35 episodes
Endless Path Zendo | Roshi Rafe Martin Roshi Rafe Martin
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- Religion & Spirituality
Endless Path Zendo, is a lay Zen Buddhist community. Intimate and non-institutional in atmosphere, we are dedicated to realizing the Buddha Way in the midst of our own ordinary lives, finding our center of gravity in the creativity of Zen, and the Way of the Bodhisattva.
Zen teacher (roshi) Rafe Jnan Martin began traditional Zen practice in 1970, becoming a personal disciple of Roshi Philip Kapleau, author of The Three Pillars of Zen. After Kapleau Roshi’s retirement, he practiced with Robert Aitken Roshi, founder of the Diamond Sangha, then from 2002-2016 worked intensively with Danan Henry Roshi, founding teacher of the Zen Center of Denver and a Kapleau Roshi Dharma Heir as well as a Diamond Sangha Dharma Master.
Rafe received full lay ordination in 2009, and in 2012 received inka—recognition of his successful completion of the Diamond Sangha/ Harada-Yasutani koan curriculum, along with authorization to begin teaching. In 2016 he received full Dharma Transmission as an independent Zen teacher.
An award-winning author and storyteller whose work has been cited in Time, Newsweek, The NY Times, and USA Today, Rafe has a master’s degree in English literature and literary criticism and is a recipient of both national and state awards, including the Empire State Award for the body of his work. His writing has appeared in Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, Parabola, The Sun, and Inquiring Mind, among other journals of religion and myth. He has given talks at Zen and Dharma Centers around the US and Canada, as well as such venues as the American Museum of Natural History, Zuni Pueblo, and The Joseph Campbell Festival of Myth and Story.
His most recent books are A Zen Life of Buddha (Sumeru 2022), The Brave Little Parrot (Wisdom Publications, 2023) and A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas (Sumeru, 2023).
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Which is the True Chi'en
Recorded on April 27, 2024
This talk, given by Roshi Rafe Jnan Martin, explores case 35 of the Gateless Barrier: “Which is the True Ch’ien?” This wonderfully creative koan uses a T’ang era ghost tale of a young woman divided from herself, to help us uncover our own real Self today. It’s the old old story of Identity — the essential quest of myth and folklore worldwide — recast as a koan with the power to help us live more fully. [This case is sometimes also known as “Sei and Her Soul Are Separated.”}
Books cited:
The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan), Translated and with a Commentary by Robert Aitken The Record of Transmission of Light (Denkoroku), Master Keizan JōkinComplete Poison Blossoms from a Thicket of Thorn: The Zen Records of Hakuin Zenji, Translated by Norman WaddellThe Snow Leopard, Peter MatthiessenOriginal Painting — “Moon Among the Clouds” by Rafe Martin
Books by Roshi Rafe Martin Talks on YouTube More information at endlesspathzen.org -
A Buffalo Passes Through the Window
Recorded on April 20, 2024.
This talk, given by Roshi Rafe Jnan Martin, explores case 38 from the Gateless Barrier - "Wu-tsu's Buffalo Passes Through the Window." A most interesting koan!
In the case, a buffalo's massive head, horns, shoulders, legs and hooves all pass easily through the latticed window. So, why can't the tiny tail pass through? Impossible! Crazy! -- and yet -- it's a wonderful koan in which the Buddha's most profound wisdom meets the lively wisdom of fairy tales. Zen Master Hakuin called this a nanto koan, meaning that he felt that it was one of the eight most difficult koan cases. Is it? See what you think.
Referenced:
The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan), Translated and with a Commentary by Robert Aitken The Story of Zen, by Rick McDanielThe Complete Grimm's Fairy TalesPhoto credit: Buffalo/Ox, by Rafe Martin
Books by Roshi Rafe Martin Talks on YouTube More information at endlesspathzen.org -
The Buddha's Birth -- What does it mean for us today?
Recorded April 13, 2024.
Roshi Rafe Jnan Martin explores the meaning of the Buddha's birth, which took place roughly 2600 years ago. A birth that is so remarkable prompts us to ask: Where did someone come from who was able to so quickly give up all wealth and privilege, and by devoting himself fully to the great anguish of our common human condition, realize a way of helping all beings? What does his effort and insight mean for us today?
Roshi Martin reads from his recently published book -- "A Zen Life of Buddha" (Sumeru Books, 2023).
Referenced:
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the RingsThomas Traherne, Centuries Poems and Thanksgivings. Vol. 1: Introduction and CenturiesPhoto credit: Buddha Birth Altar at Endless Path Zendo by Rose Martin
Books by Roshi Rafe Martin Talks on YouTube More information at endlesspathzen.org -
A Teisho for Spring: Ch'ang Sha's Stroll
Recorded March 30, 2024.
Roshi Rafe Jnan Martin shares Case 36 from The Blue Cliff Record "Ch'ang Sha Wandering in the Mountains."
With Ch’ang Sha’s spring time stroll in the hills we discover (and clarify) that ongoing Zen practice means a full life, not isolation. The Buddha got up from under the Bodhi Tree. The point of Zen — if we can speak in such terms — is not to stay forever seated in zazen facing a wall, but to live fully, maturing with family, careers, relationships, interests, ups and downs, sickness and health, activism, citizenship, music and art all as the Way. Ch’ang Sha shows how it goes. Hsueh t’ou, compiler of The Blue Cliff Record, says, “I’m grateful for that answer.” As are we!
Additional works cited —
The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan), Translated and with a Commentary by Robert Aitken - Case 25 Yang-shan's Sermon from the Third SeatWallace Stevens, “The Snow Man”William Blake - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Keizan Jokin, DenkorokuThe Odyssey, Robert Fitzgerald, trans.Basho — in Haiku “Spring” R.H. BlythPhoto credit: Highland Falls, by Rafe Martin
Books by Roshi Rafe Martin Talks on YouTube More information at endlesspathzen.org -
Te-Shan Carries His Bowls
Recorded March 23, 2024.
Roshi Rafe Martin completes his exploration of the Zen pilgrimage of Te-shan and the things he carried as he matures from youthful firebrand into refined and mature teacher. In this teisho, Te-shan is carrying his bowls to the noon-day meal. Is he early? Is the meal late? What is "the last word"? Does he have it or doesn't he? Does anyone? And how about us -- what is the last word? Can we say?
Selected references:
The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan), Translated and with a Commentary by Robert Aitken - Case 28 "Lung-t'an (Ryutan) Blows Out a Candle" (also titled "Lung-t'an Renowned Near and Far")The Blue Cliff Record, Translated by Thomas Cleary and J.C. Cleary - Case 4 "Te-shan Carries His Bundle" The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan), Translated and with a Commentary by Robert Aitken - Case 13 "Te-shan: Bowls in Hand"Dogs, Trees, Beards and Other Wonders: Meditations on the Forty-eight Cases of the Wumenguan by Ken Tetsuzan MorgareidgePhoto credit: Standing Buddha/Seated Buddha, by Rafe Martin
Books by Roshi Rafe Martin Talks on YouTube More information at endlesspathzen.org -
Te-shan Carries His Bundle
Recorded on March 17, 2024.
In this second teisho on the trilogy of Te-shan koans, Roshi Martin looks at Case 4 of the Blue Cliff Record: “Te-shan Carries His Bundle.” In the previous teisho Te-shan set down the backpack of brilliant commentaries on the Diamond Sutra he’d been lugging around. Here he carries his bundle of monk’s gear and, post-satori, seems hardly to know what to do with it.
Selected references:
The Blue Cliff Record, Translated by Thomas Cleary and J.C. Cleary - Case 4 "Te-shan Carries His Bundle"The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment by Roshi Philip KapleauOriginal Chan Teachings of Buddhism Selected from The Transmission of the Lamp, Translated with Introductions by Chan Chung-YuanPhoto credit: Wooden Buddha in the shrine room at Endless Path Zendo, Rafe Martin
Books by Roshi Rafe Martin Talks on YouTube More information at endlesspathzen.org