In this rich and accessible Dharma talk, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner revisits the pivotal moment in the Platform Sūtra when Daikan Enō, an illiterate laborer, challenges the hierarchy of Zen with a single, luminous question: “Where did you get this dust?” Through the story of Enō’s awakening and the symbolic contest of verses, Sensei explores the subtle trap of self-perfection in practice—and the liberating realization that our true nature needs no polishing. Touching on Zen history, modern psychology, and temple bat-catching, this talk offers both humor and depth while guiding listeners back to the heart of the path: presence, curiosity, and the recognition that awakening is already here.
In this Dharma talk, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner takes us deep into the Platform Sūtra and the legendary verse contest between Jinshū and Daikan Enō. Through vivid storytelling and lived insight, Sensei explores how the desire to “polish the mirror” of the self can subtly undermine our realization of Buddha Nature.
The talk is both grounded and profound, moving from a humorous account of a temple bat rescue to the core question that still echoes through Zen halls today:
“Where did you get this dust?”
The story of Daikan Enō and the Sixth Ancestor transmission
Jinshū’s verse and the trap of self-perfection
Why true Zen practice dissolves form, hierarchy, and ambition
The nature of awakening as already complete
Practice as everyday life: pounding rice, catching bats, being present
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