The Mind is Mountains, Rivers, and the Earth

This talk was offered on Day 2 of the Spring Sesshin at the Boulder Zen Center. It takes up a classic koan exchange: “What is the wondrous clear mind?” – “Mountains, rivers, and the earth. The sun, the moon, and stars.” The talk invites practitioners to investigate where the mind is located in their own experience, moving through a progression: from the familiar default of a private chamber behind the eyes, to attention merged with breath traveling through the body, to the senses opening outward until the visual field, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations all become part of a field of mind. The questions “What is the mind?” or “Where is the mind?”, asked in a Buddhist context, are not just philosophical but probe which views of the mind support or hinder liberation. A distinction between the contents and the field of mind is necessary but can lead to subtle forms of dualism. This is countered by the teaching of emptiness, which reveals the mind to be not a static expanse but a dynamic, ungraspable mystery and the self to be a moment-to-moment expression. This is what makes the mind “wondrous."Welcome to Zen Mind! We are excited to announce that the self-paced course, Developing Embodiment, is available! Taught by Zenki Dillo Roshi, this course includes six dharma talks, eighteen practice suggestions, and a free practice meeting with Zenki Roshi. You'll investigate what it means to live fully in and through the body, and how embodiment supports a path of freedom from suffering, wisdom, and compassion. You can learn more and access the course here: https://www.boulderzen.org/developing-embodiment-self-pacedLove the dharma talks and want to hear more? Consider becoming a Premium Podcast subscriber for only $9/month. Dive deeper into the topics through Q&A sessions related to each of the talks. You can even ask questions of your own through the 'Ask Me Anything' platform and gain access to previously unpublished talks from intensives. Learn more here: https://zenmind.supercast.com/If you're enjoying these talks, please subscribe and leave us a rating or review!See all events and join our mailing list at www.boulderzen.org. Email us at [email protected] Christian Dillo Roshi is the the guiding teacher at the Boulder Zen Center in Colorado, USA. This podcast shares the regular dharma talks given at the center. Zenki Roshi approaches Zen practice as a craft of transformation, liberation, wisdom and compassionate action. His interest is to bring Buddhism alive within the Western cultural context, while staying committed to the traditional emphasis on embodiment.