Welcoming the sangha back after the August break, Charlie Korin Pokorny explores Dōgen’s teaching of Buddha nature as a dynamic, impermanent process and awakening as “doing” rather than seeing. Charlie Sensei also introduces BZC’s fall practice period, “Liberating Response,” a 12-week exploration of location, class, race, gender, immigration, and earth justice, framed through the four noble truths as emergent and living.

Sarah Sensei’s dharma talk considers the koan “Dizang Planting the Fields” (The Book of Serenity, Case 12), in which Xiushan asks, “What are you doing in the world?”, and Dizang responds, “What do you call the world?” Sarah reflects on the practices of awareness of, and acceptance of responsibility for, our interconnectedness with all that is our world at each moment, including harm that has occurred. She discusses, in particular, her experience as a trans-racially adoptive parent.

Recorded on June 20, 2026, at Boundless Mind Temple in Brooklyn, NY

In this dharma talk, Charlie brings up BZC involvement with Pride Month and discusses the practice of conversation – being in conversation with others, with our experience, and with everything – as a basis of liberation from suffering. He suggests elements of accountability to keep in mind so that literal conversations can be mutually liberating and help to build a truly inclusive sangha.

Please enjoy this dharma talk by BZC teacher Sarah Dōjin Emerson. Sarah explores the teachings of Zen master and author Norma Wong about the wisdom of community and collective leading; and the teachings of Paula Arai on ceremonies of healing. Sarah’s talk includes the indigenous Hawaiian practice of calling in aloha through collective chanting, aloha meaning compassion manifested. Sarah reads briefly from Norma Wong’s latest book, Who We Are Becoming Matters. Recorded on May 16, 2026 at Boundless Mind Temple in Brooklyn, NY.