Raging Fire: Expounding Dharma: WPP2025 Sesshin Day 4
Feb 23, 2025
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Matthew Kozan-Palevsky, a speaker at Upaya Zen Center's Winter Practice Period Sesshin, dives into Dogen's “Great Kalpa Fire,” examining impermanence and attachment. He shares personal stories that evoke deep Zen teachings. The discussion encourages letting go of our burdens, revealing how attachment, even to our practices, obstructs true understanding. Kozan inspires listeners to embrace the transient nature of life and death, promoting compassion and patience on the spiritual journey.
The exploration of impermanence emphasizes that letting go of attachments, including emotional and material, leads to freedom and appreciation of the present.
True spiritual inquiry must arise from genuine curiosity, allowing for transformative moments of awakening in one's practice and understanding.
Deep dives
Embracing Impermanence
Impermanence is a central theme in the exploration of life and meditation. The insights express that everything in life is transient, and this realization can lead to freedom rather than anxiety about loss. The discussion highlights how individuals often cling to their attachments, whether they are emotions, relationships, or material possessions, in fear of losing them. By recognizing that this attachment is the root of suffering, a shift in perspective can emerge, allowing a deeper appreciation for the present moment and the beauty of the fleeting nature of life.
The Nature of Questions in Practice
Questions in the spiritual journey serve as important catalysts for growth, particularly when they arise from genuine curiosity rather than mere intellectual pursuit. The narrative emphasizes that true inquiry needs to come from a place of sincerity, leading to transformative encounters rather than simple conversations. The example of Zen master Dasui illustrates that a question can only truly be understood when one is ready for the answer. This readiness leads to a profound moment of awakening, where the seeker and their questions become intertwined with the essence of practice.
The Role of Meditation
Meditation serves as a practice for confronting the realities of life, including suffering and attachment, with openness and non-judgment. The teachings discuss how the act of sitting in meditation creates a space to encounter one’s thoughts and feelings without clinging to them. This process invites practitioners to accept the flow of experiences, which can range from joy to sorrow, as part of the continuous cycle of birth and death. By fully immersing in meditative practice, individuals can cultivate a compassionate awareness towards themselves and the world, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of their existence.
In this talk from the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Kozan explores Case 24 of Dogen’s collection, “The Great Kalpa Fire,” where Zen Master Dasui teaches about the nature of impermanence and attachment. Through stories of practice and careful examination of Buddhist teachings about birth-and-death, Kozan reveals how our attempts to hold onto anything—even our practice itself—keep us from…