The Zoom link to participate in this event will be provided at least 24 hours before it begins. Please call 415-354-0360 if you have any questions.
Jhana is called the pleasure of renunciation, the pleasure of seclusion, the pleasure of peace, the pleasure of enlightenment. I say of this kind of pleasure that it should be pursued, that it should be developed, that it should be cultivated, that it should not be feared.
—The Buddha, Latukikopama Sutta (MN66)
Join us for a unique cross-tradition conversation between Insight meditation teacher and author Richard Shankman and Zen and Insight meditation teacher Kodo Conlin, as they explore the many expressions of samādhi—the collected, steady heart of Buddhist practice. This dialogue will center around Richard’s groundbreaking book The Experience of Samādhi: An In-Depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation and widen to include fresh perspectives from both teachers’ current practice and teaching.
Published in 2008, The Experience of Samādhi sought to clear up widespread confusion in the Western Buddhist world around the meaning, methods, and goals of concentration practices. Drawing on Pali texts, commentarial literature such as the Visuddhimagga, and contemporary interpretations, Richard laid out diverse approaches without prescribing a singular path—opening the door for a more nuanced understanding of meditative depth and clarity.
In conversation with Kodo Conlin, who has trained deeply in both Zen and Theravāda traditions, this event will reflect on the many forms samādhi can take—from the jhānas of early Buddhism to the subtle samādhis expressed in Dōgen’s teachings and Soto Zen’s approach to zazen. The discussion will touch on:
- Meanings and misunderstandings of jhāna/dhyāna across traditions
- The role of effort, surrender, and embodiment in entering samādhi
- How practitioners can discern wholesome concentration from confusion
- What samādhi may look like in everyday life
- How to relate to the diversity of meditative approaches without fear or rigidity
Whether you’re new to practice, coming from Zen, Insight, or another tradition, this dialogue will offer an illuminating perspective on one of the core aspects of the Buddhist path—explored with warmth, clarity, and curiosity.
A participant Q+A session is included in the event.
Praise for The Experience of Samādhi
A balanced, intelligent, and indispensable guide to the range of Buddhist teachings on samādhi. Written by an accomplished meditator.
—Gil Fronsdal, author and translator, The Dhammapada
Recordings:
All course sessions will be recorded, and registered participants will receive temporary access to the recordings for later viewing.
- Sustaining Level: $56
- Member (Become an SFZC Member): $50
- Sliding Scale 1: $37
- Sliding Scale 2: $14
Or call 415-354-0360.