The Zen Studies Podcast-logo

The Zen Studies Podcast

Religion & Spirituality Podcas

Learn about traditional Zen and Buddhist teachings, practices, and history through episodes recorded specifically for podcast listeners. Host Domyo Burk is a Soto Zen priest and teacher.

Location:

United States

Description:

Learn about traditional Zen and Buddhist teachings, practices, and history through episodes recorded specifically for podcast listeners. Host Domyo Burk is a Soto Zen priest and teacher.

Language:

English

Contact:

971-207-1843


Episodes

263 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter 3, Part 1 - Zazen – Our Total Response to Life

3/18/2024
The second Field of Zen practice is Zazen. “Za” means seated, and “zen” means meditation. However, as 13-century Zen master Dogen famously stated, “…Zazen is not meditation practice.” Superficially, our Zazen may look like the meditation done in other spiritual traditions, or even in secular settings. We even call Zazen “meditation” sometimes, for convenience. However, Zazen is not meditation in the sense of a mental exercise aimed at a particular result. Zazen is our total response to life. It is the essence and enactment of our entire Zen practice.

Duration:00:37:29

262 - The Value, Care, and Feeding of Dharma Friendships – Part 2

2/29/2024
The Buddha famously said “admirable friendship,” or what I’m calling Dharma friendship, is the entirety of the holy life. In the last episode, I discussed the value and nature of personal Dharma friendships. In this episode, I talk about what makes a good Dharma friendship and offer some practical ideas about how to find, form, and maintain such relationships.

Duration:00:29:24

261 – The Value, Care, and Feeding of Dharma Friendships – Part 1

2/24/2024
The Buddha famously said the “admirable friendship,” or what I’m calling Dharma friendship, is the entirety of the holy life. In this episode, I discuss the value and nature of personal Dharma friendships. In Part 2, I will talk about what makes a good Dharma friendship and offer some practical ideas about how to find, form, and maintain such relationships.

Duration:00:23:34

260 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter Two: Bodhicitta, Way-Seeking Mind

2/17/2024
This episode on Bodhicitta, or Way-Seeking Mind, is chapter two of my book The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners.” Bodhicitta is the first Field of practice because without it we never even begin practice, and, if we don’t nurture and sustain it, our practice will wither and die. I discuss the first arising of Bodhicitta, its function, how to cultivate it, and its profound nature.

Duration:00:33:22

259 - Ten Fields of Zen Practice Chapter One: What Is Zen Practice?

1/31/2024
In this introductory chapter to my book, “The Ten Fields of Zen Practice: A Primer for Practitioners," I discuss the nature of practice and "progress" on the path of practice. I then introduce the Ten Fields, and the rest of the book will consist of a chapter on each of the Fields.

Duration:00:37:55

258 - One Reality, Many Descriptions Part 6: The Two Truths of Absolute and Relative 2

1/9/2024
The Two Truths teaching is another classic Chan/Zen description of Reality-with-a-Capital-R. Reality has two aspects, often called relative and absolute. I call them the “dependent dimension” and the “independent dimension.” I describe this teaching and discuss why it is so important to our practice.

Duration:00:26:10

257 - One Reality, Many Descriptions Part 5: The Two Truths of Absolute and Relative – Part 1

12/31/2023
The Two Truths teaching is another classic Chan/Zen description of Reality-with-a-Capital-R. Reality has two aspects, often called relative and absolute. I call them the "dependent dimension" and the "independent dimension." I describe this teaching and discuss why it is so important to our practice.

Duration:00:25:28

256 - Do Your Own Practice: Spiritual Translation Versus Transformation

12/16/2023
One way to frame our practice is to say it has a "translation" aspect and a "transformation" aspect. Translation means to apply Buddhist teachings and practice to our life to free self and other from suffering, and live with greater wisdom and compassion. Transformation means to seek transcendence of the self and all of its limited views through a relentless process of inquiry, for the sake of an even more profound and stable liberation. I discuss how each aspect is valuable, how they differ, and clarifying what you want out of your own spiritual path.

Duration:00:31:18

255 – The Medicine of Emptiness When Witnessing Suffering and Injustice

12/1/2023
When we witness - or experience - suffering or injustice, the medicine of emptiness can give us strength and equanimity. It should also increase our compassion, allowing us to be open, sensitive, and responsive without getting overwhelmed by anxiety, depression, fear, anger, or hatred. I talk about what the "medicine of emptiness" is - and isn't - and how to access it.

Duration:00:35:25

254 - Practice is How You Live Each and Every Moment – Part 2

11/25/2023
Everyday life gives us countless opportunities for "awakening work." I discuss ways to practice each and every moment in order to awaken to the truth of Dukkha and the ending of Dukkha, and to the truth Emptiness. In Part 3 I will talk about how we can similarly work on a direct, personal experiences of Suchness, Buddha-Nature, and the Two Truths (absolute and relative) in the midst of our daily lives.

Duration:00:36:15

253 - Practice is How You Live Each and Every Moment – Part 1

11/15/2023
The formal aspects of Buddhist practice – the things you can look at and identify as “Buddhist practice” – are very important. These include meditation, Dharma study, and time with Sangha. However, unless you’re a monk in a really strict monastery, over 90% of your time is spent outside of formal practice. It’s important to remember that practice each and every moment – how we choose to live our life, just as it is – is the most important thing.

Duration:00:31:54

252 - Reflections on Dogen’s “Bussho, The Buddha-Nature” Part 2: Total Existence

10/31/2023
In my second episode reflecting on Dogen's “Bussho,” or “The Buddha-Nature," I discuss how Buddha-Nature is a teaching about our existential koan as human beings. I also talk about how Dogen says we have already got Buddha-Nature, and then explore more fully his teaching about "Total Existence."

Duration:00:27:39

251 – Reflections on Dogen’s “Bussho, The Buddha-Nature” Part 1: Being

10/27/2023
In his essay "Bussho," or "The Buddha-Nature," Dogen explores and expands a classic Mahayana Buddhist teaching. I reflect on a few central concepts from the first paragraph.

Duration:00:28:56

250 - In Zazen We Stop Imposing Ourselves on the World and Meet It Instead

10/14/2023
In zazen we stop imposing ourselves on the world either through our habitual thinking or through any effort to control or judge our meditative experience. Only then can we meet the world us it is unfolding around, within, and through us - but this meeting requires energy and participation. This episode addresses the two essential aspects of zazen practice: What we are not doing, and what we are doing. Both are equally important and both are easily misunderstood.

Duration:00:31:06

249 - Are the Buddha’s Teachings on Renunciation Relevant for Householders? – Part 2

9/30/2023
In this second half of a two-episode discussion, I briefly review the limitations of sensual or worldly pleasures. Then I explore how engagement with the world, contrary to simply being a compromise, can be its own path of practice. Finally, I talk about how the Buddha’s teachings on renunciation are not only relevant but deeply meaningful and useful for householders.

Duration:00:32:43

248 - Are the Buddha’s Teachings on Renunciation Relevant for Householders? – Part 1

9/28/2023
The Buddha was pretty clear. If you wanted to experience complete liberation, it was best practice renunciation - to leave all worldly things behind: Family, sex, alcohol, fancy food, music, entertainment, frivolity, etc. Why did the Buddha recommend this? Why do fully ordained Buddhist monks and nuns still live this way? Are the Buddha’s teachings on renunciation relevant for householders?

Duration:00:27:24

247 - Sangha Challenges: How and Why to Open Up to the Treasure of Sangha – Part 3

9/16/2023
In Part 3 of my “Sangha Challenges” discussion, I finish my list of reasons you may resist joining a Buddhist community or find it challenging to maintain your relationship with one over time. I present each challenge as an opportunity for growth and learning.

Duration:00:41:41

Two Episodes Recommended by Listeners

8/31/2023
This is my third and final post during my 2023 sabbatical month. I'll be back soon with a full episode, but in the meantime I wanted to share two past episodes with you that multiple listeners have said were important to them.

Duration:00:02:51

Recommended Episodes on Zazen

8/25/2023
Here again with recommended episodes for you to listen to while I'm on my August sabbatical from Zen teaching and writing. Your chosen form of meditation may be what I call "Directed Effort" meditation, or "Letting Go" meditation (I discuss Directed Effort versus letting go in Episodes 83 and 84: Two Paths to Meditative Concentration: Directed Effort Versus Letting Go – Part 1 and Part 2). In either case, you may find some useful tips in Episodes 184 and 185: 14 Ways to Enliven Your Zazen. When my zazen gets dull, lazy, restless, or distracted, these are the ways I try to engage my meditation more wholeheartedly.

Duration:00:02:10

Announcement and Recommendation

8/16/2023
I take a sabbatical from my Zen teaching one month a year, and this year it’s in August. In this announcement I explain (and thank you for your patience), and recommend one of my 236 past episodes to listen to (published six years ago!).

Duration:00:02:11