The No Abode Audio Archive

Serial: RA-00750 Sesshin lecture The talk discusses the Bodhisattva precept of no stealing, emphasizing its ultimate meaning as a manifestation of the infinite wisdom and compassion of the Buddhas, and its conventional understanding tied to everyday actions. The...

Serial: RA-00752 Class The talk explores the balance of extremes in Zen thought, particularly focusing on the concept of dependent co-arising as viewed by Nagarjuna. It discusses how Nagarjuna addresses the misconception that things lacking inherent...

Serial: RA-00754 Class The talk examines Nagarjuna's teachings on the concept of "essence" and "causal efficacy," challenging the belief in inherent existence and dissecting the conditions underpinning phenomena, which are explained through the...

Serial: RA-00755 The talk analyzes Nagarjuna's Middle Way philosophy, emphasizing the need for practitioners to be settled in their own experience to grasp this teaching. It explores how Buddhism had become dogmatic and how Nagarjuna's teachings...

Serial: RA-00715 The talk focuses on understanding the difference between concentration practice and Zazen, highlighting how the process of embracing one's individuality can trigger anxiety. The discussion emphasizes the importance of confronting...

Serial: RA-00716 The talk challenges the misconception that Zazen is equivalent to mere concentration practice, highlighting its distinction from traditional meditation or dhyana. It references how Shakyamuni Buddha and historical Zen texts...

Serial: RA-01230 The talk explores the Bodhisattva Vow, emphasizing the practice of being "upright" and its essential role in supporting and realizing the vow. Being upright intertwines with the Bodhisattva precepts, which serve as guidance for...

Serial: RA-00740 The talk explores the concept of "not taking oneself too seriously" as a means of overcoming suffering and fostering enlightenment through self-respect and compassion for others. It is suggested that the practice of being upright...

Serial: RA-00739 The talk examines the concept of dependent co-arising, the Buddha's primary teaching, emphasizing the emergence and cessation of misery in relation to cyclic birth and death. The process underlines ignorance and the false...

Serial: RA-01938 The talk explores the interaction between meditation practices and Zen koans, focusing on the dynamics of interpersonal teaching. It highlights two cases: Case 43, where a meditation on impermanence leads to the monk's awakening...

Serial: RA-01937 The talk revolves around meditation on impermanence and the selfless observation of arising and vanishing phenomena, referencing Rūlāśan and Yanto's dialogue on this theme and Dogen's "Ocean Seal Samadhi" where Dogen elaborates...

Serial: RA-01936 The talk centers on the concept of "arising and vanishing" within Zen practice, emphasizing the need for intimacy with the ceaseless change to achieve a state of genuine presence and engagement. The discussion highlights how...

Serial: RA-01935 The talk explores themes of renunciation and the wish for enlightenment in the context of Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of letting go of personal attachments to achieve a pure state of being. The speaker articulates...

Serial: RA-01341 The talk centers on themes of being 'upright' in Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of renunciation, confession, and the Bodhisattva vow. Being upright serves as the fundamental expression and protector of the Bodhisattva...

Serial: RA-01934 The talk delves into the theme of renunciation in Zen practice, using the koan in Case 43 of the "Blue Cliff Record" as a basis for exploring the balance between worldly affairs and spiritual awakening. The discussion emphasizes...

Serial: RA-01928 The main thesis of the talk explores the deep connection between mundane activities such as eating breakfast and the profound spiritual realization of enlightenment. The discussion centers on a monk's encounter with Gyojo,...

Serial: RA-01234A In the subtle round mouth the pivot of the spiritual work turns meditation on breath, on enlightenment and delusion which pivots on the self   The talk explores the interchange between delusion and enlightenment through meditation, focusing on the transition points between breaths as a metaphor for this dynamic. It references Zen teachings to illustrate how...

Serial: RA-01246 The talk explores the concept of entering the Dharma world, emphasizing uprightness and open-hearted engagement with both good and evil. The discourse considers the importance of practicing the Buddha's teachings continuously,...

Serial: RA-01240 The talk addresses the concept of "non-action" within Zen practice, explaining it as "right action," and describes how individual actions, based on a sense of separate self, contribute to suffering and karma. The speaker...

Serial: RA-01235 The talk emphasizes the practice of immobile sitting as a method for entering the realm of an unsupported, non-dwelling mind, which is aligned with the heart of helpfulness and Zen teachings. The discussion underscores the...

Serial: RA-00946 This talk analyzes the six subtle Dharma gates—counting, following, stopping, contemplating, returning, and purity—emphasizing the interdependence of these practices. It underscores the principle of cultivating a mind that has no...

Serial: RA-01265 The talk explores the concept of "uprightness" in Zen practice, underpinned by stories of Zen ancestors like Lu Pu and Zhao Zhou. The discussion emphasizes maintaining a "mind like a wall," which involves perceiving experiences...

Serial: RA-01294 The talk explores the concept of "uprightness" in Zen practice, emphasizing that uprightness is synonymous with the Eightfold Path rather than a characteristic to be pursued separately. It discusses how true uprightness and the...

Serial: RA-01239A The talk focuses on the realization and cultivation of great compassion as the core of Zen practice, emphasizing the challenge of overcoming personal biases and fixed ideas in order to act with true wisdom and compassion. The...