Zen Talks

Below you can find the English translation of Kōdō Sawaki’s Zen Talks (Jpn. Zendan), a collection of informal Dharma talks, first published in Japan in 1938.

I. THE GREATEST HAPPINESS

I.I Sniffing Around for Luck

I.II Omen Obsession

I.III A Radical Change of Life

I.IV Way-seeking Mind and Wisdom

I.V Infinite Life

I.VI Keep Your Own Post

I.VII Breathe Through Your Own Nose

I.VIII Absolute Auspiciousness

I.IX Prince Five-Weapons and the Ogre

II. THE RELIGION OF CULTURED PEOPLE

II.I Which is Greater?

II.II True Freedom from What Is Made Up in the Mind

II.III The Real Face of the Cultured Person

II.IV Creative Living

III. ON VOW

III.I The Vow That Carries Our Practice

III.II When an Evil Vow Comes True

III.III Practice Must Also be Deliberate

III.IV Work as an Expression of Vow

III.V Led Astray by Our Views

III.VI Living by Vow

III.VII Gessen the Beggar

IV. ON HARMONY

IV.I The Etymology of Yamato

IV.II The Taika Reform

IV.III Mirror, Jewel, Sword

IV.IV A Harmonious Life

IV.V Harmony in Observing the Precepts

IV.VI Harmony in View

IV.VII Harmony in Benefit

IV.VIII Harmony in Bodily Conduct

IV. IX Harmony in Speech

IV.X Harmony in Mind

IV.XI At the Sound of a Finger-Snap

V. MARTIAL ARTS AND ZEN AS ONE

V.I A Life of Illusion

V.II The Knack of Slipping Right Through

V.III A Life Full of Cracks

V.IV A Match Between a Jujutsu Fighter and a Docker

V.V What Is the True Treasure?

V.VI The Moon in the Churning Rushing Water

V.VII Master Oka Sōtan and Reverend Daisatsu

VI. FEW DESIRES AND KNOWING WHAT IS ENOUGH

VI.I Eight Principles of the Buddha

VI.II The Pursuit of Desire

VI.III Practice for a Ticket to Heaven

VI.IV The Root of Discontent

VI.V Tōsui the Beggar

VI.VI Seek Thyself

VII TURNING THE LIGHT INWARD

VII.I Scolding Oneself

VII.II Loving it Dearly and Hating it Dearly

VII.III Watch Your Steps

VII.IV An Air of Transparency

VII.V A Single Flute Filling Heaven and Earth

VIII. THE RELIGION OF THE DINING HALL

VIII.I What Do We Eat For?

VIII.II Illness Enters Through the Mouth

VIII.III Being Grateful for the Food

VIII.IV A Life Without Cracks

VIII.V Don’t Lose Your Composure

VIII.VI Eating for Pleasure

VIII.VII When You Lose Yourself

IX. ON THE ROBE

IX.I The Origin of the Robe

IX.II The Robe and the Dharma are One

IX.III Deportment Itself is the Buddhadharma

IX.IV Faith in the Robe

IX.V A Letter On the Lined Robe

IX.VI Stories of the Robe

IX.VII The Merit of the Robe

X. EVERYWHERE YOU TURN, LIFE IS ENOUGH AS IT IS

X.I The Supreme Way of Living

XI.II Warping of the Mind

XI.III What Are You?

XI.IV A Dwarf Watching the Show

XI.V Ultimate Satisfaction

XI.VI True Peace of Mind

XI.VII Ease and Worry