To study the Buddha way is to study the self.
To study the self is to forget the self.
To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things.
~Dogen Zenji
2727 Highland Avenue
National City, CA 91950
619-477-0390 info@swzc.org
Dharma Talks
Instructions to the Cook
Talks by Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi.
Reference Reading Material:
Tenzo Kyokun by Dogen Zenji | Instructions to the Cook by Bernie Glassman
Sustainability Recorded on October 23, 2011
Embrace Yourself Recorded on October 24, 2011
Flavors and Families Recorded on December 4, 2011
Rice and Sand Recorded on December 11, 2011
Tying Up Your Sleeves Recorded on December 21, 2011
Ordinary Tasks Recorded on December 22, 2011
Horses and Monkeys Recorded on December 28, 2011
Meticulous Practice Recorded on December 29, 2011
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Tools for Zen Practice
Many Voices (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on June 24, 2011
Zuigen calls master, Mumankan case 12
Resources: Voice Dialogue
Every day Zuigan used to call out to himself, “Master!” and then he answered himself, “Yes, Sir!” And he added, “Awake, Awake!” and then answered, “Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!”
“From now onwards, do not be deceived by others! Read More >
Study The Self (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on June 25, 2011
Genjo Koan by Dogen Zenji
As all things are buddha-dharma, there is delusion and realization, practice, and birth and death, and there are buddhas and sentient beings.
As the myriad things are without an abiding self, there is no delusion, no realization, no buddha, no sentient being, no birth and death.Read More >
Shame (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on June 3, 2011
Joshu sees through the Old Woman
There was an old woman on the way to Taizan. Whenever a monk asked her how to get to Taizan, she would answer, "Go straight on." After the monk had gone a few steps, she would say, "This good and naïve fellow goes off that way, too." Read More >
SWZC Dharma Talk on the Three Tenents (Not-knowing, bearing witness and loving action)
by Seisen Roshi.
To Study The Buddha Way (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on April 23, 2011
Genjo Koan by Dogen Zenji
As all things are buddha-dharma, there is delusion and realization, practice, and birth and death, and there are buddhas and sentient beings.
As the myriad things are without an abiding self, there is no delusion, no realization, no buddha, no sentient being, no birth and death.
The buddha way is, basically, Read More >
Chicken and Egg (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on April 24, 2011
Case 16 Blue Cliff Record
A monk asked Kyosei,
"I, your student, am picking from inside the shell.
I beg you, Master, please peck from outside."
Kyosei said, "But will you be alive or not?"
The monk said, "If I were not alive, people would all laugh."
Kyosei said, "You fool in the weeds!"
Enlightenment (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on May 8, 2011
Stepping Off the 100 foot pole, Mumankan case
Master Sekiso said,
"You are at the top of the 100 foot high pole. How will you make a
step further?"
Another Zen Master of Ancient Times said, "One who sits on top of the 100 foot pole has not quite attained true
enlightenment. Make another step forward from the top of the pole and throw one's own body into the 100,000 universes." Read More >
Community (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on May 22, 2011
Not knowing is most intimate, Book of Equanimity case 63
Two Zen teachers meet; one is carrying his bags.
“Where are you going?”, inquires the first teacher. “I’m going on a pilgrimage”, the other teacher responds.
“What’s the purpose of pilgrimage?” asks the first teacher. “I don’t know.” he responds.
“Not knowing is most intimate.” Replies the first teacher.
Karma (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on July 10, 2011
Fox and Five Ranks, The Five Degrees of Tozan
The Five Degrees of Tozan, also known as the Five Ranks of Tozan, and WU KENG CHUAN in Chinese, are different levels of Realization formulated by Zen master Tozan Ryokai, known as Tung-shan Liang-chieh in Chinese (807-869). Read More >
Lineage (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi)
Recorded on June 12, 2011
Searching for my late teacher's bones, Dogo's Condolence BCR case 55
Dogo and Zengen came to a house to express condolences. Zengen tapped on the coffin and said, "Is this life or death?" Dogo said, "I don't say life, I don't say death." Read More >
Discipline and Freedom (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi) Recorded on September 25, 2011
Hekiganroku - Case 36: Chosa Goes Picnicking
One day, Chosa went for a walk in the mountains.
When he returned to the gate, the head monk said,
"Where have you been, Master?"
Chosa said,
"I was out walking about in the mountains." Read More >
Transmission (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi) Recorded on October 2, 2011
Fuketsu's Mind Seal
Fuketsu was in the government office of Eishu (a province of China). He ascended the rostrum and said, "The mind-seal of the Ancestor (Bodhidharma) is like the activity of the iron ox (an iron ox was set on the bottom of the Yellow River to regulate its flow). When the seal is removed, the impression remains. When it remains, the seal is violated. If the seal neither remains nor is removed, would it be right to give permission, or not?" Read More >
Other Topics
Joshu's Bridge (Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi) Recorded on July 17, 2011
Radical Inclusion
koan 52 in the Blue Cliff Record.
A monk said to Joshu, "The stone bridge of Joshu is widely renowned, but coming here, I find only a set of stepping stones." Joshu said, "You see the stepping stones, you do not see the stone bridge." The monk said, "What is the stone bridge?" Joshu said, "It lets donkeys cross over and horses cross over."
Communication Workshop
Seisen Roshi talks about the various communication techniques that are used at Sweetwater Zen Center.
This includes circle or council work, non-violent communication and things learned through 12 step programs.
