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2022-04-12 Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha (Richard von Sturmer)

In this Dharma talk given at the Auckland Zen Centre, Richard von Sturmer explores how Zen masters approach death and how their dying can act as their final teaching. Richard's title refers to the famous exchange between Master Mazu and his attendant, recorded in the Blue Cliff Record:

Blue Cliff Record, Case 3

Great Master Ma was unwell. The temple superintendent asked him, “Teacher, how has your venerable health been in recent days?”

The Great Master said, “Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha.”

Automated transcript

https://otter.ai/u/dLq33lJrz09DGO_OCI6BP4KCCWc

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About the Podcast

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Talks by Sensei Richard von Sturmer
Sensei Richard co-founded the Auckland Zen Centre along with Roshi Amala Wrightson. He has given many Dharma talks at the Centre, and some of them are collected here. Richard is also a writer and poet.

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Roshi Amala Wrightson

Roshi Amala Wrightson is the full-time teacher at the Auckland Zen Centre. Amala-roshi began her Zen training at the Rochester Zen Center in 1989, shortly after completing an M.A. in Italian at Auckland University, and was ordained as a priest there in 1999. In late 2003, upon completion of formal koan training under Roshi Kjolhede, Amala-roshi returned to resettle in New Zealand. She and her husband, Sensei Richard von Sturmer, co-founded the Auckland Zen Centre in 2004. The Centre offers regular sittings, talks, zen meditation workshops, retreats (sesshin) and opportunities to engage in compassionate action. All Roshi's talks are shared in our "AZC Weekly Talks" podcast.