North Carolina Zen Center

The Black Box of Zen Practice by North Carolina Zen Center

Zen Metta

The Case Master Gettan said to a monk, “Keichu [the first wheelmaker in ancient China] made a cart whose wheels had a hundred spokes. If you took off the wheels and removed the axle, then what would it be?” The Commentary If you can immediately see through this, your eye will be like a shooting star, your spiritual activity like a flash of lightning. *The Verse When a wheel spins rapidly even a master cannot follow it. It moves in all directions above and below, north, south, east, and west.

From Day 2 of the Winter 2018 Sesshin.

Is the enlightened person subject to cause and effect? Be careful...if you answer incorrectly you'll be reborn as a fox for 500 lives! This is from Day 1 of the Winter 2018 Sesshin.

An in depth look at the Eight aspects of the Path.

This talk encourages us to continually see that we can reinvent ourselves just as Buddhism has as it has time and time again as it moves from culture to culture.

This dharma takes up Case 1 of the Book of Serenity.

In this Dharma talk we take a look at the basis for morality in Zen and more specifically at the Buddhist Precepts.

In this talk and dharma discussion, we take up how to stay grounded during the holiday season.

In this talk from our Fall sesshin, we explore Case 35 of the Mumonkan: Chien and Her Soul Are Separated.

A Zen retreat, traditionally called a sesshin, is not a retreat at all. It is a search. In this talk we explore the nature of searching and how to practice during sesshin.

Exploring Case 40 from the Blue cliff Record with an emphasis on how technology is shaping our thoughts and practice.

This Dharma talk and discussion explores ways to work with anger. The talk is 32 min. with a 15 min discussion at the end.

What is Koan Practice?

What is Buddhist Practice? Is it more than just our individual meditation practice?

Case #20 Book of Equanimity: Not Knowing is Most Intimate

Some thoughts on working with patience in meditation practice and life.