The teachings of Buddhism, referred to as the “Dharma”, come to us in many forms. The listing below includes series of talks given by monks to the Bear River Meditation Group, books, as well as other talks and articles that we have found helpful. More extensive listings are available on the Shasta Abbey website under teachings and publications. Some of the books and all articles are available for download as pdf files. Audio talks are available as mp3 files.
DHARMA SERIES CLASSES AND RETREATS
The Eightfold Path
Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder gave a talk on The Four Noble Truths on August 1, 2022. The 28 minute talk serves as an introduction to our extended study of Basic Buddhist Teachings and The Eightfold Path. Her talk references the book The Eightfold Path, edited by Jikyo Cheryl Wolfer which we are using for our study.
Life, Death, Bardo, Rebirth: Everything Falls Away
The Scripture of Great Wisdom
Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder gave a series of Dharma talks on The Scripture of Great Wisdom or more commonly translated as The Heart Sutra. Links to the seven talks are below.
Talk One: Monday, December 16th, 2019 (29 min) Audio
Talk Two: Monday, December 30th, 2019 (31 min) Audio
Talk Three: Monday, January 13th, 2020 (31 min) Audio
Talk Four: Monday, January 20th, 2020 (38 min) Audio
Talk Five: Monday, January 27th, 2020 (30 min) Audio
Talk Six: Monday, February 10th, 2020 (27 min) Audio
Talk Seven: Monday, February 17th, 2020 (33 min) Audio
Your Very Mind is Buddha
Links to the Dharma talks by Rev. Vivian Grunenfelder from the 2018 intensive practice retreat are below. Vivian Gruenenfelder provided a list of readings of interest for the retreat.
Talk One: Monday, January 22nd, 2018. (43 min) Audio
Talk Two: Saturday, January 27th, 2018. (38 min) Audio
Talk Three: Monday, January 29th, 2018. (34 min) Audio
Scriptures, Sutras, Invocations – Chanted, Spoken, Unspoken
This series of Three Talks was given by Reverend Helen Cummings during July 2017.
Talk One: Recited Scriptures and our Practice Audio (25mins) Text
Talk Two: Sung Scriptures, Litanies, Invocations and Our Practice Audio (28 mins) Text
Talk Three: Unspoken Scriptures, Unsung Sutras and our Practice Audio (22 mins) Text
Resources: Reverend Helen has made an extensive list of resources available for those interested in listening to audio of recited or sung scriptures or reading further in the various articles and chapters mentioned in this Dharma series. Select “Resources” to access the page with the full listing and links to the audio and text files.
Noble Eightfold Path
Series offered by Reverend Master Shiko Rom, July 2016
The Noble Eightfold Path Talk #1 by Reverend Master Shiko Rom (20 mins) Text of this talk is available here as a pdf.
The Noble Eightfold Path Talk #2 by Reverend Master Shiko Rom (22 mins.) Text of this talk is available here as a pdf.)
The Noble Eightfold Path Talk #3 by Reverend Master Shiko Rom (25 mins) Text of this talk is available here as a pdf.
The Noble Eightfold Path Talk #4 by Reverend Master Shiko Rom (25 mins) Text of this talk is available here as a pdf.
The Ten Oxherding Pictures
Series offered by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder in January 2016.
The Ten Oxherding Pictures Talk #1 Introduction (50 min) by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
The Ten Oxherding Pictures Talk #2 Pictures 8 & 9 (34 mins) by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
The Ten Oxherding Pictures Talk #3 Picture 10 (29 mins) by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
The following talk was given at our retreat on April 3rd, 2016, a follow up to the January series.
Going on Beyond the Ten Oxherding Pictures (42 mins) by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
Bodhidharma’s Four Practices
Series offered by Reverend Helen Cummings in February/March 2015
Suffering Injustice – by Reverend Helen Cummings, February 16th, 2015 (25 mins)
Adapting to Conditions – by Reverend Helen Cummings, February 23rd, 2015 (20 mins)
Seeking Nothing – by Reverend Helen Cummings, March 2nd, 2015 (25 mins)
Practicing the Dharma – by Reverend Helen Cummings, March 7th, 2015 (29 mins)
Books
Buddhism from Within; An Intuitive Introduction to Buddhism by Reverend Daizui MacPhillamy. Shasta Abbey Press, Mount Shasta, California 2003 ISBN: 0-930066-24-3 Buddhism from Within can now be purchased through Lulu.com as a print-on-demand book. The book is also available for sale at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey and Shasta Abbey; it can be downloaded as a free PDF on the Shasta Abbey Publications webpage. Also available at bookstores.
Sitting Buddha; Zen Meditation for Everyone by Daishin Morgan Throssel Hole Press, Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey, Carrshield, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 8AL United Kingdom, 2004 ISBN:0-9549139-0-6
Download book in pdf form through Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey.
Available for sale at the Shasta Abbey Gift Shop and the Throssel Hole Buddhist Bookshop.
Roar of the Tigress The Oral Teachings of Reverend Master Jiyu-Kennett: Western Woman and Zen Master; Volume One Edited and with an introduction by Reverend Daizui MacPhillamy, Shasta Abbey, Mount Shasta, California 2000 ISBN: 0-930066-21-9
Download book in pdf form. Offered in the spirit of dana, this book is also available in the Guest House at Shasta Abbey.
Buddha Recognizes Buddha by Reverend Master Daishin Morgan. Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey, Carrshield,Hexham, Northumberland NE47 8AL, United Kingdom 1979 ISBN: 0-930066-04-9 Available for sale at the Shasta Abbey Gift Shop, the Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey Bookshop and other book stores.
Articles
Every-minute Meditation by Rev. Daizui MacPhillamy
This article describes how we can bring the mind of meditation into the activities of our daily life. Reverend Master Daizui says “Done properly, the exercise of every-minute meditation is refreshing, liberating, and energizing. Together with formal seated meditation, it can make a significant contribution to increasing one’s religious understanding.” RM Daizui was a disciple of RM Jiyu Kennett and served as Head of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives from 1996 until his death in 2003.
Serene Reflection by Rev. Koten Benson
This article explores the levels of meaning of the two Chinese characters from which we get our translation of “Serene Reflection”. RM Koten was a disciple of RM Jiyu Kennett. He is Prior of Lions Gate Buddhist Priory at Dragon Flower Mountain in British Columbia.
Soto Zen by Rev. Keido Chisan
Chapter 2, The Basic Thought of Buddhism. “Buddhism describes the vertical, ie. time, aspect of reality with the oft-quoted phrase, ‘All things are impermanent’,’ which means that all phenomena are in a continuous state of flux.” In his discussion of this in Chapter 2, Keido Chisan brings in the likes of quantum physics, Buddhist sutras, philosophy, Socrates and Einstein. Keido Chisan Koho Zenji (1879 – 1967) was the Archbishop of the Konto Plains in Japan, and was given the title of “Great Teacher” by the Emperor of Japan in 1948. RM Jiyu Kennett was his Dharma Heir. He is considered the Founder of Shasta Abbey.
5 Reasons to Meditate by Pema Chodron
Dharma articles in Journal of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
The OBC Journal publishes articles quarterly. You can download current and past issues from the website.
Audio Dharma Talks
Listed below are talks which have been shared at our weekly Dharma discussions. Click on the title to link to go to the original source of the audio talk.
Reverend Master Koten Benson is a disciple of RM Jiyu Kennett, and is currently the Prior at Lions Gate Buddhist Priory in British Columbia. The meditation group listened to this series of talks in January 2017. (Scroll back to talks from 2016).
How to Meditate 1 (25 mins) RM Koten Benson
How to Meditate 2 (18 mins) RM Koten Benson
How to Meditate 3 (16 mins) RM Koten Benson
How to Meditate 4 RM Koten Benson (link no longer available)
How to Meditate 5 (19 mins) RM Koten Benson
How to Meditate 6 (29 mins) RM Koten Benson
How to Meditate 7 (25 mins) RM Koten Benson
Rev. Master Daishin Morgan, Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey. Series of talks from the August 2016 sessshin.
Acceptance of the Presence of This – Talk One (34 mins) Great Master Dogen’s instruction to ‘neither try to think, nor try not to think’ is a description of acceptance. “When we practice in this way, we realize living Buddha.” File Size: 12MB
Sagara Mudra Samadhi Talk Two (22 mins) As the second talk began, everyone present was handed a pebble. It is recommended that when listening, you have your own pebble or small stone. The term coined by Dogen, Sagara Mudra Samadhi, points to our true nature. File Size: 7MB
Letting go of self-making Talk Three (22 mins) Zazen aids the understanding of not-self, and is the way to recognize the reality of existence. File Size: 8MB
Time and existence are the same thing Talk Four (19 mins) Quoting the beginning of the Shushogi scripture, Rev. Master Daishin encourages us to turn towards birth and death rather than trying to avoid them, in order to find liberation. File Size: 7MB
Fire, Fire (26 mins) by Reverend Master Mugo White
The Wave (15 mins) by Reverend MASTER HARYO YOUNG
Bubbles by Reverend Master Meian Elbert
Great Doubt, Great Faith (31 mins) by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
What Is A Buddhist Contemplative? (27 mins) Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
Giving A Dharma Talk (26 mins) by Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder
Lessons From The Woodpile (42 mins) by Reverend Master Haryo Young
Spacious Mind (28 mins) by Reverend Master Kinrei Bassis
Recent Dharma Talks at Shasta Abbey
Sunday Dharma talks are regularly posted on the Shasta Abbey website. This link will take you to these talks, given by the Abbess RM Meian Elbert and other senior teachers of Buddhism.
Dharma Talks by Senior Teachers of Shasta Abbey
RM Daishin was a disciple of RM Jiyu Kennett, and is currently Vice Abbot of Shasta Abbey. He is also the senior advisor and chaplain to the Bear River Meditation Group. This link will take you to the Shasta Abbey website and a list of talks given by RM Daishin.
Dharma Talks from Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey
This links you to talks posted on the Throssel Hole website. Throssel is a sister monastery within the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, and is located in the north of England. RM Daishin Morgan is Abbot of the temple. A number of his talks, as well as those by other senior monks are included here.
Other Resources
Annotated Bibliography on Women and the Female in Buddhism
Following our retreat in October 2011 Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder, a senior monk from Shasta Abbey, put together this bibliography of resources to share. It is a wonderfully rich source of writings on women in Buddhism.