Meeting Life Without Knowing: WPP2025 (Part 7)

In this zazenkai day talk during the Winter Practice Period, Senseis Kozan and Kodo explore and clarify the meaning of “not knowing” through Case 171 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo, also known as “Not Knowing is Most Intimate.” Through the encounter between two Zen masters, Dizang and Fayan, we learn how true intimacy with life emerges when we release our attachment to knowing and certainty. The talk examines how our constant seeking and accumulation of knowledge can actually distance us from direct experience, while the humble admission “I don’t know” can open us to life’s immediacy. Drawing from Dogen’s teachings and classical Zen wisdom, we are encouraged to see how “not knowing” isn’t about ignorance, but rather about meeting each moment, each breath, and each encounter with fresh eyes and an open heart. This practice of “not knowing” becomes a gateway to genuine intimacy with life as it is. To access the resources page for this program, please sign up by clicking here.