Japanese Buddhist monk who popularized Zen in the US
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In this Wednesday Night Dharma Talk, Sensei Monshin explores the ancient Buddhist teaching of Kanno Doko — “responsive communion” or “mystical communion.” Drawing from a Wallace Stevens poem and the writings of Suzuki Roshi, she […]
08/10/2025, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho discusses the reality that a human body will turn to dust and yet it is the body in which we carry the dharma and come to know it. As Dogen Zenji, founder of Soto Zen, taught, "To expound the dharma with this body is foremost."
08/09/2025, Shundo David Haye, dharma talk at City Center. Shundo David Haye reflects on the way we hold stories about ourselves and others, and how our practice of dwelling in silence can help us change our relationship with them.
In this Wednesday Night Dharma Talk, Sensei Jiryu affirms the central practice of Zen is to become truly ourselves. Reading from Suzuki Roshi's teachings, and sharing quotes from Shohaku Okamura, Katagiri Roshi, and […]
08/03/ 2025, Sessei Meg Levie, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Sessei Meg Levie offers the teaching of the Four Elements and how seeing Dharma in nature can help us open our hearts to all beings.
Neal Shorstein gives the ninth talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Mind Waves." This series of talks is given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-9-Mind-Waves-Neal-Shorstein.mp3
Neal Shorstein gives the tenth and last talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Nirvana, the Waterfall." This series of talks is given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-10-Nirvana-the-Waterfall-Anlor-Davin.mp3
07/27/2025, Zenshin Greg Fain, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Zenshin Greg Fain talks about gratitude and grief in the context of Thusness. Gratitude and grief can both be dharma gates to bring us closer to a felt sense of connection with each other, and all of existence.
Michael Guilfond gives the seventh talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "God Giving." This series of talks is given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-7-God-Giving-Michael-Guilfond.mp3
Judy Fleischman gives the eighth talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "God Giving." This series of talks is given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-8-God-Giving-Judy-Fleischman.mp3
07/20/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler reflects on recent departures from Green Gulch of the elder teachers of the founding generation, and how at the same time as that loss, a new flower of teaching blossoms as "Becoming Yourself," the new book of Suzuki Roshi's talks, is released.
07/19/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at City Center. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler celebrates together with the sangha the launch of the first new book of Suzuki Roshi's teachings in over 20 years, "Becoming Yourself," sharing about its fundamental teachings and how it came about.
Alan Block gives the fifth talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Control." This series of talks is given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-5-Control-Alan-Block.mp3
Steve Gross gives the sixth talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "No Trace." This series of talks is given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-6-No-Trace-Steve-Gross.mp3
Talk given by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler honoring Sojun Roshi's role as coeditor of the new Suzuki Roshi book, Becoming Yourself. Jiryu worked closely with Sojun Roshi and others to bring this project to completion. For information about other events around the launch of this book, check out www.becomingyourselfbook.com/events.
Christopher Dumbleton gives the third talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Experience Not Philosophy." This series is part of five class talks given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-3-Experience-Not-Philosophy-Christopher-Dumbleton.mp3
John Murray gives the fourth talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Beyond Experience." This series is part of five class talks given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-4-Beyond-Consciousness-John-Murray.mp3
Judith Gilbert gives the first talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Prologue: Beginner's Mind." This series is part of five class talks given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-1-Prologue_-Beginner_s-Mind-Judith-Gilbert.mp3
James Flaherty gives the second talk of the Zen Mind Beginner's Mind 2025 Series on "Prologue: Beginner's Mind." This series is part of five class talks given by senior Everyday Zen teachers on the chapter of their choice from Suzuki Roshi's book "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Mind-2025-Series-Talk-2-Study-Yourself-James-Flaherty.2.mp3
07/05/2025, Mark Lesser, dharma talk at City Center. Marc Lesser discusses a teaching from Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh: Breathing, smiling and living are three ways to practice.
07/02/2025, Doshin Dan Gudgel, dharma talk at City Center. Doshin Dan Gudgel explores the image of Indra's Net and how it relates to life in this complicated, messy modern world.
06/22/2025, Eijun Linda Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. As senior dharma teacher Linda Ruth Cutts prepares to move from Green Gulch and SFZC residency after 54 years she brings up the practice of being upright in the midst of great change.
06/21/2025, Esho Sudan, dharma talk at City Center. Esho Sudan explores the life-story and great legacy of Sozen Nagasawa Roshi, a Soto Zen abbess and teacher, founder of the only women's training monastery in WW2-era Japan.
06/15/2025, Gyokuden Stephanie Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Gyokuden Steph Blank shares her experience of grief and gratitude arising through the intimate process of accompanying her father during his recent transition from the miracle of life into the miracle of death.
2025-06-10 I Inquiry I Suzuki Roshi's “Swinging Door” I Joel Barna by Appamada
06/07/2025, Monitsu Pamela Weiss, dharma talk at City Center. Monitsu Pamela Weiss explores the stories of our early women ancestors, Mahapajapati and Yasodhara.
06/04/2025, Monitsu Pamela Weiss, dharma talk at City Center. Monitsu Pamela Weiss explores the life of Huineng and living a life of vow, in this talk from the summer 2025 practice intensive at Beginner's Mind Temple.
06/01/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler takes up the theme of “Becoming Yourself,” the title of a new book of talks by Suzuki Roshi, by reflecting on two lines from the book.
05/25/2025, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Shosan Victoria Austin examines the Memorial Day holiday through a Buddhist lens, particularly looking at the ethical dilemmas in the oaths taken in our society.
05/14/2025, Myogen Kathryn Stark, dharma talk at Tassajara. In this talk, Myogen Kathryn Stark talks about Shantideva, his work on the Way of the Bodhisattva, and how we apply this to our own lives.
05/14/2025, Tatsudo Nicole Baden, dharma talk at City Center. Tatsudo Nicole Baden explores two foundational Buddhist perspectives: that everything changes (impermanence) and that everything is interconnected (interdependence).
05/10/2025, Jisho Lisa Hoffman, dharma talk at Tassajara. In this talk, Jisho Lisa Hoffman reflects on Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, and her teacher Darlene Cohen.
05/11/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, drawing on Suzuki Roshi's teachings, points to Zen practice as fundamentally about opening to the innate love and innate wonder that is our basic nature as human beings.
05/07/2025, Ryotan Cynthia Kear, dharma talk at Tassajara. During a study week devoted to her teachings, Cynthia shares her memories of her teacher, Darlene Cohen.
Kōgetsu Mok discusses Suzuki Roshi's "Not Always So"—Be Kind with Yourself.Our practice has an emphasis on warm heart and warm zazen. This kind of practice shows us how to take care of ourselves, our lives and others. When we're kind with our breathing, true practice can emerge as we learn to manage our impulses and busy lives.
05/03/2025, Peter van der Sterre, dharma talk at Tassajara. In this talk, given at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (Zenshinnji), Peter van der Sterre reflects on his years of practice at Zen Center, the people who particularly inspired him, and the value of sitting in community.
05/04/2025, Myles Cowherd, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Myles Cowherd outlines core Zen Buddhist teachings and practices, emphasizing the discovery of inherent Buddha-nature, a guided meditation for presence and compassion, and a positive reframing of the precepts as a guide for life.
In this second full day of Spring Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Shinzan explores the Four Bodhisattva Vows as expressions of what Suzuki Roshi described as an “inflexible determination to carry out one's will […]
04/27/2025, Myoju Erin Merk, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Myoju Erin Merk reflects on the yogic power of simplicity in Zen practice, emphasizing how grounding ourselves in the present moment can restore steadiness and wholeness amid overwhelm.
04/26/2025, Sozan Miglioli, dharma talk at City Center. Sozan Miglioli explores the vertical and horizontal dimensions of practice. Understanding this balance between depth and breadth, between going deep and going wide, is key. In today's world, we often lean too far toward one at the expense of the other.
04/23/2025, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at City Center. Shosan Victoria Austin uses Keizan Zenji's teachings to explore the questions: What is intentional service? And, how does this help very different people build an environment of wholeness and trust?
04/16/2025, Shundo David Haye, dharma talk at City Center. Shundo David Haye reflects on the upcoming lay ordination ceremony at Beginner's Mind Temple, and talks about how a teacher sees a student: both how they are right now, and the potential of who they will become through practice.
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.”
04/12/2025, Ryuko Laura Burges, dharma talk at City Center. Ryuko Laura Burges, a lay entrusted teacher, talks about the timeless power of story and shares her recent book, Wisdom Stories of Tibet: Tales of Magic, Adventure, and Bravery.
Norman gives a talk to the Dharma Seminar on "Becoming Yourself." This is based on excerpts of a new upcoming book on Suzuki Roshi by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler that is to be published within the next year. https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Susuki-Roshi-Becoming-Yourself.mp3
04/05/3035, Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at City Center. Central Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman marks Buddha's birthday by recounting the story of Shakyamuni Buddha's birth over 2500 years ago while exploring the meaning of some of the more fantastical details.
In light of revelations about the theft of countless authors' work by one A.I. company (guess which one), Ethan finally talks about a topic he's been requested to cover for a while: Buddhist views on artificial intelligence. He begins by positioning the conversation within the frame of View and Intention, asking the question of what "technology" is and why and how we even want it to progress, along with proposing the sacredness of human labor, wisdom and creativity as a basic Buddhist principle, as well as a principle of right livelihood. He also includes a Buddhist understanding of the meaning of consciousness, and why AI might never meet the standard. Please support the podcast via Substack and subscribe for free or with small monthly contributions. Paid subscribers will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! Check out all the cool offerings at our sponsor Dharma Moon. Free video courses, such as The Three Marks of Existence, are also available for download. Notes: To see some of the energy usage date on artificial intelligence, see this link To see which author's works have been pirated, see The Atlantic's list here. To read about The "Suzuki Roshi" Chatbot, read here. An alternate translation of Suzuki Roshi's famed quote to his students is: “Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.”
03/23/2025, Gil Fronsdal, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Gil Fronsdal explores the profound importance of pausing between stimulus and response.
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.
03/01/2025, Edward Brown, dharma talk at City Center. Edward Espe Brown shares teachings from Eihei Dogen's “Tenzo Kyokun”, and stories from practicing as tenzo (head cook) at Tassajara under the guidance of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.