Boundless Way Zen Temple Dharmacast · Boundless Way Zen Temple

David Rynick - May 2025 Sesshin Dharma Talk

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

David Rynick reveals how we create self-images to stand on solid ground, while we're actually hurtling through space on a little blue-green ball.

David Rynick, abbot of Boundless Way Zen Temple, delivers a Dharma talk during a May 2025 sesshin, or intensive meditation retreat. He explores Case 51 from the Blue Cliff Record, a classic Zen koan involving the teacher Zui Feng and a visiting monk. Rynick uses this story to examine the core Zen inquiry of "What is it?" and the nature of authentic practice. The koan recounts how Zui Feng, a former abbot living as a hermit, greeted two visiting monks by pushing open his hut door and asking, "What is it?" One monk mirrored the question back, prompting Zui Feng to hang his head and return inside. Rynick references the Buddha's teaching that some questions lead to awakening while others do not, framing "What is it?" as an invitation into the present moment. He discusses the human tendency to construct a solid self-image, whether positive or negative, to find ground in a universe where there is "not one speck of earth to stand on." The talk cites the Zen master Dogen's teaching that "the entire universe is the true Dharma body," emphasizing non-separation. A surprising insight is that our discontent and longing are not problems to fix but are precisely what bring us to spiritual practice. Rynick shares a letter from the teacher Dāwi, who encouraged a discouraged student to appreciate whatever self-identity is arising rather than trying to eliminate parts of the self. He explains that the monk's mirrored answer to Zui Feng was "a quite fine answer," but Zui Feng sensed the student was still hiding, not revealing himself. Rynick states that "being human is a game of hide and seek," yet "nothing has ever been hidden." He delves into the "three pillars of Zen"—faith, doubt, and determination—redefining faith as the willingness to step into the unknown and doubt as a valuable, energetic curiosity or even dread. The talk challenges the notion that sesshin is about willpower, suggesting instead that exhaustion can lead to a surrender where "you simply can't do it anymore." Rynick posits that our deepest vow is to uncover and obey an inner "current" or necessity that manifests uniquely through each person. The tone is contemplative, instructional, and deeply personal, blending scholarly commentary on ancient texts with accessible metaphors from modern life. Rynick fosters a conversational and inclusive atmosphere, often saying "we" and reflecting on shared human tendencies. The style is educational yet intimate, weaving koan study with psychological insight and direct guidance for meditation practice. This episode will deeply satisfy Zen students and anyone interested in the practical application of koan study to overcome self-judgment and spiritual seeking. Listeners who prefer highly structured, doctrinal teachings or who are new to Zen concepts might find the abstract, paradoxical nature of the discussion challenging to follow.

As heard by us

A spare Zen talk that keeps the risk of offering yourself in view.

This Dharma talk stays close to Case 51 from the Blue Cliff Record and keeps the tension on affirmation, negation, and the back and forth between letting go and holding still. It does not try to smooth the koan into a lesson.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If you're wondering whether your gift is wanted, this talk stays with that question.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Boundless Way Zen Temple Dharmacast