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Shakyamuni Gautama was an historical figure who lived in India from approximately 563 to 483 B.C. After his death, Buddhism spread over Asia, and almost 2,500 years later Buddhism has come to the West, where it is more relevant than ever before. These four classic talks by John Daido Loori, abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery, provide a clear, comprehensive version of the Buddha's life and teachings, including Buddha's life as a householder, spiritual seeker, and ultimately a teacher. Roshi brings Buddha to life by describing how Buddha's personal struggles resulted in his seek out greater meaning. Like many of us, Buddha felt dissatisfied with the day to day routine of life, and he wished to understand how to live authentically. Buddha's search resulted in his realization of the Four Noble Truths, which can be essentially the knowing of suffering and exactly how to alleviate it. Daido Roshi discusses the Four Noble Truths, and examines how this core Buddhist teaching is pertinent to your lives today. He also explores how subsequent teachers carried on the Buddha's teachings, touching particularly on Zen Buddhist masters. These talks form an excellent introduction for those new to Buddhism, and will be offering important insights to those who find themselves already practicing. Zen Buddhism emphasizes zazen, or seated meditation, as the methods to study the self and understand who we truly are. Dharma talks are an important facet of Zen training and take place in the context of zazen. Said to be "dark to the mind and radiant to the heart", a dharma talk is a great way in which a teacher points directly to the heart of the teachings of the Buddha. In our meditation practice, it is easy to get lost in self-doubt, fantasy, numbness, and emotional agitation. Dharma talks help ground our practice, providing inspiration and an important recognition of wherever we find ourselves, so that people can learn to face difficulties and obstacles with a free and flexible mind. This talk was given at Zen Mountain Monastery or the Zen Center of NEW YORK of the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Buddhism, founded in 1980 by the late American Zen Master John Daido Loori, Roshi (1931-2009).
