Three talks given at the Zazen Retreat in 1996
Talk 1 – Nishijima Roshi talks about his fundamental ideas about Buddhism and civilization today. He discusses the relationship between religion and western philosophical thought, and how Buddhist theory can solve the contradictory situation between idealistic and materialistic thoughts.
Talk 2 – Nishijima Roshi outlines the life of Dogen Zenji, the 13th century Buddhist priest and philosopher and discusses the four main principles of Dogen Zenji’s most famous book, the Shobogenzo.
Talk 3 – Nishijima Roshi outlines the origins of various Buddhist sects in Japan, and compares the two main sects which practice Zazen, the Rinzai sect and the Soto sect. Also, he describes Master Dogen’s explanation of Zazen using the four principles which Master Dogen liked to explain: 1. not thinking; 2. regulating the body and sitting in the right posture; 3. getting rid of body and mind; 4. becoming one piece.
The Ethics of Action – A talk on ethics in relation to Master Dogen’s teaching that reality is our action at the present moment.
Zazen & Pain – A talk given in Montpellier, France in 2002 after Nishijima Roshi held a weekend retreat in Brussels.