Bodhidharma meets the Emperor
The Emperor asks what the merit is from his many gifts. Bodhidharma replies, "No merit." Why does he say this; what does it tell us about Buddhist practice?
Listen/Download — Duration: 26:02
Difference and Unity: Introduction to the Sandokai
An introduction to the Sandōkai, an important scripture which we recite daily. Sandōkai uses the image of darkness and light to convey how difference and unity go together.
Listen/Download — Duration: 25:46
Finding the Buddha within Birth and Death
A talk focussing on the opening of Dogen's Shushogi: "The most important question for all Buddhists Is how to understand birth and death completely."
Listen/Download — Duration: 21:03
Achalanatha: Coming to know the nature of the flames
In meditation we must come to know the "flames" of our suffering, in order to let go of them. Seen as they are, their very nature points to their ending.
Listen/Download — Duration: 15:08
Exploring the nature of the “beast of self”
We want to live well, but we are also driven to act in unskilful ways. Through meditation we can explore this "beast of self" and come to understand it.
Listen/Download — Duration: 15:29
Committing to the Precepts
The life of Buddha involves living by the Precepts. What does committing to the Precepts involve, and do we need to do this publicly? Do we do it just once?
Listen/Download — Duration: 12:59
Responding to the World
"Training seems to me to involve choosing a certain way of living or relating to the world. Its the choice to be a consumer of the world; hoping to get something out of it OR - to open up to what existence IS and try my best to respond to that call."
Listen/Download — Duration: 16:33
Renunciation: changing our circumstances or letting go?
In the story of the Renunciation, The Buddha leaves the Palace and his family. Must we also change our circumstances, or is the story pointing to an inner letting go that's needed and what this feels like?
Listen/Download — Duration: 20:14
Dwelling in the heart of Great Compassion
Compassion lies at the heart of the Universe. We see others suffer as we do, but how then should we respond? What does it mean to dwell in the heart of Great Compassion?
Listen/Download — Duration: 22:01
Dogen on thoughts about enlightenment
A short talk about a section of Dogen's Shobogenzo in which he says that "What you think one way or another before realisation is not a help for realisation."
Listen/Download — Duration: 10:45
Letting go of ideas about enlightenment
Enlightenment isn't just a concept. The Buddha said he was enlightened about the nature of reality; we must make this real by letting go of our attachments.
Listen/Download — Duration: 23:23