In this talk, Sensei Michael Brunner works with Case 41 from the Blue Cliff Record, where Joshu asks: “When one who has experienced the great death comes back to life, then what?” The reply—“It is not permitted to go at night”—opens the gate to a teaching on vulnerability, presence, and the courage to meet life without pretense.
This episode explores:
The “great death” as the dropping away of the constructed self
Why patching the old narrative keeps us bound
Dōgen’s teaching: “When you encounter hardships, think of them as the body of the Buddha”
The silence that follows suffering—not as absence, but as vast, integrated presence
The difference between surviving and being reborn
Through koan, story, and lived truth, this talk invites us to reenter the world not edited, not hidden—but awake and unafraid in the daylight.
🪷 Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast
Teachings and reflections with Sensei Michael Brunner (Sōen) of One River Zen Center, 121 E Prospect St, Ottawa IL 61350.
🌐 Learn more & join practice: https://www.oneriverzen.org
🎧 Listen to more episodes: Awakening Streams Podcast
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