The No Abode Audio Archive

You are currently logged-out. You can log-in or create an account to see more talks, save favorites, and more. more info

Showing 3862 talks
 

- Reset Search

Title Speaker Date

Awakening Beyond Thought and Distinction

Serial: RA-02607 The talk addresses the challenges of practicing Zen teachings, emphasizing that true understanding comes from transcending conceptual thought and realizing the unity of mind and Buddha. It discusses the notion of stages in...
Buddha, Practice, Stillness
Mar 21 1999

Mindfulness: Beyond Thought and Duality

Serial: RA-02569 The discussion centers around the concept of mindfulness as taught by Daoshin, focusing on the interconnectedness of mindfulness of Buddha, mindfulness of mind, and the realization of emptiness by having no object of thought....
Suzuki Roshi, Emptiness, Mindfulness
Mar 17 1999

Becoming Boundless Through Meditation

Serial: RA-02572 The discussion explores bodhisattva meditation practices, focusing on the cultivation of shamatha (tranquility) and vipassana (higher vision) as outlined in the "Samdhinirmocana Sutra" and teachings from Zen master Dai Doshin....
Buddha, Mindfulness, Practice
Mar 15 1999

Sculpting Self: Infant Bonds and Beyond

Serial: RA-02571 This talk explores the development of the self through face-to-face interactions between infants and caregivers, emphasizing how these interactions within the first year of life shape the foundational sense of self. It delves...
Study, Practice Period, Emotions
Mar 14 1999

Zen Without Expectation

Serial: RA-02905 The main thesis of the talk focuses on the Zen concepts of expectation, outflows, and the dual practice of shamatha (calming) and vipassana (insight), exploring how these practices relate to the bodhisattva path. It emphasizes...
Meditation, Mahayana, Letting Go
Mar 12 1999

Suffering, Equanimity, and Zen Presence

Serial: RA-02579 The talk primarily explores the concepts of suffering, equanimity, and intimacy in Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of meditation in overcoming ignorance and achieving a deeper understanding of 'no-self'. It discusses the...
Suffering, Pain, Intimacy
Mar 10 1999

Compassion Beyond Seeking and Self

Serial: RA-02577 The talk discusses the Zen practice of "non-seeking," highlighted by the intimate relationship of the self with the self, which is characterized by equanimity and the renunciation of preference. A Zen story involving Master Mazu...
Equanimity, Pain, Nirvana
Mar 08 1999

Stillness in Compassionate Action

Serial: RA-02576 The talk explores the concept of Buddhas being born from great compassion and achieving a state of non-seeking by remaining unmoving, yet capable of responding appropriately to beings. It highlights the practice of always sitting...
Wisdom, Meditation, Buddha Mind
Mar 07 1999

Seats of Power, Emptiness, and Innovation

Serial: RA-02636 The talk delves into the symbolic and practical significance of seats and authority within Buddhist practice, particularly in Zen tradition. It examines the dichotomy between an empty seat—which suggests purity and absence of ego...
Ceremony, Shosan, Practice Period
Mar 06 1999

Pathways to Enlightenment Through Love

Serial: RA-02644 The talk focuses on the journey of spiritual development through the lens of Mahayana Buddhism, emphasizing the practice of love, renunciation, and realization. Central to this is the cultivation of bodhicitta—an altruistic...
Practice, Emptiness, Love
Feb 17 1999

Unveiling Reality Through Zen Meditation

Serial: RA-02574 The talk explores the concepts of dependent co-arising (Pratītyasamutpāda), emptiness (Śūnyatā), and the two truths of conventional and ultimate reality in Zen philosophy. It delves into the idea that worldly conventions cloud...
Buddha, Practice, Emptiness
Feb 15 1999

Spiritual Communion: Path to Enlightenment

Serial: RA-02648 The talk examines the concept of "Dependent Co-Arising" (DCA), a fundamental principle in Buddhist philosophy that explains how phenomena arise in dependence on conditions, leading to the cycle of birth and death known as samsara...
Buddha, Practice, Love
Feb 13 1999

Embracing Dual Truth in Zen

Serial: RA-02610 The talk explores the concepts of conventional and ultimate truth within Zen Buddhism, particularly through the dual spellings and meanings of the term "samvritti satya" (worldly truth). It is suggested that while worldly...
Buddha, Practice, Time
Feb 11 1999

Unraveling Mind's Illusions in Zen

Serial: RA-02647 The talk discusses Zen philosophy, focusing on the concept of ungraspable mind as reflected in the "Shobo Genzo" texts, specifically "Shin Ka Fukutoku" and the "Painting of a Rice Cake," emphasizing the meditation on the...
Mindfulness, Interdependence, Renunciation
Feb 07 1999

Zen Patience: Embracing Ultimate Truth

Serial: RA-02606 This talk addresses the concept of patience within Zen practice, emphasizing its role in settling the mind and preventing anger, while ultimately leading to the acceptance of Nirvana and ultimate truth. Discussions include...
Practice, Practice Period, Buddha
Feb 05 1999

Embracing Suchness: Patience in Practice

Serial: RA-02605 The talk primarily explores the concept of "suchness" or "thusness" in Buddhist teachings, discussing its importance in the practice and realization of the interconnected nature of existence. The discussion includes the...
Pain, Practice, Patience
Feb 03 1999

Intertwining Realities: Creativity and Emptiness

Serial: RA-02604 The talk examines the Buddhist concept of dependent co-arising, comparing it to the cambium layer in a tree, which represents the vital exchange where creativity and conventionality interact. It discusses how conventionality may...
Buddha, Freedom, Nirvana
Feb 02 1999

Three Characteristics

Serial: RA-02632 In the talk titled "Three Characteristics," the focus is on the complexities of meditative practice during sesshin, particularly the challenge of adapting to intense sitting schedules and the physical resistance observed in both...
Pain, Emptiness, confusion
Feb 01 1999

Transcending Self Through Pure Perception

Serial: RA-02904 The talk explores Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings on the realization of freedom from the illusion of self and others, focusing on perceiving phenomena without identification. It emphasizes a practice of letting phenomena exist as...
Delusion, Daily Life, Study
Jan 31 1999

Embracing Life through Compassionate Awakening

Serial: RA-02633 The talk discusses the concept of "sasin," contrasting it with the notion of a "retreat." While "retreat" suggests withdrawal, "sasin" involves embracing and nurturing the body, mind, and heart, guided by Buddha's compassion. The...
Heart Sutra, Pain, Delusion
Jan 30 1999

Selflessness and the Birth of Compassion

Serial: RA-02634 The talk explores the integral relationship between meditation on ultimate reality and the cultivation of love, asserting that the practice is intertwined with selflessness and emptiness. The speaker emphasizes that real love...
Love, Emptiness, Practice Period
Jan 21 1999

Love's Path: Compassionate Zen Awakening

Serial: RA-02603 The talk centers on the importance of generating feelings of love and compassion as a foundation for practicing the bodhisattva path, which ultimately leads to the realization of a selfless life and the understanding of profound...
Pain, Study, Happiness
Jan 17 1999

Love as Zen's Foundational Practice

Serial: RA-02602 The talk emphasizes the importance of love as a foundational element for deep study and meditation in Zen practice. It discusses using traditional forms and ceremonies as opportunities for practicing selflessness and exploring...
Practice Period, Zendo, Posture
Jan 15 1999

Interconnected Paths to Authentic Awakening

Serial: RA-02130 The talk primarily explores the realization of the Buddha’s teaching of dependent core arising and its implications for spiritual practice, emphasizing the insubstantiality of all phenomena to cultivate compassion. The complex...
Time, Priest, Sangha
Jan 1999

Unified Mind: Embracing Cosmic Oneness

Serial: RA-01056 The talk centers on the concept of "one mind," a foundational teaching in Zen, asserting that Buddhas and all sentient beings are inseparable and lack distinguishing characteristics within this mind. The discourse explores the...
Buddha Mind, Oneness, Practice Period
Dec 13 1998

Polishing Understanding Through Zen Practice

Serial: RA-01055 The talk discusses a Zen story involving the Zen master Matsu and his teacher Nanyue, exploring themes of exclusivity, practice, and understanding through repeated engagement with spiritual teachings. The session emphasizes...
Meditation, Sesshin, Study
Dec 12 1998

Sitting With No Seeking

Serial: RA-01054 The primary thesis of this talk revolves around the integration of Zazen practice with the understanding of simultaneously being an ordinary person and Buddha. The discussion emphasizes the practice of sitting without seeking, as...
Meditation, Zazengi, Zazen
Dec 11 1998

Awakening to Already Present Oneness

Serial: RA-01053 The talk explores the concept of oneness and interdependence in Zen Buddhism, beginning with Shakyamuni Buddha's awakening to the interconnectedness of all life and extending through the lineage of teachers such as Bodhidharma,...
Oneness, Tassajara, Practice Period
Dec 10 1998

Embracing Pain, Cultivating Patience

Serial: RA-01052 This talk explores the nature of pain and patience in the context of Zen meditation practices, specifically during sesshin, an intensive meditation retreat. It addresses the physical and psychological dimensions of pain,...
Pain, Patience, Meditation
Dec 09 1998

Oneness in Selffulfilling Samadhi

Serial: RA-01051 The talk emphasizes the concept of "self-fulfilling samadhi," as originally articulated by Dogen, which is an awareness that completes the understanding of the self through interconnectedness with the universe and all beings. The...
Samadhi, Oneness, Dogen
Dec 08 1998

Cocoon of Cosmic Connection

Serial: RA-01050 The talk emphasizes the concept of feeling held and supported by the universe as a means to spiritual maturity and realizing truth, akin to the teachings of Buddha. It stresses the importance of creating a mental container...
Ordinary Mind, Buddha Mind, Breath
Dec 07 1998

Intimacy in Zen's Elephant Dance

Serial: RA-02896 The talk centers on the themes of love and intimacy within the context of Zen practice, illustrating these concepts through a story about an elephant and a butterfly, and reflections on an ongoing practice period at Green Gulch...
Dec 06 1998

Vows of Transformative Compassion

Serial: RA-01569 The talk discusses the Bodhisattva vows, focusing on the four universal vows commonly chanted at Zen centers. The discussion emphasizes the transformative power of these vows in guiding individuals toward saving all sentient...
Vow, Bodhisattva Vow, Bodhisattva
Dec 03 1998

Riding the Donkey to Enlightenment

Serial: RA-01026 The talk explores Zen philosophy with a focus on koans, specifically case 65 from the Blue Cliff Record. It examines the dynamic interplay between conventional and ultimate truths through the allegory of the "new bride rides the...
Study, Koan, Work
Nov 30 1998

Transcending Thought: Zen Renewal

Serial: RA-00922 The talk explores the concept of transcending thought to achieve enlightenment, referencing historical examples from Zen traditions. The discussion uses metaphors, such as the "burnt grass" and "green sprouts," to illustrate the...
Koan, Time, Buddha
Nov 25 1998

Embracing Oneness Beyond Separation

Serial: RA-02175 The talk focuses on the concept of "one mind," emphasizing that in ultimate reality, there is no difference between Buddhas and ordinary beings, as all entities are manifestations of a singular mind. This assertion is linked to...
Buddha, Oneness, Hate
Nov 21 1998

Path of Compassionate Enlightenment

Serial: RA-01546 The talk centers on the concept of the Bodhisattva vow, emphasizing the intrinsic role of great compassion in the path toward enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. Discussions highlight that while the Bodhisattva precepts...
Bodhisattva Vow, Vow, Precepts
Nov 19 1998

Embracing Unity in Zen Paradox

Serial: RA-00928 This talk explores various Zen koans and teachings, with a focus on the concept of unity and multiplicity, as well as the notion of a "solitary, revealed body" amidst the myriad forms. The discussion examines how these Zen...
Buddha, Time, Love
Nov 17 1998

Embracing Duality for Inner Unity

Serial: RA-02198 The talk explores the duality of human experience through the Zen metaphor of the "Sun-faced Buddha" and "Moon-faced Buddha," emphasizing the integration of life’s dual aspects—fleeting and eternal, individual and universal. The...
Love, Bell, Healing
Nov 15 1998

Pathway to Soft Mind Enlightenment

Serial: RA-01619 The talk explores the concept of renunciation in Zen Buddhism, emphasizing the natural progression from delusion and anxiety to enlightenment and freedom through patience and compassion. It describes the "soft mind" or "a new...
Renunciation, Letting Go, Patience
Nov 12 1998

Book Of Serenity

Serial: RA-02895 The talk explores the theme of non-attachment and compassion in Zen practice, using Case 63, "Jojo Asks About Death," as a focal point. The discussion centers on the metaphor of "the great death" and its...
Attachment, Passions, Letting Go
Nov 09 1998

Renunciation: The Path to Enlightenment

Serial: RA-01616 The talk, titled "Entering Buddha's Way," focuses on the formal process of entering the Buddhist path through a bodhisattva initiation ceremony, known as "Attaining the Way" or "Tokudo." This initiation involves receiving the...
Pain, Patience, Ceremony
Nov 05 1998

Awakening Intimacy With True Reality

Serial: RA-01018 The talk explores the concept of "one mind" and the interdependence of all living beings and Buddhas. It discusses the need for understanding both conventional and ultimate realities, illustrating this with the image of dragons...
Buddha, Practice, Intimacy
Nov 04 1998

Awakening Beyond the Great Death

Serial: RA-00920 The talk explores the Zen concept of "the great death" and the subsequent return to life, focusing on the realization of nirvana, the emergence of great compassion, and how one navigates life afterward. The speaker discusses the...
Letting Go, Practice, Emptiness
Nov 02 1998

Intimacy with Emotions: A Path to Freedom

Serial: RA-02100 The talk explores the benefits of meditation practices focused on becoming intimate with challenging emotions like anger, fear, and anxiety rather than merely wishing to be free from them. The discussion emphasizes that this...
Anger, Lovingkindness, Meditation
Nov 1998

Joyful Equanimity in Meditation Practice

Serial: RA-02101 The talk emphasizes maintaining amateur enthusiasm in meditation practice, reflecting on self-compassion and understanding without choosing between parts of oneself, akin to the challenges children face when parents separate. It...
Anger, Lovingkindness, Happiness
Nov 1998

Transcending Enlightenment Through Love

Serial: RA-02102 The primary thesis of the talk examines the role of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity—collectively known as the Brahma Viharas—in Buddhist practice. These meditations are emphasized as integral before and after...
Enlightenment, Meditation, Freedom
Nov 1998

Transformative Love: Compassion and Connection

Serial: RA-02103 The talk explores the nature of love, specifically how love can manifest as compassion, joy, and equanimity in interpersonal relationships and self-perception. The speaker illustrates these concepts through personal anecdotes and...
Happiness, Lovingkindness, Compassion
Nov 1998

Meditate Only When You're Joyful

Serial: RA-02104 The talk presents a provocative perspective on meditation, suggesting practitioners take a break from meditating until they genuinely desire to resume with joy and equanimity. It emphasizes that true practice involves maintaining...
Time, Practice, Love
Nov 1998

Zen Love: Beyond Attachment and Ego

Serial: RA-02106 The talk explores the relationship between Zen practice and the concept of love, challenging conventional meanings of love by illustrating how Zen monks embody love through altruistic actions, despite the term not being overtly...
Love, Happiness, Pain
Nov 1998

Pages