Dharma Discourse by Konrad Ryushin Marchaj, Sensei

In practice, challenges are nothing but opportunities to help us see something about ourselves we were previously blind to. Working with a teacher can help us move through these obstacles, but ultimately, the only one who can realize complete freedom is each one of us.

The koan in this talk is “Pao Fu’s Summit of the Mystic Peak,” case 23 of the Blue Cliff Record. This discourse was given at Zen Mountain Monastery on February 26th, 2011.