Summary: Episode Descripton: In this Zazenkai Dharma Talk, Shinzan offers an introduction to the most fundamental teaching of The Buddha, The Four Noble Truths. However, do not think that this talk is only for beginners. In explaining The Four Noble Truths, Shinzan covers quite the breadth of Buddhist teaching such as The Three Marks of Existence, Three Levels of Understanding, Nibbana, The Noble Eightfold Path, Four Fundamentals of Mindfulness and the precepts. Shinzan opens with some suggestions for the Zazenkai participants to help their practice and avoid discouragement: "don't worry," "make a vow with yourself," and "inspire each other." He then continues on to explain that The Four Noble Truths are meant to be practiced. According to Stephen Batchelor they are best described as the The Four Noble Tasks. Not a static set of rules, but tasks that we have to perform in our daily lives. The first task is to understand, accept or embrace dukkha. Dukkha is commonly translated as suffering, but according to Buddha, dukkha is birth, death, aging, sorrow, lamentation, distress, despair, the desire for what we don't have, the fear to lose what we do have. Which leads us to the Second Noble Truth, the origin of dukkha. Why do we suffer? Shinzan explains that The Three Marks of Existence are at the core of this truth: impermanence, no-self and dukkha. The Second Noble Task is all about letting go. Letting go of our delusional view of permanence and self. Which in turn guides us to the Third Noble Truth: that there is a cessation to dukkha, a way to stop. And that the way to cease suffering is found in practicing The Noble Eightfold Path which is the Fourth Noble Truth. This Eightfold Path is comprised of Right View, Right Intention, Right Action, etc. As opposed to using the term right, Shinzan prefers saying complete or whole which are closer to the meaning of the original Pali word, sammā. Stephen Batchelor likes the term appropriate, which implies that what is "right" is not an absolute moralistic perspective, but changes based on the circumstances and conditions. Shinzan then describes the Eightfold Path in detail, explaining that it can be divided into three parts. Ethics comprised of appropriate action, appropriate speech and appropriate livelihood. Mental training composed of appropriate effort, appropriate mindfulness and appropriate concentration. Wisdom which is appropriate view and appropriate intention. Bio: Shinzan Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He met his former teacher, Korean Master Samu Sunim, in Mexico City and trained under his guidance for 8 years. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada and was ordained as a novice priest by Samu Sunim in 2004. After leaving Canada, he was invited by Roshi Joan Halifax to come to Upaya in 2006. Shinzan asked Roshi to be her student and he was re-ordained as a Priest in 2007 by Roshi Joan Halifax. Since then, he has been at Upaya practicing with the community. He is now Head Priest and Temple Coordinator, giving guidance to the residents on Zen training. He became Dharma holder in March, 2010. He has a sincere and strong heart committed to the Dharma.
