Archive of Talks

Throughout the ages of Buddhism, monks have been supported by receiving food from their communities, traditionally by going on rounds with a begging bowl. The lay people would place food and medicine within these large bowls which would then be used by the monks not only to feed themselves but also their entire Sangha. Even… Read more

We may have begun spiritual work in a quest for certainty, but the more we examine our lives, the more we see how uncertainty is a constant – just as the Buddha predicted.  Darryl has chosen excerpts from a talk by Mark Nunberg to help frame our exploration of the role of uncertainty in our lives.… Read more

In his article in the spring Tricycle “The Elephant in the Dharma Hall”, Buddhist scholar John Peacock quotes Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek:  “Although Buddhism presents itself as a remedy for the stressful tension of capitalist dynamics, allowing us to uncouple and retain inner peace…it actually functions as capitalism’s perfect ideological supplement…The “Western Buddhist” meditative path… Read more

Concentration is the final element listed in the Eightfold Path – and throughout our practice life some degree of concentration is necessary to be able to look deeply into the workings of the mind.  This may range from the amount of attention necessary to read a book (Ajahn Cha) to the profound absorptions of the jhanas… Read more

Sharing Joy, celebrating the good fortune that comes to others, can be quite individual. But it can also be deeply social – as when we work for social justice to change the lives of others for the better.  We can work with joyful hearts to move beyond racism, economic inequality, gender bias and the like, rather… Read more

Gratitude is a doorway into our practice. We are always in relationship – interdependent with everything around us.  An attitude of gratitude – fully realizing ‘I am receiving this in this moment’ – can be felt in the body. It relaxes and calms the mind.  We are unstuck, and the world looks new. With open eyes, we… Read more