Boundless Way Zen Temple Dharmacast · Boundless Way Zen Temple

David Rynick - The Great Way is Not Difficult

·25 min·2 clips

David Rynick reveals why the Great Way is not difficult—if you can let go of your preferences.

This Dharma talk by David Rynick, abbot of Boundless Way Zen Temple, explores the Zen teaching "The Great Way is not difficult for those unattached to preferences." Rynick frames the talk around returning home from a trip to Vermont and noticing his familiar garden with fresh eyes. He describes our human tendency to live within a world of personal preferences, liking ease and disliking difficulty. Rynick references the ancient Zen text *Shin Shin Ming*, which opens with the line about the Great Way and preferences. He clarifies that the practice is not about eliminating natural human reactions, like seeking warmth when cold, which are necessary for survival. The talk examines how attachment to preferences, including being attached to *not having* preferences, creates difficulty. Rynick uses the metaphor of a seed needing all conditions—earth, water, warmth, and even winter's cold—to illustrate how every arising, pleasant or not, is part of life's wave. A participant named Paul shares how waking each morning feels like a brand new day, akin to the freshness of travel. Another participant, Rich, contrasts this by expressing feelings of powerlessness and overwhelm when confronting the world's suffering. Rynick validates this, noting he read a historical novel about post-war Iraq whose descriptions of human cruelty remain timeless. He identifies greed, anger, and ignorance as perennial drivers of suffering that the Buddha observed 2,600 years ago. A participant named Jamie recounts a story where a friend's strong preference for a blue boat successfully secured it, suggesting that boldly embracing preferences can be part of practice. Another attendee, NL, shares about a friend undergoing chemotherapy who clings fiercely to life just to see the sky and breathe. Rynick posits that greed, anger, and ignorance are the very soil from which love, connection, and wisdom can sprout, calling this a mysterious truth. The tone is contemplative, instructional, and conversational, blending personal anecdote with classical Zen commentary. The style is accessible and grounded, using everyday experiences like gardening and travel to illuminate profound teachings. Listeners interested in practical, non-dogmatic spirituality and integrating mindfulness into daily life will find deep value in this episode. Those seeking highly structured debates or historical analysis of Buddhist texts might find the reflective, personal approach less engaging.

As heard by us

A calm Zen talk about coming home and seeing ordinary life freshly.

This Dharma talk starts with a return home after time away and opens out into how people move through sensing, thinking, and seeing while living in a world that feels separate but is also shaped by the self.

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Why you'd press play

When ordinary life starts to feel like a problem, this talk brings you back to what is here.

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