The Heart of Mind Training [55:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (227)

Recorded at Upaya Zen Center, August 23rd, 2006

Roshi Joan Halifax reminds us of Milarepa’s words: “To sum up: First, a vivid state of mental tranquility and a sustaining energy together with a discerning intellect are indispensable requirements for attaining perfect insight. They are like the first steps of a staircase. Second, all meditation, with or without form, must begin from deeply aroused compassion and love. Whatever one does must emerge from a loving attitude for the benefit of others. Third, through perfect seeing, all discrimination is dissolved into a non-conceptual state. Finally, with an awareness of the void, one sincerely dedicates the results for the benefit of others. I have understood this to be the best of ways.” –The Life of Milarepa, trans. by Lobsang P. Lhalunga.

She unpacks the words of Milarepa in our meditational experience. She then goes on to explore why is it important to train the mind, developing awareness through mindfulness, cultivating reflectivity (stability and insight), and prosocial states of mind (four boundless abodes). She describes the three outcomes we train for: mental stability, vividness, and relaxation.

We gratefully thank our friend of Upaya, Ottmar Liebert for his contribution of music and bells used in our Podcasts.

 

 Essence of Jukai [51:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (182)

Recorded at Upaya Zen Center, August 16th, 2006

In this dharma talk, Kyojo Bakker and Roshi Joan explore Jukai, the conferring of the Buddhist precepts. They speak about their own experience of receiving the precepts and review the precepts. Jukai, according to Roshi Joan, is a way that we not only protect our mind but also protect the world. She reminds us that the precepts are practices.

We gratefully thank our friend of Upaya, Ottmar Liebert for his contribution of music and bells used in our Podcasts.

 

 Sunfaced Buddha [1:11:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (217)

Recorded at Upaya Zen Center, August 15th, 2006

In this dharma talk, Roshi Joan explores the koan of Sunfaced Buddha, Moonfaced Buddha. Master Ma is ill, and his accountant comes visits him and asks him how he is doing. Master Ma replied: Sunfaced Buddha, Moonfaced Buddha. She explores with students why it is that the accountant is present in this koan. Who is this “accountant” to us.

She then goes into the elements that support our spiritual maturation, i.e. make it possible for us to hold equally: sunfaced, moonfaced buddha. These elements include having a strong container, teacher, practice, and community.

We gratefully thank our friend of Upaya, Ottmar Liebert for his contribution of music and bells used in our Podcasts.

 

 Do Not Betray Others - The Dead Coals the Live Ember [1:06:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (223)

Recorded at Upaya Zen Center, August 13th, 2006

Roshi Joan begins her dharma talk with a quote from John Fire Lamedeer that explores silence and facing the western horizon, the horizon associated with going within, with loneliness, with death.

She then opens a discussion on the Koan: Guishan’s “Do Not Betray Others”: Master Dogen’s 300 Koan Shobogenzo, Case 47, translated by Kazuaki Tanahashi and Daido Loori Roshi. This case is about digging into the dark and finding the ember of aliveness, overcoming our torpor to discover who we really are. Guishan is sitting alone in the zendo late into night, when his teacher Baizhang saw him and demanded: “Who is sitting here in the dark?” Guishan says, “It’s me, master; it’s Guishan.” Baizhang tells Guishan to rake up the hearth and stir up the coals. Guishan arose, stepped to hearth and searched for live coals but found none. The fire is gone out, says Guishan. Baizhang took up tongs and plunged them deep in ashes, found a small, live ember. Holding it up, he asks: “What’s this?”

Roshi then implores us to find the strength of the teacher to plunge into the darkness to find our life.

We gratefully thank our friend of Upaya, Ottmar Liebert for his contribution of music and bells used in our Podcasts.

 

 Opening Practice - Showing Up [56:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (178)

Recorded at Upaya Zen Center, August 11th, 2006

Roshi Joan opens the Summer Ango Sesshin with the words to “show up.”

She explore the bonds that link us as practitioners. And she reminds practitioners to be present for whatever shows up, be it illness or bliss. She describes sesshin as a ceremony, a rite of passage. She notes that the word ceremony comes from the same root as “cure.” We are curing ourselves of our preferential mind. She reminds us that the practice is a pilgrimage, a pilgrimage into the heart. She talks about entrainment, the experience of unity and its relationship to mind training.

We gratefully thank our friend of Upaya, Ottmar Liebert for his contribution of music and bells used in our Podcasts.

 

 Engaged Buddhism [1:02:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (224)

Recorded at Upaya Zen Center, August 6th, 2006

Roshi begins her talk with a quote from Shantideva: This entire world is disturbed with insanity, due to the exertions of those who are confused about themselves. - Santideva, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Life.

She then reminds us of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s words: “Universal responsibility is the feeling for other people’s suffering just as we feel our own.” “The rationale for universal compassion is based on the same principle of spiritual democracy. It is the recognition of the fact that every living being has an equal right to and desire for happiness. The true acceptance of the principle of democracy requires that we think and act in terms of the common good.”

She notes that the term Engaged Buddhism was coined by Thich Nhat Hanh during the Vietnam War, when he and his sangha responded to the suffering they saw around them.

She points out the distinction between social service; social action.

She explores the work of Johan Galtung in the area of structural violence, a form of violence as that which violates basic human needs and rights.

Johan Galtung distinguishes three forms of violence: direct, structural, and cultural.
Direct violence: deliberate attempt to cause injury to a person’s physical and psychological integrity through brutal treatment, homicide, imprisonment, forced labor.

Structural violence: a form of violence which corresponds with the systematic ways in which a given social structure or social institution prevents individuals from achieving their full potential. In other words, institutionalized elitism, ethnocentricism, classism, racism, sexism, nationalism, heterosexism and ageism, including disempowerment, oppressive passive social policy, and active marginalizing polic and a lack of access to power to protect oneself from the detrimental effects of the economic, social, and political order.

Cultural violence includes racism, sexism, and homophobia, and the devaluation of particular groups and cultures. It may justify and inform structural and direct violence.

She reminds us of the essence of Zen:
Monk: what is the essence of your practice?
Basho: whatever is needed

She reminds us of Bernie Glassman’s work and his five course meal: spirituality, study, livelihood, service, community related to the five Buddha families.

And finally she points out that we cannot be passive but must take sides: Elie Weisel: “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Gandhi reminds us that “[n]oncooperation with evil is as much a duty as cooperation with good.”

We gratefully thank our friend of Upaya, Ottmar Liebert for his contribution of music and bells used in our Podcasts.