In this talk from Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, Abbot of One River Zen in Ottawa, Illinois, we encounter the final case of the Book of Equanimity: Rōya’s Mountains and Rivers. When a monk asks why, if all is originally pure, mountains and rivers arise, Rōya answers with the same question — turning the inquiry back to the listener. Sensei Sōen explores how this kōan meets us in daily life, where ego endlessly alternates between “I must assert” and “I must disappear.” From Aleister Crowley’s dictum “Do what thou wilt” to John the Baptist’s “He must increase, I must decrease,” this episode traces the middle way that neither denies self nor clings to it. At the heart of the talk is an invitation to discover the original nature that moves as mountains, rivers, thoughts, and breath — the unbroken reality before any notion of “self” or “world.” 🎧 Recorded live at One River Zen, a Soto Zen Buddhist temple in the lineage of Dainin Katagiri Roshi. Learn more or join practice at www.oneriverzen.org.

Episode: Hōren’s Hair’s-Breadth — Shōyōroku Case 17 In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen unpacks Case 17 of the Book of Equanimity, where Hōgen and Shuzan circle a single line from the Shin Jin Mei: “If there’s even a hair’s-breadth of difference, heaven and earth are clearly separated.” Rather than discussing doctrine, Sensei shows how this tiny “hair” plays out in ordinary life — the moment we prefer or resist, the moment we lean away from what is, the moment subject and object harden and the world splits. Through the exchange between Hōgen and Shuzan, we see how repetition becomes transmission, how “I am just this” expresses the whole of the Way, and how even a fly landing on the scale exposes our measuring mind. The talk returns again and again to the living question: where is the hair’s-breadth in your own practice — and what happens when it is seen through? A rich meditation on non-preference, intimacy, and entrusting the mind before division arises.

Part Four: “Turn the Light and Return” In the final talk of the Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage series, Sensei Michael Brunner brings Sekitō Kisen’s poem to its quiet resolution. After the hut is built, opened to the world, and settled in stillness, the hermit now turns the light inward — and simply returns. Sekitō’s closing instruction, “Turn around the light to shine within, then just return,” invites a practice beyond striving, beyond attainment. This is the life that remains when all effort falls away — when the builder, the hut, and the Way itself dissolve into a single, unbounded presence. Through this final teaching, Sensei explores the mystery of the undying person in the hut — the one who was never separate from the beginning. The talk unfolds as a meditation on freedom, humility, and the ease that comes from releasing even the need to awaken. In this episode: – Turning the light inward – The end of striving and the return to simplicity – Host and guest as one reality – The undying person in the hut – Freedom that asks for nothing Recorded live during sesshin at One River Zen, this final talk closes the circle: the hut, the world, and the one who dwells within are all the same. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Sesshin #GrassRoofHut #TurningTheLightWithin #Stillness #Freedom #Fushiryo #NonDuality #Awakening

Part Three: “The Hut of Stillness and Not-Knowing” Note: There was an audio issue with the recording, to see a transcript, visit here- https://oneriverzen.org/blog/talk-three-the-song-of-the-grass-roof-hermitage-the-hut-of-stillness-and-not-knowing In the third talk of the Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage series, Sensei Michael Brunner turns to the quiet center of Sekitō Kisen’s poem — the stillness that follows realization. Having built the hut and opened it to the vast world, the hermit now takes his seat within it. What was once a small shelter becomes the whole of existence. From here, Sekitō speaks of stability, simplicity, and the deep rest that comes when striving falls away. Through lines such as “Firmly based on steadiness, it can’t be surpassed” and “Just sitting with head covered, all things are at rest,” Sensei explores the return to ordinariness after awakening — sweeping the floor, patching the roof, and meeting each moment without resistance. This is the life of the mountain monk who “doesn’t understand at all,” the humility of not-knowing that reveals true intimacy with the Way. In this episode: – Steadiness and the fertile ground of compassion – The shining window beneath the green pines – Not-knowing (fushiryo) as intimacy, not ignorance – Freedom beyond striving or escape – Host and guest as symbols of unity Recorded live during sesshin at One River Zen, this talk embodies the heart of Zen practice: a life so simple that the world itself can dwell within it — and a mind so still that nothing is left outside the hut. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Stillness #Embodiment #Sesshin #GrassRoofHut #NotKnowing #Fushiryo #Dogen #Awakening

Part Two: “The Widening of the Hermit’s Vision” In the second talk of this four-part series, Sensei Michael Brunner continues his exploration of Sekitō Kisen’s Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage, turning to the widening vision of the awakened hermit. Where Part One built the hut — the dwelling of practice and simplicity — Part Two opens the doors. The hut that once seemed small now includes the entire world. The hermit who once sat within it now dissolves into the boundless vastness of awareness. Through Sekitō’s verses — “Though the hut is small, it includes the entire world” and “Places worldly people live, he doesn’t live; realms worldly people love, he doesn’t love” — Sensei examines the natural unfolding of realization: how renunciation gives way to inclusion, how the walls of self and world fall away, and how compassion arises from stillness itself. In this episode: – The hut as the mind of non-separation – Dwelling in vastness without losing ordinariness – The difference between worldly love and boundless love – The practice of allowing the weeds to grow – Living in freedom where nothing is outside the Way Recorded live during sesshin at One River Zen, this talk traces the arc from solitude to intimacy, showing that the true dwelling of the awakened life is not apart from the world, but fully within it. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Compassion #NonDuality #Stillness #GrassRoofHut #Sesshin #ZenPractice

Part One: “I’ve Built a Grass Hut Where There’s Nothing of Value” In this opening talk of the Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage series, Sensei Michael Brunner introduces Sekitō Kisen — the quiet mountain monk whose verses shaped the heart of the Sōtō Zen tradition. This first line, “I’ve built a grass hut where there’s nothing of value,” invites us into a world of radical simplicity. Sekitō isn’t describing a building; he’s describing a mind — a mind that has stopped chasing permanence, possessions, and approval, and instead lives in the unguarded openness of the present moment. Through this talk, Sensei explores: – The life and era of Sekitō Kisen – The meaning of “the grass hut” as the dwelling of awareness – The paradox of value in a world built on grasping – What it means to build a life that cannot be stolen, defended, or lost – How stillness, impermanence, and freedom are realized through letting go Delivered during sesshin at One River Zen, this episode sets the foundation for the four-part series, showing that the true work of practice is not to acquire awakening, but to dwell where there’s nothing of value — and discover that everything is enough. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Stillness #Simplicity #Impermanence

🎧 Hyakujo’s Fox — The Dharma of Cause and Effect Ango Opening Talk with Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner In this opening talk for Ango, Sensei explores the Zen koan Hyakujo’s Fox—a story about karma, consequence, and the illusion of escape. When a monk once claimed that the enlightened person does not fall under cause and effect, he was reborn as a fox for 500 lives. Through this teaching, Sensei invites us to see that awakening is not found beyond karma but within it. The very circumstances we try to avoid—our mistakes, limitations, and expectations—are themselves the field of practice. Freedom is not escape; it’s meeting life completely, right where we stand. 🪶 “Every mistake, every slip into fox life, is also Buddha life.” #Zen #DharmaTalk #HyakujosFox #OneRiverZen #MichaelBrunner #Karma #ZenPractice #Ango #SotoZen #Mindfulness

In this rich and accessible Dharma talk, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner revisits the pivotal moment in the Platform Sūtra when Daikan Enō, an illiterate laborer, challenges the hierarchy of Zen with a single, luminous question: “Where did you get this dust?” Through the story of Enō’s awakening and the symbolic contest of verses, Sensei explores the subtle trap of self-perfection in practice—and the liberating realization that our true nature needs no polishing. Touching on Zen history, modern psychology, and temple bat-catching, this talk offers both humor and depth while guiding listeners back to the heart of the path: presence, curiosity, and the recognition that awakening is already here.

In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Case 33 of the Shōyōroku, Sanshō’s Golden Carp, and the subtle dynamics of spiritual pride, performance, and silence. What do we really want when we speak? Connection—or control? What happens when we start practicing for applause? And what does it mean to practice without needing to be seen, affirmed, or even understood? With clarity and warmth, Sensei invites us to see through the traps of identity and accomplishment, and return to what’s real: the grit of this very moment, where nothing needs proving and the heart can finally rest. Let the dust settle. Then, true practice begins.

In this powerful teisho, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner invites us to stop searching for what has never been lost. Drawing from Case 67 of the Book of Equanimity—The Avatamsaka Sutra’s Wisdom—he illuminates the truth that all beings are already endowed with the Tathagata’s wisdom and virtue. But because of deluded thoughts and attachments, we fail to realize it. Sensei explores the metaphor of Indra’s Net, the reality of karmic momentum, and Dōgen’s teaching on traceless enlightenment, urging us to release our stories, identities, and self-made obstacles. Even our delusions, fears, and wounds become gates to liberation when held with awareness. This talk reminds us that awakening isn’t somewhere else—it’s here, in each breath, step, and moment. The priceless jewel has already been sewn into our robe. What will you do with it?

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Case 78 of the Shōyōroku—Umon’s enigmatic response to the question, “What is speech that transcends the Buddhas and goes beyond the ancestors?” The answer: farm rice cake. Through this simple yet profound pointer, we’re invited to drop our search for lofty experiences and instead turn toward the ordinary, the overlooked, the deeply human moments we often push aside. Sensei Michael reflects on the way we divide life into sacred and profane, clean and messy—and how Zen cuts through that duality to reveal the wholeness of everything. This is a teaching about inclusion, embodiment, and learning to bow to the life that is already unfolding. Nothing is left out—not your grief, your shadow, or your confusion. All of it belongs. And all of it is the Dharma. Listen now to explore: Umon’s uncompromising simplicity What a rice cake can teach us about awakening The hidden cost of chasing spiritual ideals How to live a life where nothing is exiled For more talks and resources, visit oneriverzen.org

What happens when even "no meaning" becomes another thing to cling to? In this episode, we explore Case 80 from the Book of Equanimity—“Ryūge Passes the Chin Rest.” Ryūge asks the classic question: What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West? Two teachers respond with action, not explanation. Two blows. Same question. Same mistake. This is a talk about the traps we create around insight—how we turn experience into doctrine, and silence into a stance. It’s about the moment when you stop trying to figure it out, and life steps in. We follow Ryūge from conceptual certainty to the slow-burning truth that real freedom doesn’t explain itself.

What happens after everything falls apart? In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner offers a powerful reflection on Case 41 of the Blue Cliff Record, where Joshu asks what follows the “great death”—the collapse of the self we’ve clung to. Drawing from Zen koans, Dōgen’s teachings, and the raw honesty of lived experience, this talk explores how awakening does not lie in bypassing pain or rebuilding old identities, but in stepping forward—with nothing left to hide—into the clear light of presence. With warmth, clarity, and compassion, Sensei invites us to stop patching the past and instead meet our lives fully, in the daylight. A talk for anyone who has known loss, change, or the quiet courage it takes to begin again.

In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner takes us deep into Case 23 of the Hekigan-roku, where Hofuku points to the summit of realization and Chōkei quietly upends it all with a single phrase: “What a pity.” Through vivid imagery, historical insight, and down-to-earth wisdom, this talk explores the subtle danger of clinging to the idea of awakening, and the urgent need to bring intention into the life we’re already living. With humor and clarity, Sensei invites us to meet that one who is truly special—not through performance or self-image, but by fully showing up. From bowing to pantry work to everyday relationships, this is a call to step beyond concepts and into actualization. Topics include: What it means to “walk with the ancients” Why realization without embodiment falls short The power of form to reveal—not conceal—uniqueness Intention as the heart of living practice ✨ “Don’t let your skull be one of them. Wake up to this life you’re living.”

Our thoughts leap from branch to branch, constructing meaning, seeking control—just like a restless monkey. But who are we when the monkey is silent? In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Shōyōroku Case 72 – Chuyu’s Monkey, unpacking the grasping mind, conditioned perception, and the immediacy of direct experience. Through humor, insight, and Zen wisdom, we examine how to move beyond the mind’s endless chatter and meet life as it truly is.

A monk asks for directions, an old woman gives a simple answer, and Jōshū sees through it all. What does this koan reveal about the way we seek, grasp, and overlook what is already right in front of us? In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Mumonkan Case 31, unpacking how our desire for certainty blinds us to direct experience. Are we truly seeing, or are we just looking for confirmation? What happens when we let go of needing an answer? Tune in to explore the path that has been right under your feet all along. 🔔 Subscribe for more Dharma talks and Zen insights. 🌿 Follow for more teachings on practice, perception, and awakening.

We all seek meaning. When life feels uncertain, when suffering arises, we grasp for something to explain it—to fit our struggles into a larger story, to make sense of the chaos. But Zen does not offer tidy answers. Instead, it strips away the need for meaning itself. In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Hekiganroku Case 20: Ryūge Asks Suibi and Rinzai, a koan where a monk asks about the meaning of Bodhidharma’s journey, only to be struck instead of answered. Why? Because truth is not something we find outside of ourselves—it is what remains when we stop searching. What happens when we drop the second arrow of suffering—the stories we attach to our pain? What is left when we no longer chase explanations? This talk is an invitation to step beyond intellectual grasping and into the immediacy of life itself. 🔹 In this episode, we explore: Why our search for meaning is just another form of attachment How Suibi and Rinzai’s blows cut through conceptual grasping The two arrows teaching and how it reveals the nature of suffering Why true freedom is not found in explanations, but in direct experience We don’t chant, sit, or practice to discover meaning—we practice to let go of the need for meaning altogether. The Dharma is not something to grasp—it is something to embody. 🔔 Subscribe for more Dharma talks & Zen teachings! 📖 Join our upcoming classes & retreats: oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #Buddhism #KoanStudy #Rinzai #Shoyoroku #Hekiganroku #ZenPractice #Meditation #Mindfulness #LettingGo #SpiritualFreedom

Who are you beyond identity, beyond the stories you tell yourself? In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Shōyōroku Case 38, where Rinzai speaks of the true person of no rank—the one who moves freely, unbound by self-construction. But when a monk asks about this person, Rinzai grabs him, forcing the moment to be seen directly. We construct our identities to navigate pain, fear, and expectation, but what happens when those layers fall away? What happens when we stop defending an illusion? Join us as we explore: 🔹 How we construct the self in response to suffering 🔹 The illusion of identity and the karmic bind that keeps it intact 🔹 Rinzai’s radical teaching on breaking free from conceptual selfhood 🔹 Why true awakening is not something to attain, but something to embody This is not just a talk—it is a direct invitation to meet the true person of no rank and to step into the freedom that has always been here. 🔔 Subscribe for more Dharma talks & Zen teachings! 📖 Explore upcoming classes & retreats: oneriverzen.org

What happens when we let go of hesitation and allow ourselves to fully enter the field of boundless compassion? In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo, a ten-phrase sutra dedicated to Kanzeon (Avalokiteśvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Chanting is not about reciting words—it is a practice of deep embodiment. When we chant, we align ourselves with the vast interconnection of all things, dissolving the small self into the rhythm of presence. Kanzeon listens to the cries of the world—but also acts. Likewise, compassion is not something we think about—it is something we become. Join us as we uncover the transformative power of chanting, the nature of true compassion, and the deep practice of letting go.

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen explores the transformative power of the Three Pure Precepts—Cease from Evil, Practice Good, and Practice Good for Others—not as rigid rules, but as a living, breathing process of awakening. Through keen observation, we uncover how our judgments shape reality, how attachment to narratives obscures the beauty of the present moment, and how stepping beyond self-imposed separation allows compassionate action to arise naturally. Sensei Michael delves into Mumonkan Case 36, challenging us to consider: How do we greet a fully awakened being? More importantly, how do we meet life itself? This talk invites us to release the need to know, bear witness without interference, and move in harmony with the unfolding moment—a practice that ultimately costs us the small self but grants us the boundless life of the universe. 🔹 Key Topics: The Three Pure Precepts as a dynamic process, not a rule set The role of perception and judgment in shaping our reality Moving beyond self/other duality into direct experience Applying Mumonkan Case 36: Meeting a Woman Who Has Accomplished the Way Letting go of the constructed self and fully showing up