The Zen Studies Podcast
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.
- Update frequency
- every 10 days
- Average duration
- 29 minutes
- Episodes
- 324
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
216 - The Fourfold Bodhisattva Vow Part 1: Freeing All Beings
In this episode I review the meaning of the Fourfold Bodhisattva Vow, and then explore the first of the vows in detail: Beings are numberless, I vow to free them. What does it mean to free beings, an…
215 - We Will Die Soon: Using Impermanence to Motivate Practice
From the time of the Buddha, Buddhists have spent time contemplating impermanence - often by deliberately meditating on their own mortality and eventual death. This practice isn't for everyone, but i…
214 - How Do You DO Zazen, Anyway?
Offering you another episode on zazen risks me repeating myself, but I don’t think it hurts to offer a fresh new talk on zazen periodically. The practice – while profoundly simple – also can be frust…
213 – Deconstructing Self: Which Aspects Are Fine, and Which Cause Suffering?
The core teaching of Zen is that understanding the true nature of self is of the utmost importance to living a life that is liberated, compassionate, generous, wise, and skillful. Mindful examination…
212 - The Wisdom of Play
When we play wholeheartedly, we engage the world with energy, joy, lightheartedness, and enthusiasm, welcoming challenge and enjoying our activity for its own sake. We rarely have the same attitude t…
211 - Book Review: Kosho Uchiyama's “Opening the Hand of Thought”
Uchiyama Roshi's Opening the Hand of Thought is a great book for the beginner as well as the advanced practitioner of Zen. Uchiyama manages to balance philosophical discussion of the most challenging…
210 - Book Review: Kyogen Carlson’s “You Are Still Here”
This book is a treasure in that it collects in one place the essential subjects and themes of Kyogen Carlson’s teaching, which remains faithful to his Soto Zen lineage through Roshi Jiyu Kennett but …
209 - Book Review: Issho Fujita's "Polishing a Tile"
In this episode I review Issho Fujita's Polishing a Tile. This is far and away my favorite book on zazen of all time, and it covers other essential aspects of Zen practice as well. This book isn't av…
208 - Nine Benefits of Practice in Difficult Times
How can practice help us deal with the strong negative emotions we experience in difficult times, such as anger, hatred, fear, or despair? Fortunately, Buddhist practice is a powerful way to decrease…
207 - Dirt Zendo, Cloud Zendo, One Sangha: Buddhist Community in the Digital Age
In the last episode, I talked about the new phenomenon of a virtual space for practice, including its merits and benefits. In this episode, I talk about the merits of practicing in a "Dirt Zendo" - a…
206 - Dirt Zendo, Cloud Zendo, One Sangha: Buddhist Community in the Digital Age – Part 1
205 - Motivation for Practice: What Do You Love Most Deeply?
204 - Buddha-Nature: What the Heck is It and How Do We Realize It? Part 2
203 - Buddha-Nature: What the Heck is It and How Do We Realize It? Part 1
202 - Two Truths: Everything is Okay and Everything is NOT Okay at the Same Time
201 – Story of My Spiritual Journey Part 5: Finding What I Was Looking For
200 – Story of My Spiritual Journey Part 4: Enlightenments
199 - Is My Practice Languishing? If So, What Can I Do About It?
198 - Renunciation as an Act of Love
Buddhism is a path of renunciation. Many people assume this means we aim to separate ourselves from the things and beings of the world and work ourselves into a state where we no longer care about th…
