Stories of Zen Women

Non Dual Lineage of Zen

Talk of Suffering of Women and Buddhism

Talk on Buddhism and Politics

Preferences 4

Preferences 3

Preferences 2

Preferences

Zoketsu comments on "Tao Wu's Condolence Call" from The Blue Cliff Record. Yuan hits a coffin and says, "Alive or dead?" Tao Wu said, "I won't say alive and I won't say dead." Zoketsu discusses how birth/death are not opposites.

Rooted in the marvelousness nature of all impermanent things, Norman discusses the deep affinity and intimacy we experience when the chips are down. And yet why do we have such trouble getting along?

In this introduction to "Beyond Thinking: A Guide to Zen Meditation," a collection of Dogen's writing compiled and translated by Kazuaki Tanahashi, Zoketsu assesses the work and central message of Dogen-zengi.

"This is a difficult piece I wrote for "enough" a poetry journal published especially in protest of the bombing of Afghanistan. While its point is difficult, and maybe too extreme, I think it is an interesting piece and says some things that are important to me."

Zoketsu discusses the famous case of Nanchuan cutting a cat in two. Zhaozhou could have saved that cat, could you?

Nanquan Puyuan (Nanchuan) responded to the monks request for further teaching "[This truth] is not mind, not Buddha, not anything." Zoketsu discusses the Heart Sutra and daily practice in light of this teaching.

After the awful attacks on the World Trade center and the Pentagon, Zoketsu reflects on good and evil and how we can respond to these events. "There are some people who wonder how there could be such evil in this world. How human beings could generation after generation perpetrate such acts. But I do not wonder about that. To me it seems so very much ingrained in who and what we are."

In this excerpt from a talk by Zoketsu Norman Fischer, he retells a number of the stories from the Shurangama Sutra. The story of the Guan Yin Bodhisattva offers a beautiful and profound teaching on the nature of listening and its consequences in the world.

The practice of fully feeling our pain allows us to see through it. We are then led to forgiving ourselves and becoming more aware of the different realities residing within conflict

Drawing on Dogen’s teaching, Zoketsu describes zazen as the essence of Zen practice, beyond just the practice of sitting, discussing Dogen’s promise of zazen as the manifestation of the ultimate reality.

A much lauded commentary on Shantideva's text, published by the Padmakara translations group. In this commentary, Kunzang Pelden has compiled the pith instructions of his teacher Patrul Rinpoche, the celebrated author of "The Words of My Perfect Teacher."

Biographies and stories of Zen women in China, Korea, and Japan, with commentary by Grace Schireson. An important collection of our current knowledge of historical Zen women.

Norman's eagerly awaited book about Homer's Odyssey and the metaphor of homecoming, from a Zen perspective. "Norman Fischer deftly incorporates Buddhist, Judaic, Christian, and popular thought, as well as his own unique and sympathetic understanding of life, in his reinterpretation of Odysseus's familiar wanderings as lessons that everyone can use. We see how to resist the seduction of the Sirens' song to stop sailing and give up; how to bide our time in a situation and wait for the right opportunity -- as Odysseus does when faced with the murderous, one-eyed Cyclops; and how to reassess our story and rediscover our purpose and identity if, like the Lotus-Eaters, we have forgotten the past."

This collection of scholarly essays discusses Zen ritual throughout history from a variety of standpoints. Not necessary to read to appreciate the audio files.

Chodron's excellent personal and in-depth commentary on Shantideva's eighth-century text.

More Dogen, but with an emphasis on meditation practice as theme. Lengthy introduction by Zoketsu.

Based on what historical evidence is known about female awakened practitioners since the time of the Buddha, Sallie Tisdale “re-imagines” their lives in the context of the historical eras they lived within. Some people object to the re-imagining, but I found it powerful and engaging. Her introduction is particularly worth reading.

The best among the many English translations of this inspiring poetic text.

Secondary text for the philosophically/academically minded: A sequel to "Eihei Dogen: Mystical Realist". Equally strong.