When Effort Becomes Ego — Ungan Sweeps the Ground (Book of Equanimity 21) | Zen Teaching скачать в хорошем качестве

When Effort Becomes Ego — Ungan Sweeps the Ground (Book of Equanimity 21) | Zen Teaching

When does spiritual effort quietly become ego? In this Zen koan teaching, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Ungan Sweeps the Ground (Book of Equanimity, Case 21), where a simple act of sweeping becomes a doorway into one of the most subtle traps in meditation practice: the split between activity and commentary. When Dogo says, “You’re hard at it,” and asks whether there is a “second moon,” the koan exposes how quickly effort turns into self-conscious striving — and how identity forms even around spiritual practice. This talk examines: • The difference between immersion and evaluation • How meditation becomes performance • Why effort can quietly become ego • What non-dual activity actually means in lived practice Through this classic case from the Shōyōroku (Book of Equanimity), Sensei Brunner points beyond explanation toward direct, embodied practice. — Practice with One River Zen One River Zen is a Soto Zen community based in Ottawa, Illinois. In addition to in-person practice, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner works directly with committed students online through structured Zen training, including meditation guidance and koan study. If you are practicing at a distance and looking for sustained, serious engagement rather than casual inspiration, you can learn more here: https://oneriverzen.org — Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner is the founding teacher of One River Zen, offering Soto Zen meditation, koan study, and Dharma teachings grounded in everyday life. #ZenKoan #MeditationPractice #SotoZen #BookOfEquanimity #ZenTeaching #NonDuality #AwakeningStreams