episode can be heard at my Patreon page: www.patreon.com/RejectedReligion, or can be purchased for a one-time fee. 

01/15/2025, Anshi Zachary Smith, dharma talk at City Center. Anshi Zachary Smith examines two koans (Zen teaching stories) from the Blue Cliff Record that have to do with duality, and rice.

In this Teisho, given on December 2, 2024, the second full day of Chobo-ji's Rohatsu Sesshin, Rinzan Osho examines case 50 of the Hekiganroku: Ummon's "Particle After Particle Samadhi." When we see beyond concepts, we can be open, free and responsive to the great reality, a place where words meet words and spirit meets spirit.

12/28/2024, Sozan Miglioli, dharma talk at City Center. Sozan Miglioli explores the four fundamental principles of Wa, Kei, Sei, and Jaku—core teachings rooted in Zen and essential to the Way of Tea.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on Oct 25, 2023. In this talk Do'on Sensei discusses the 26th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Two Monks Roll Up the Blinds.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

A koan is a paradoxical statement that tries to make sense of ambiguity. Sort of like, "The Best of Car Talk". Hear one of our favorite mechanics' koan all the way from Alabama on this episode.Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalkLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy