Turtle Nosed Snake

Anshi Zachary Smith discusses the famous and nonetheless mysterious Turtle Nosed Snake from Case 24 of the Book of Serenity as well as Case 22 of the Blue Cliff Record. In the Case, Xuěfēng Yìcún warns his students to look out for the poisonous snake or, perhaps, he’s just suggesting they get up close and take a good look. We’ll also be taking a good look.

(4 of 4) Zazen Instruction for YUZ: Shikantaza

Consider this four-part series a gradual entry into shikantaza, the foundational meditation practice of our school of Zazen. Facilitated by Kodo Conlin, this course is designed sequentially for both experienced and first-time meditators: we develop our skills of awareness to include all aspects of our experience, one at a time. We begin with awareness of the breathing, proceeding to include, one by one, practices for wise awareness of the body, emotions, and thinking. This gradual approach is meant to support the cultivation of a clear, wise relationship to all aspects of our experience, with nothing left out. Finally, we enter shikantaza—just wholeheartedly sitting—a comprehensive immersion in the arisings of this moment, the practice of freedom amidst all things.

First session 1/31: To form our foundation: meditation on breathing and tips for establishing a daily practice.

Second session 2/7: To build upon our skills to include awareness of the body and wise practice with emotions.

Third session 2/14: To develop a mindful relationship to thinking.  

Fourth session 2/21: Having now trained with breath, body, and mind, we open to shikantaza, the heart of Zazen meditation.

(3 of 4) Meditation Instruction for Young Urban Zen

Consider this four-part series a gradual entry into shikantaza, the foundational meditation practice of our school of Zazen. Facilitated by Kodo Conlin, this course is designed sequentially for both experienced and first-time meditators: we develop our skills of awareness to include all aspects of our experience, one at a time. We begin with awareness of the breathing, proceeding to include, one by one, practices for wise awareness of the body, emotions, and thinking. This gradual approach is meant to support the cultivation of a clear, wise relationship to all aspects of our experience, with nothing left out. Finally, we enter shikantaza—just wholeheartedly sitting—a comprehensive immersion in the arisings of this moment, the practice of freedom amidst all things.

First session 1/31: To form our foundation: meditation on breathing and tips for establishing a daily practice.

Second session 2/7: To build upon our skills to include awareness of the body and wise practice with emotions.

Third session 2/14: To develop a mindful relationship to thinking.  

Fourth session 2/21: Having now trained with breath, body, and mind, we open to shikantaza, the heart of Zazen meditation.

(2 of 4) Meditation Instruction for Young Urban Zen

Consider this four-part series a gradual entry into shikantaza, the foundational meditation practice of our school of Zazen. Facilitated by Kodo Conlin, this course is designed sequentially for both experienced and first-time meditators: we develop our skills of awareness to include all aspects of our experience, one at a time. We begin with awareness of the breathing, proceeding to include, one by one, practices for wise awareness of the body, emotions, and thinking. This gradual approach is meant to support the cultivation of a clear, wise relationship to all aspects of our experience, with nothing left out. Finally, we enter shikantaza—just wholeheartedly sitting—a comprehensive immersion in the arisings of this moment, the practice of freedom amidst all things.

First session 1/31: To form our foundation: meditation on breathing and tips for establishing a daily practice.

Second session 2/7: To build upon our skills to include awareness of the body and wise practice with emotions.

Third session 2/14: To develop a mindful relationship to thinking.  

Fourth session 2/21: Having now trained with breath, body, and mind, we open to shikantaza, the heart of Zazen meditation.

Stinginess, Resentment & Other Stories - Precepts 4 of 4


Anshi Zachary Smith hosts on the topic of "Stinginess, Resentment, and Other Stories" and will be talking about two precepts - the 8th and 9th - which uniquely implicate and invite us to explore the problematic side of a particular mechanism that’s one of our greatest gifts as humans. That is: our gift for planning, imagining, and pursuing outcomes that align with our desires (or aversions). We’ll also talk about how stinginess and ill will are related to the other precepts, especially the other items in the second group of 5.

This will be our fourth and final session of this series on the Zen Precepts.

Great Robe of Liberation - Precepts 2 of 4

Even before you take the refuges, the precepts ceremony requires that you put on your robe. This is pretty significant. In particular, if you really look at the Robe Chant, it seems what it’s saying is like, “spreading/draping this formless garment of beneficial practice over all beings,” which is kind of cool. In other words, the fabric itself is a metaphor for our connection with and vow to practice for all beings. — Anshi Zachary Smith

The Five Aggregates

The Buddhist scriptures speak of 84,000 negative emotions, which is a whole lotta weeds! Fortunately for us, the Buddha and his disciples distilled these afflictive psycho-emotional states into lists that aid in our ability to be mindful of their arising and to experience freedom within suffering. The Five Hindrances is one such list.

Awakening to Life through Contemplating Death

Perhaps Suzuki Shosan was wise in teaching that to know death—that is the entire Buddhist teaching. While we are well-supported to ignore this truth, Zen practice does much to keep our mortality front and center. Doing so wisely, gently, with humility, and maybe a touch of humor, can steady the mind and open our hearts to poignancy and to our priorities for this precious human life.

The Nature of Inquiry & Response

Anshi Zachary Smith discusses the nature of inquiry and response over the course of Buddhist History with examples from the Pali Canon, the Mahayana Scriptures and the literature of Zen. We’ll see how questions that are very similar in intent give rise to radically different answers and, perhaps, dig into why this might be true.

Tozan's Cold & Heat

A monk said to Tozan, “Cold and heat descend upon us. How can we avoid them?” Tozan said, “Why don’t you go where there is no cold or heat?” The monk said, “Where is the place where there is no cold or heat?” Tozan said, “When cold, let it be so cold that it kills you; when hot, let it be so hot that it kills you.” The Blue Cliff Record, Case 43   (Tozan Ryokai, 807-869)

The monk asks “how can we avoid cold and heat?” Does he mean this literally? Is his question just about how to avoid extreme weather?  Come to YUZ tomorrow and find out where the place is where there's no heat or cold (and it's NOT San Diego).

A Life of Coherence

Questions on my mind after a week of meditation retreat in the Redwoods: What unifies and what divides us, our hearts and minds? How do we live a life that's sane amidst frenzy and whirl? An interactive community night on the topic of complexity and simplicity.

Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors

Anshi Zachary Smith discusses a story that appears both in Dogen’s Shinji Shobegenzo (case 6) and in his “Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors” fascicle, in which an academic Buddhist teacher named Zhǐxuān asks a Zen Master, Lángyé Huìjué, to explain why we experience the world in the way we do. (Brief) hijinks ensue.

Zazen is Good for Nothing

The benefits of meditation are well-documented and worthwhile.

Yet, a pith teaching from 20th century Japan, "Zazen is Good for Nothing," points beyond our aims of self-improvement, to a freedom that refuses to be grasped by the mind bent on gain.