AZC Weekly talks

Epizode

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  2026-08-11 Patience 12.08.2026 43min

  The Kshanti Paramita. Active patience or forbearance as an antidote to anger.
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  2026-07-21 Nature Koans 5: Mumonkan Case 6, 'The Buddha Holds Up a Flower' 22.07.2026 35min

  The Sangha assembled on Vulture Peak to hear a discourse by the Buddha. The Buddha simply held up a flower. Only Mahakashyapa smiled.Texts: The Gateless Barrier, Robert AitkenDisciples of the Buddha, Zenno Ishigami.
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  2026-07-07 The Bodhisattva Precepts 3 18.07.2026 41min

  Some reflections of the 10 cardinal precepts and some questions to discuss.Source: The World Could Be Otherwise, Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path by Norman Fischer.
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  2026-06-23 The Bodhisattva Precepts 2 25.06.2026 44min

  A look at the three pure precepts and the first five cardinal precepts.Source: The World Could be Otherwise by Norman Fischer.
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  2026-06-09 The Bodhisattva Precepts 1 10.06.2026 59min

  Exploring the 16 precepts in preparation for Matariki Jukai.Source: The World Could be Otherwise by Norman Fischer.
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  2026-05-26 Nature Koans 4: Mumonkan Case 2, 'Hyakujo and the Fox' 28.05.2026 43min

  This koan takes the form of a folktale. An ancient teacher gives the wrong answer regarding cause and effect and must live 500 lives as a fox.Text: Shaping Text: Philosophy and Folklore in the Fox Koan by Steven HeineOf the Same Root: Animals and Our Relationship with them by Philip Kapleau.
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  2026-04-21 Ahimsa 22.04.2026 35min

  Ahimsa, not-harming, is a fundamental principle of both Hinduism and Buddhism, and is embodied in the first of our Ten Cardinal Precepts, "Not to kill but to cherish all life". In this teisho we look at different aspects of ahimsa: kindness, altruism and not eating meat.Text: To Cherish All Life: a Buddhist Case for Becoming Vegetarian and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.
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  2026-04-07 Term Intensive Tips 08.04.2026 41min

  Some thoughts on making the most of a Term Intensive.Sources: Silent Illumination by Guo Gu, Self-help for your Nerves by Claire Weekes, and Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg.
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  2026-03-24 Peace and War 25.03.2026 38min

  Peace must always be given precedence, in particular making peace with ourselves. But war is always present; there has never been a time in human history when a war has not been waged on some part of our planet. So, in this teisho we take a clear-eyed look at war as well.Text: Essay by James Hillman, "Wars, Arms, Rams, Mars: On the Love of War".
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  2026-02-10 Nature Koans 3: Wu-tsu's Buffalo Passes Through the Window 11.02.2026 36min

  This is the third in a series of koans centred on the natural world. The koan is Case 38 in the MumonkanBooks used in the teisho:Zen's Chinese Heritage by Andy Ferguson and The Gateless Barrier by Robert Aitken.
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  2026-01-27 The Three Fruits of Zen Practice 29.01.2026 44min

  The three fruits of Zen practice are, 1. joriki or concentration, 2. kensho, or seeing your True Nature and 3. mujo do no taigen, or embodiment of the peerless way.Source: Ruben Habito's Foreword to The Flowing Bridge by Elaine MacInnes, Wisdom 2007.
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  2026-01-10 Master Dōgen's Life and Teaching 6 11.01.2026 51min

  More from the Shobogenzo Zuimonki on effort.Source: A Primer of Soto Zen translated by Reiho Masunaga.
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  2026-01-09 Master Dōgen's Life and Teaching 5 09.01.2026 47min

  Sources: How to Train an Ox and Primer of Soto Zen.
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  2026-01-08 Master Dōgen's Life and Teaching 4 08.01.2026 49min

  Dōgen's Fukan Zazengi, "General Recommendations for Doing Zazen"Source: How to Raise an Ox by Francis Dojun Cook.
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  2026-01-07 Master Dōgen's Life and Teaching 3 07.01.2026 43min

  Dōgen's talks from the Eihei Kōruku, Part Two.Sources: Dōgen's Extensive Record: Eihei Kōroku translated by Taigen Dan Leighton and Shohaku Okumura, and The Art of Just Sitting edited by John Daido Loori.
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  2026-01-06 Master Dōgen's Life and Teaching 2 06.01.2026 41min

  Dōgen's talks from the Eihei Kōruku, Part One.Source: Dōgen's Extensive Record: Eihei Kōroku translated by Taigen Dan Leighton and Shohaku Okumura.
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  2026-01-05 Master Dōgen's Life and Teaching 1 05.01.2026 51min

  Dōgen's early life.Source: Zen Master Dōgen - An Introduction with Selected Writings by Yūhō Yokoi with Daizen Victoria.
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  2025-12-16 The Ten Precepts as Expressions of our "Inconceivably Wondrous" True Nature 19.12.2025 50min

  Looking at all ten cardinal precepts from the angle of Bodhidharma's One Mind teachings.Source(s): Invoking Reality by John Daido Loori.
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  2025-11-04 Nature Koans 2: The Cypress Tree in the Courtyard 07.11.2025 42min

  This is the second in a series of koans centred on the natural world. The koan is Case 37 in the Mumonkan, Zhaozhou's Cypress Tree in the Courtyard.Sources: Pilgrim at Tinker's Creek by Annie Dillard and Two Zen Classics by Katsuki Sekida.
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  2025-10-21 Not-self 22.10.2025 41min

  Not-self is the third of the Three Marks of Existence, and is also referred to as emptiness of self, or just Emptiness. It can be understood intellectually when examined through the lenses of impermanence and dependent co-arising. It can also be directly experienced when we forget ourself.Sources: There is No Suffering by Master Sheng Yen, Dharma Drum 2001, and What makes you not a Buddhist, by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, Shambhala 2008.