Tenshin Roshi gives a talk on Thanksgiving weekend on the subject of wisdom.

Tenshin Roshi addresses the assembly on a Sunday morning at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi gives the first talk of the Fall Training Period 2018.

Tenshin Roshi talks at the end of the Beginner's Mind Sesshin that was held at Yokoji in July 2018.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from the members and residents of Yokoji on a Sunday morning.

Tenshin Roshi talks about how to use the change we experience in our life as food for practice.

Tenshin Roshi talks during the final sesshin of the Spring Training Period, 2018.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from the trainees and members on a Sunday morning at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from the assembly on a Sunday morning at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from those present at Yokoji on a Sunday morning.

Tenshin Roshi talks on practice in daily life.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Zen practice and compassion during the New Year's Sesshin bridging 2017/2018.

A dharma talk given by Tenshin Roshi at the end of the 2017 Rohatsu Sesshin at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from the assembly in this talk given in October at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi delivers a dharma talk during the first sesshin of the Fall Training Period at Yokoji about the touchstones of practice.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Jizo Day about the role of vows in our lives.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from the assembly and talks on the benefits of practice.

Tenshin, Roshi takes some questions from the Sangha before talking on Master Dogen's Genjokoan.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the koan "The Stone Bridge of Joshu" from the Blue Cliff Record.

A talk by Tenshin Roshi given during the March 2017 sesshin at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi takes questions from the sangha members on a Sunday morning at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the relationship between thought and emotion in a question-and-answer-based talk given during the Sunday morning program in February 2017.

Tenshin Roshi spoke about distractions in the context of Zen practice during the Beginner's Mind Sesshin that took place at Yokoji in January 2017.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the Heart Sutra in a talk entitled, "The Heart of the Matter". The talk was given on the first day of the New Year's Sesshin at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi talks about the cutting edge of practice and the importance of showing up. The talk was given during the Rohatsu sesshin, the retreat that celebrates the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 95 of the Book of Equinimity, "Rinzai's One Stroke".

Tenshin Roshi talks about approaches to practice—namely koan and just sitting meditation (shikantaza)—at the end of the September 2016 Sesshin at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 32 of the Blue Cliff Record, "Standing There".

This talk was given on July 3rd, 2016 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center by Tenshin, Roshi.

This talk was given by Tenshin Roshi on Sunday July 26th, 2016 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi have this talk on the second day of the final sesshin of the Spring Training period at Yokoji in May 2016.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 24 of the Book of Equanimity, "Seppo's Poisonous Snake".

Tenshin Roshi talks on case 86 of the Blue Cliff Record, Ummon's "The Kitchen Pantry and the Main Gateway". The talk was given on March 9th, 2016 during the first sesshin of the Spring Training Period.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Consciousness on Valentine's Day, 2016.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Fear and Attachment at the beginning of 2016 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on a case koan about the life of the ancient master, Vasubandhu.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk in November 2015 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk on Sunday October 18th at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk at the opening of the Fall Training Period at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center on Sunday September 20th, 2015.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk on Jizo Day, August 2015 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk in July, 2015 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on a koan from the Blue Cliff Record in this talk given in June, 2015 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk in May 2015 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on case 21 of the Book of Equanimity, Ungan Sweeps the Ground. The talk was given on April 12th, 2015, at the end of the April sesshin at Yokoji.

Tenshin Roshi talks on case 31 of the Gateless Gate, "Joshu Investigates the Old Woman". This talk was given in March 2015 during a sesshin at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 23 of the Book or Equanimity, "Roso Faces the Wall".

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 11 of the Blue Cliff Record, Master Obaku's "Gobbler's of Dregs".

Tenshin Roshi talks on the first case of the Denkoroku, or The Record of the Transmission of the Light in honor of Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment which is celebrated in our tradition on December 8th.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 30 of the Gateless Gate, "Mind is Buddha".

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 66 of the Book of Equanimity, "Kyuho's Head and Tail". The talk was given on October 19th, 2014 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk on Sunday September 14th at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. Roshi brings up Case 62 from the Book of Equanimity, "Bako's No Enlightenment".

Tenshin Roshi talks on this Rakuho's Acquiescence, a "finishing koan" (a koan for refining understanding) from the Book of Equanimity.

Given a few days after Independence day, Tenshin Roshi talks on the subject of independence, using the koan "Zuigen's Master" from the Gateless Gate as a starting point.

Tenshin Roshi brings up case 65 from the Blue Cliff Record, "A Non-Buddhist Questions the Buddha". The talk brings up the question of how important is 'religious' activity in comparison to insight.

Tenshin Roshi spoke about practicing in the place that you stand on Mother's Day, May 11th, 2014. The talk was given at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center where a dharma talk is given every Sunday morning for the sangha and general public.

The April 2014 sesshin concluded with Tenshin Roshi giving the precepts to two of his students. This talk was given during the sesshin and Roshi brings up the matter of the precepts.

Tenshin Roshi talks on being self reliant, referencing the koan, 'Baso's White and Black' from the Book of Equanimity. The talk was given at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center on March 9th, 2014.

At the time of year when it seems everyone is suffering from a cold or the flu, Tenshin Roshi talks about sickness from a practice perspective. This talk was given at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center on February 16th, 2014 during the regular Sunday Schedule.

The February 2014 podcast from Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. Tenshin Roshi talks on "Ummon's Sounds and Shapes", case 82 of the Book of Equanimity.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 52 of the Book of Equanimity, "Sozan's Dharmakaya". The talk was given on December 1st, 2013 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the second day of the 7-day Rohatsu held at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. Roshi brings up case 9 of the Blue Cliff Record, but only around half way through the talk, first addressing practice during sesshin. 

Tenshin Roshi talked three times on Master Dogen's "Genjo Koan" during October 2013. This is the third talk in the series, given on Sunday October 13th at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the challenges that Yokoji faces after the fire and subsequent floods and debris flows. The talk is a reminder that practice continues, and that is what we take forward into hardships and challenges.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 28 of the Book of Equanimity, "Gokoku's Three Shames". This talk was given in the aftermath of the Mountain Fire and Tenshin Roshi focuses on a part of the koan that brings up what the function of a temple guardian is, or might be, and the expecatations we have of someone who stands in that position.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 41 of the Gateless Gate, Bodhidharma Puts the Mind to Rest.

Tenshin Roshi brings up the first case of the Blue Cliff Record about the founding father of Zen, Bodhidharma, in this talk given on Father's Day 2013.

On Sunday May 26th, we celebrated Wesak at Yokoji. Wesak is a tradtional Buddhist festival that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Shakyamuni Buddha. Tenshin Roshi gave this talk later that morning, and talks about the life and practice of the historical Buddha.

During the April 2013 sesshin, Tenshin Roshi spoke about awareness and how it is relates to practice. Roshi also looks at the current useage of the term "awareness" and the importance of not seeing it in a fixed or cliched way.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 86 of the Blue Cliff Record, Ummon's "The Kitchen Pantry and the Main Gateway". This talk was given during the March 2013 sesshin at Yokoji.

This month Tenshin Roshi talks on Master Dogen's "The Time Being", or Uji. The talk, given on Sunday February 24th at Yokoji, goes through the first four sections of the short fasicle. Tenshin Roshi talks about how the writing relates to our Zen practice, rather than approaching the work in a scholarly way.

Tenshin Roshi brings up Case 13 of the Book of Equanimity, "Rinzai's Blind Donkey." In the case, Rinzai is close to death and speaks with his Dharma successor, Sansho. The talk was given on Sunday January 27th at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi spoke on Master Dogen's Genjo Koan, or in English, Actualizing the Fundamental Point, over the course of six different talks. This is one of them, given in December 2012 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. Genjo Koan is one of the fascicles from the Shobogenzo, and can be found in the smaller distilled collection, Moon in a Dewdrop.

Tenshin Roshi talks about the life of Shakyamuni Buddha from Case 1 of The Record of the Transmission of the Light (Denkoroku). The talk was given during the final sesshin of the Fall Training Period at Yokoji, which is our Rohatsu (Buddha's enlightenment) sesshin.

Tenshin Roshi talks at the October 2012 7-day sesshin at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center. Instead of talking on a case koan, Tenshin Roshi brings together some themes that were arising in the sesshin.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 66 of the Book of Equanimity, "Kyuho's Head and Tail". The talk was given during the September sesshin 2012 at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi spoke eariler in the year on Case 1 of the Gateless Gate, 'Joshu's Dog' or 'Mu'. This talk picks up the full version of the koan as presented in the Book of Equanimity, case 18.

Tenshin Roshi is the abbot of Yokoji Zen Mountain Center, a Soto Zen Buddhist training center in the mountains of Southern California.

Tenshin Roshi, abbot of Yokoji Zen Mountain Center, talks on case 21 of the Book of Equanimity, 'Ungan Sweeps the Ground'. If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe at iTunes and leave us a rating to help other people find us.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 13 of the Book of Equanimity, 'Rinzai's Blind Donkey'. This talk was given on a Sunday morning  at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 27 of The Blue Cliff Record, recorded during the the final Sesshin of Spring Trainind Period.

Tenshin Roshi talks on a number of issues around Zen practice in this talk from the April 2012 sesshin. Tenshin Roshi is the abbot of Yokoji Zen Mountain Center, a Zen Training Center in the mountains of Southern California.

Tenshin Roshi talks on 'Mumon's Zen Warnings'. The Zen warnings come at the close of the Gateless Gate, a collection of koans compiled by Master Mumon. They are a list of apparant contradictions, warning practitioners away from various pitfalls, leaving what seems like no place to stand.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 2 of the Blue Cliff Record, 'The Great Way Knows no Difficulty'. Tenshin Roshi is the abbot of Yokoji Zen Mountain Center in the mountains of Southern California.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 1 of the Gateless Gate, 'Joshu's Dog', or 'Mu' as it also known. It is one of the most famous barrier koans in the Zen tradition.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 57 of the Book of Equanimity, 'Genyo's One Thing'. The talk was given during the New Year's Sesshin at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center and Tenshin Roshi brings up the theme of hindrances and resolutions at the turn of the year.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 2 of the Book of Equanimity, 'Bodhidharma's Vast Emptiness'. It is the koan that the head trainee, Eishu Twentyman, also presented a few weeks later for his dharma combat ceremony. Tenshin Roshi is the abbot of Yokoji Zen Mountain Center, a year-round Zen Buddhist Training Center located in the mountains of Southern California.

Tenshin Roshi talks on case 55 of the Blue Cliff record, 'Won't Say'. Tenshin Roshi is the abbot of Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks about different elements of practice and how practice is possible where ever you are, at any time. This talk is perfect for those of us who struggle with the idea of what practice is.

Tenshin Roshi talks on case 10 from the koan collection the Gateless Gate - "Seizei the Poor". This talk was given on July 3rd, 2011 at the close of the Beginner's Mind Sesshin at Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks on 'Joshu's Dog' or 'mu', the first koan in the collection known as the Gateless Gate. It is a pivotal koan in Zen Training, and Roshi talks about the basics of practice and how this koan is used.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the 'Identity of Relative and Absolute', the text written by Sekito Kisen in the 8th Century that we chant daily as part of our morning service.

Tenshin Roshi talks on the 'Heart Sutra', a core Buddhist text that is chanted daily in temples all around the world.

Tenshin Roshi talks at the opening of the Spring 2011 Training Period at Yokoji about the importance of a period of time where practice is the main focus.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 5 from the Gateless Gate, 'Kyogen's Man Up A Tree'.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 11 from the Blue Cliff Record, Obaku's "Gobblers of Dregs".

Tenshin Roshi discusses a variety of topics, threading together questions from the assembly and touching on the theme of New Year's resolutions.

Tenshin Roshi gave this talk during the 2010 Rohatsu Sesshin at Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center. The Rohatsu Sesshin is an annual event, a time when participants deepen their practice to commemorate the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 6 of the Blue Cliff Record, Master Ummon's 'A Good Day'. The talk was given during the October 2010 sesshin at Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center.

Tenshin Roshi talks about Zen Ancestor Bashubanzu (Vasubandhu) from Keizan Zenji's 'Record of the Transmission of the Light' (Denkoroku).

Tenshin Roshi talks on Case 12 of the Gateless Gate, "Zuigen Calls Himself 'Master'". We will release a new podcast every month. Please subscribe or visit www.zmc.org/mediacenter to hear the talks.

July 25, 2010

"Buddha Holds up a Flower" - Case 6 from the Gateless Gate

Tenshin Fletcher Roshi, Abbot of Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center, talks on the koan "Buddha Holds up a Flower". This is the first podcast from Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center. We will be releasing one at the beginning of every month. Please subscribe or visit www.zmc.org/mediacenter to hear the talks.