Thousand Harbours Zen

Episode 254: THZ 254 - Awe in the Mundane

From a retreat held on Earth Day, a talk on taking how we look at “nature” and applying it to ordinary stuff. (April 22, 2023; Koun Franz)

Episode 253: THZ 253 - Basic Principles

At the start of the year, a return to the basics of the practice. Koun Franz; January 4, 2022 

Episode 252: THZ 252 - You're Where You Need to Be

THZ 252 - You're Where You Need to Be

Episode 251: THZ 251 - What is Now the Time For?

THZ 251 - What is Now the Time For?

Episode 250: THZ 250 - Zen is Not About Zen

THZ 250 - Zen is Not About Zen

Episode 249: THZ 249 - The Wisdom to Know the Difference

THZ 249 - The Wisdom to Know the Difference

Episode 248: THZ 248 - Practice Like a Thief

THZ 248 - Practice Like a Thief

Episode 247: THZ 247 - Getting Trapped By Right Intention

THZ 247 - Getting Trapped By Right Intention

Episode 246: THZ 246 - What About Passion?

THZ 246 - What About Passion?

Episode 245: THZ 245 - Zazen is Colourless and Transparent

THZ 245 - Zazen is Colourless and Transparent

Episode 244: THZ 244 - Meeting Death in Everyday Life

THZ 244 - Meeting Death in Everyday Life

Episode 243: THZ 243 - Five Remembrances

THZ 243 - Five Remembrances

Episode 242: THZ 242 - Equanimity and Congruence

THZ 242 - Equanimity and Congruence

Episode 241: THZ 241 - No Secular World in Buddhadharma

No Secular World in Buddhadharma

Episode 240: THZ 240 - Zen Practice as Form

THZ 240 - Zen Practice as Form

Episode 239: THZ 239 - Resolute Stability

THZ 239 - Resolute Stability

Episode 238: THZ 238 - Let Yourself Break Open

THZ 238 - Let Yourself Break Open

Episode 237: THZ 237 - Desire vs Attachment

THZ 237 - Desire vs Attachment

Episode 236: THZ 236 - Lean in to Letting Go

THZ 236 - Lean in to Letting Go

Episode 235: THZ 235 - Nanquan, The Cat and Us

THZ 235 - Nanquan, The Cat and Us

Episode 234: THZ 234 - When It All Seems Too Big

THZ 234 - When It All Seems Too Big

Episode 233: THZ 233 - Sangha We Make

THZ 233 - Sangha We Make

Episode 232: THZ 232 - Knowing Ourselves as Animals

THZ 232 - Knowing Ourselves as Animals

Episode 231: THZ 231 - Mindfulness, Concentration and Superman

THZ 231 - Mindfulness, Concentration and Superman

Episode 230: THZ 230 - Fairness

Episode 229: THZ 229 - Spiritual Confidence

Episode 228: THZ 228 - Those Who Are Able to Let Go

We may not be able to let go of our preferences, but we can learn to let go.

Episode 227: THZ 227 - Make an Altar of the World

What are we capable of offering? Everything. And it starts now, where you are.

Episode 226: THZ 226 - Where Jizo (and we) Can Go

Jizo can go anywhere—including to hell. Where can we go? Where are we afraid to go?

Episode 225: THZ 225 - The Power of Asking Questions

The Buddha started with a question. Dogen started with a question. What's yours?

Episode 224: THZ 224 - We Vow to Mature Into the Awakened Way

A re-examination of the fourth bodhisattva vow: "The awakened way is unsurpassable; I vow to embody it.".

Episode 223: THZ 223 - We Vow to Learn Infinite Skillful Means

A re-examination of the third bodhisattva vow: "Dharma gates are infinite; I vow to enter them."

Episode 222: THZ 222 - We Vow to Cut Through Kleshas

A re-examination of the second bodhisattva vow: "Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to put an end to them."

Episode 221: THZ 221 - We Vow to Free Us All

A re-examination of the first bodhisattva vow: "Beings are countless; I vow to free them all."

Episode 220: THZ 220 - Don't Stop There (Racism and the Bodhisattva Path)

In the face of injustice, don't let compassion be an endpoint. Don't let not-knowing be an endpoint. Move, somehow—that's what a bodhisattva does.

Episode 219: THZ 219 - For As Long As Space Endures

On Shantideva's Prayer, and what it means to commit to something—to really commit—forever.

Episode 218: THZ 218 - Ritual is How We Hold the World

Those who are staying at home right now may find themselves falling into little rituals meant to make things feel regular, and safe; in this practice, ritual is something else.

Episode 217: THZ 217 - Does a Virus Have Buddhanature?

Does Covid-19 have buddhanature? Do you? Why do we even ask things like that?

Episode 216: THZ 216 - Can You Feel Yourself Falling?

Dogen likened the spiritual life to the experience of falling off a horse. Can you feel it happening?

Episode 215: THZ 215 - When It Feels Like Too Much

It can feel like it's all too much, too much to hold. We need to look at that.

Episode 214: THZ 214 - The Three Treasures are Teflon (Tenth Precept)

On the tenth precept, "Not defiling the three treasures." The three treasures are just fine, but still, we forget who we are in relationship to them.

Episode 213: THZ 213 - Freedom

Freedom—the freedom we want (perhaps especially in the age of social distancing), and the freedom we already have.

Episode 212: THZ 212 - Fearlessness is Generosity

Fearlessness is one of the four types of generosity. Why? And how do we get there?

Episode 211: THZ 211 - The Practice of Not Touching Your Face

A simple act of refraining, like not touching your face in a pandemic, can be both a practice of mindfulness and an act of generosity.

Episode 210: THZ 210 - Everything is Old, Everything is New

Buddhism offers what looks like two contradictory ways of meeting our mind in each moment. But maybe we can hold both.

Episode 209: THZ 209 - Act Like You're Dying

If you knew you were dying, how would that change how you see others? Because you are.

Episode 208: THZ 208 - The Intoxication of Anger (Ninth Precept)

On Precept 9 (not indulging in anger)—it doesn't say there aren't good reasons to feel anger, just that we should learn not to be seduced by it.

Episode 207: THZ 207 - Offer It All Up (Eighth Precept)

On Precept 8 (not withholding dharma assets), clinging vs. letting go, and realizing what you're capable of giving.

Episode 206: THZ 206 - You Don't Know What You Would Do (Seventh Precept)

On Precept 7 (not elevating yourself and blaming others). We have more capacity for sympathy—and for delusion—than we're comfortable admitting.

Episode 205: THZ 205 - You're Just Like Everyone Else (Sixth Precept)

On Precept 6 (not speaking of the faults of others) and how the keyword isn't "faults," it's "others."