Archive of Talks

This week we had the distinct privilege of hosting Dharma Teacher Cara Lai to give her reflections on the topic of Emptiness. This talk explored emptiness as the heart of the Buddha’s teaching and a direct path to freedom. Rather than something bleak or nihilistic, emptiness is revealed through the three marks of existence—impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and… Read more

In Buddhist philosophy when we say things are “empty”, we mean they are empty of independent existence. All things are conditioned; they are products of thousands of separate conditions and only exist because those conditions have come together at that moment in time. Our slice of toast depends on the baker, the miller, the truckers,… Read more

Our sangha is in the midst of a series of explorations of Emptiness, which Sam began last Sunday.  This week, Michael guided an unpacking of the famous Heart Sutra, which brings a Mahayana perspective: Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form.   Payton and visiting Dharma Teacher Cara Lai will round out the series in the subsequent weeks.   Join us… Read more

Sam guided our sangha this Sunday.  Inspired by a quote from Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol (1781–1851) — “The mind’s nature is vivid as a flawless piece of crystal – intrinsically empty, naturally radiant, ceaselessly responsive” — we considerd other writings and listen to excerpts of some relevant dharma talks. Here’s Sam’s notes: In a sangha run by Max or Don,… Read more

This Sunday we watched a video of Brother Phao Linh teaching about the Diamond Sutra. He specifically addressed the notion that human beings have an identifiable and bounded lifespan. He challenges several assumptions we hold about our lives having a beginning and an ending. He describes the great understanding and love that can come to us when… Read more

At the base of all the subtlety of Buddha’s most extensive meditation instructions, rests contemplation of the body.  Jackie guided us this week as we explore various dimensions of mindfulness of the body, and the insights that these can yield.        Our period of meditation was framed by Jill Shepherd and Eugene Cash talking on Contemplation… Read more