Al Kaszniak: Fall Practice Period 2023: Dharma Talk With Al Kaszniak

Sensei Al discusses the essence of Zen practice as ‘unsurpassable simplicity’. Emphasizing the importance of letting go of fixed interpretations, the speaker explores Shitou’s poem, “Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage.” The poem describes the simple life in a grass hut, highlighting the impermanence of all things and the practice of being at ease with constant change. Sensei Al encourages listeners to engage in Zazen to practice the non-separate nature of reality. The speaker draws attention to the challenge of truly understanding impermanence beyond intellectual knowledge, using anecdotes and stories to convey the profound and liberating aspects of Shitou’s teachings. The talk concludes with a reminder of the interconnectedness of all beings and a wish for the benefit of suffering beings.