PZI Teacher Archives

Zen Luminaries

Video March 3, 2023

Zen Luminaries: A Primer for Forgetting with Lewis Hyde

Jon Joseph

Author and essayist Lewis Hyde talks with Jon Joseph about his most recent book, A Primer for Forgetting. To be born is thought of as a forgetting in many cultures around the world. Hyde also explores the creative need for the trickster and unconventional gift economy running parallel to Zen.

42' 10"
Audio February 22, 2023

Zen Luminaries: A Primer for Forgetting with Lewis Hyde

Jon Joseph

Author and essayist Lewis Hyde talks with Jon Joseph about his most recent book, A Primer for Forgetting. To be born is thought of as a forgetting in many cultures around the world. Hyde also explores the creative need for the trickster and unconventional gift economy running parallel to Zen.

80' 38"
Video February 14, 2023

Zen Luminaries: A Flower Twirled – Jon Joseph in Conversation with David Weinstein & Ruben Habito

David Weinstein, Jon Joseph

Zen Luminary Ruben Habito, a former Jesuit priest, studied Zen in Kamakura with Koun Yamada and there met David Weinstein and Jon Joseph. The three reminisce about their zendo time and the warm, welcoming teacher they found in Yamada. January 30, 2023.

90' 31"
Audio February 9, 2023

Zen Luminaries: A Flower Twirled – Jon Joseph in Conversation with David Weinstein & Ruben Habito

David Weinstein, Jon Joseph

Zen Luminary Ruben Habito, a former Jesuit priest, studied Zen in Kamakura with Koun Yamada and there met David Weinstein and Jon Joseph. The three reminisce about their zendo time and the warm, welcoming teacher they found in Yamada. January 30, 2023.

90' 32"
Video January 25, 2023

Zen Luminaries: Wild Mind, Wild Earth with David Hinton

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph talks with poet and Chan/Zen scholar David Hinton about his book, Wild Mind, Wild Earth – Our Place in the Sixth Extinction. Hinton writes that we must rekindle our relationship to nature to avoid extinction, tracing Chan/Zen roots to the paleolithic/indigenous and Daoist concepts of ‘not born,’ or ‘no separation’ with the earth. Includes comments from John Tarrant and Allison Atwill.

87' 53"
Video January 25, 2023

Zen Luminary: Silent Illumination with Chan Scholar GuoGu

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph talks with scholar and Chan Teacher GuoGu about his book, Silent Illumination, on the literary genius of Zen master Hongzhi, whose teaching evolved during the height of 12th century Chan. GuoGu discusses the subtleties and great freedom inherent in Chan, from its flourishing in the Sung Dynasty to the current day.

88' 32"
Audio December 14, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Wild Mind, Wild Earth with David Hinton

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph talks with poet and Chan/Zen scholar David Hinton about his book, Wild Mind, Wild Earth – Our Place in the Sixth Extinction. Hinton writes that we must rekindle our relationship to nature to avoid extinction, tracing Chan/Zen roots to the paleolithic/indigenous and Daoist concepts of ‘not born,’ or ‘no separation’ with the earth. Includes comments from John Tarrant and Allison Atwill.

87' 54"
Audio December 13, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Silent Illumination with Chan Scholar GuoGu

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph talks with scholar and Chan Teacher GuoGu about his book, Silent Illumination, on the literary genius of Zen master Hongzhi, whose teaching evolved during the height of 12th century Chan. GuoGu discusses the subtleties and great freedom inherent in Chan, from its flourishing in the Sung Dynasty to the current day.

88' 33"
Video November 17, 2022

Zen Luminary: Poet Naomi Shihab Nye

Jon Joseph

Poet, teacher and essayist Naomi Shihab Nye, recorded in conversation with Jon Joseph Roshi in June of 2022.

90' 14"
Audio November 2, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Poet & Essayist Jane Hirshfield

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph Roshi converses with poet and essayist Jane Hirshfield on her many volumes of poetry and essays, her worldview, Buddhist practice, and more. With comments & questions from John Tarrant. Complete session from October 24th, 2022.

88' 45"
Video November 2, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Poet & Essayist Jane Hirshfield

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph Roshi converses with poet and essayist Jane Hirshfield on her many volumes of poetry and essays, her worldview, Buddhist practice, and more. With comments & questions from John Tarrant. Complete session from October 24th, 2022.

88' 45"
Video September 27, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Through Forests of Every Color – Joan Sutherland & Jon Joseph in Conversation

Joan Sutherland, Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph Roshi talks with Joan Sutherland about her new book, Through Forest of Every Color, her evolving thoughts on koans, and her breakout work with John Tarrant and others: bringing koan teaching out of the box of dokusan and into a new western practice of conversations in groups. A rich and lively hour-long conversation with questions and insights from Jon Joseph, John Tarrant, and Allison Atwill. Recorded September 26, 2022.

82' 24"
Audio September 27, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Through Forests of Every Color – Joan Sutherland & Jon Joseph in Conversation

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph Roshi talks with Joan Sutherland about her new book, Through Forest of Every Color, her evolving thoughts on koans, and her breakout work with John Tarrant and others: bringing koan teaching out of the box of dokusan and into a new western practice of conversations in groups. A rich and lively hour-long conversation with questions and insights from Jon Joseph, John Tarrant, and Allison Atwill. Recorded September 26, 2022.

82' 25"
Video July 1, 2022

Zen Luminaries: An Intention to Connect – with Naomi Shihab Nye

Jon Joseph

In a Zen Luminaries Series conversation with Jon Joseph, Ms. Nye reads her prose-poem, Gate A4, and recounts a synchronous meeting at an airport gate while waiting on a delayed flight. Recorded June 27, 2022. 7 minutes.

7' 41"
Video June 30, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Having a Big Life – with Naomi Shihab Nye

Jon Joseph

Poet Naomi Shihab Nye remembers childhood noticing and curiosity about the world—a desire, formed early, to have a big life, still drives her. From a Zen Luminaries Series conversation with Jon Joseph, recorded June 27, 2022. 7 minutes.

7' 58"
Video June 6, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Jon Joseph with Morten Schlütter on the Song Dynasty Record of Chan Zen

Jon Joseph

Morten Schlütter recounts the scholarly record of Chan practice and organizations in the Song Dynasty.

13' 50"
Video June 6, 2022
20' 38"
Video May 30, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Scholar Morten Schlütter on Translating Ancient Chinese Koans

Jon Joseph

Zen Luminary Morten Schlutter with Jon Joseph -On Translating Ancient Chinese koans from texts like the Book of Equanimity 2 min

2' 23"
Video May 30, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Morten Schlütter on Women in Chan

Jon Joseph

Zen Luminary Morten Schlutter with Jon Joseph on Japanese Zen vs Chinese Chan; Women Ordained in Chan & Dahui’s teaching style in Chan. 4 min

4' 28"
Video May 27, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Morten Schlutter Chan Scholar & Historian with Jon Joseph: On Hongzhi & Dahui

Jon Joseph

Jon joseph and Morten Schlutter – Koan study in Song Dynasty. Diverse teachings of Dahui & Hongzhi and a bit on their lifelong relationship in the dharma- 4min recorded May 23, 2022

5' 31"
Audio April 29, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Minding the Earth, Mending the World with Zen Writer & Roshi Susan Murphy

Jon Joseph, Susan Murphy

Writer & Roshi Susan Murphy, in conversation with Jon Joseph, reads from her books and talks about her childhood, family, lifelong relationship with the land, the disturbing evidence of climate change in Australia, and her ongoing, warm collaborations with indigenous aboriginal elders. Recorded April 25, 2022. Jordan McConnell sings the vows.

85' 4"
Audio April 4, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Following the Red Thread – Hosho Peter Coyote’s Poetry, Life & Teaching

Jon Joseph

A great meandering conversation bookended with Hosho Peter’s poems and reminiscences: It was in the late 1960s when Peter first met poet Gary Snyder, a meeting that forever changed his life. Emulating Snyder, he began a regular Zen meditation practice, later joining the San Francisco Zen Center. A conversation with Jon Joseph. March 28th, 2022.

114' 4"
Audio March 25, 2022

Zen Luminaries: The Suzuki Roshi Legacy – with Zen Priest & Writer David Chadwick

Jon Joseph

Chadwick studied intensively with Suzuki and received Zen priest ordination from him just before his death in 1971. Chadwick became a practice leader at Tassajara and eventually studied with other Japanese teachers in both the Soto and Rinzai traditions. A lively conversation with Jon Joseph recorded February 28, 2022.

42' 50"
Audio January 27, 2022

Zen Luminaries: Return to Hunger Mountain – with Translator David Hinton

Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph Roshi hosts a conversation with David Hinton, a poet and translator who specializes in Chan literature and poetry. His many books include The Selected Poems of Tu Fu (Du Fu), The Selected Poems of Li Po, and a translation of the I Ching. Hinton’s translations of the great Chan poets have earned acclaim for conveying “the actual texture and density of the originals.” As recorded January 23, 2022.

83' 40"
Audio December 23, 2021

Zen Luminaries: The Heart Sutra with Bill Red Pine Porter

Jon Joseph

Zen Luminaries: Bill Porter (aka Red Pine) joins Jon Joseph Roshi in meditation and conversation on the topics of Heart Sutra, his translation work, and life in Zen. Jordan McConnell sings the Heart Sutra. As recorded December 20, 2021.

74' 49"

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Dharma Theme November 4, 2021

Dharma Theme: Zen Luminaries, A Series of Conversations with Jon Joseph Roshi

Jon Joseph

Modern Zen Luminaries: A series of Zen Buddhist scholars, writers, poets, translators, and practitioners join PZI’s Jon Joseph Roshi for lively discussions online, with a focus on our Chan lineage. Includes all recordings beginning with the series’ launch in September 2021.

811 Words
Audio November 4, 2021

Zen Luminaries: A Conversation with Peter Hershock hosted by Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph

As recorded Monday, November 1st, 2021, as part of a series of conversations with important Zen (Chan) voices: translators, writers, scholars, and practitioners.

78' 6"
Audio October 8, 2021

Zen Luminaries: A Conversation with Buddhist Translator Thomas Kirchner & Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph

Thomas Kirchner has translated, annotated, and edited great works in our Chan lineage, including Entangling Vines: Zen Koans of the Shumon Kattoshu, The Record of Linji, and more. He is a longtime Zen practitioner, was born in the US, and has lived most of his life in Japan. He joins Jon Joseph for a wide-ranging conversation about his life in Zen.

71' 25"