Where to look for material and inspiration
Once you’ve chosen your theme, identify the general topics of each of your eight talks so you can start gathering material to serve as grist for the mill as you determine what you’d like to say. Consider what makes the theme compelling to you and what deep questions you yourself have about it. Chances are, your challenge will not be gathering ideas and material but narrowing and focusing what you develop until you can say something meaningful and coherent with a clear beginning, middle and end—and do that in 45 minutes to an hour. As you work on one talk, you may uncover content, questions or ideas for a later one, so be sure to capture and file those items until you need them.
Start with the position and context of your topic within Soto Zen. See what Okumura, Uchiyama and Sawaki Roshis, Dogen and the Buddha have had to say. Check the Sotoshu website, particularly the Library and Glossary sections, for relevant information.
Reread familiar texts that you know have some relevance to your topic. Follow up new sources from footnotes and bibliographies.
Do an internet search for key words related to your topic. Find out who’s writing and speaking about it and track down their magazine and journal articles, recorded talks, blogs, books or other materials.
Look up key non-English terms in Buddhist dictionaries or linguistic sources. See where the words came from and look at their component parts for additional meaning.
Recall stories you’ve heard related to your topic, whether from dharma teachers, family members, TV programs, books or other sources. Make note of any of your own relevant experiences that you can relate.
Make use of any relevant artistic or literary productions that provide alternate gateways into or understandings of your topic. Consider historical and modern poetry, plays, paintings, songs, iconography, sculpture or other items.
Consider how your topic may manifest outside of the Buddhist world, especially if your theme is an intersection of dharma and something (dharma and art, dharma and work, dharma and sports, etc.). Check within those industries or communities for conversations related to your topic, remembering that it may show up in different terms and contexts than you are using.
Ask yourself: What three to five key messages do I want the sangha to take away from this talk? What sub-points do I need to make for each? How will I illustrate these subpoints with examples, stories, etc.? What practical tips does the sangha need to practice with this topic?
Draw your own conclusions. Don’t just give a book report and read a bunch of quotes from others. Anyone can do that. You’re now the dharma teacher. Make connections between ideas, show how historical teachings are relevant today, share your own perceptions about your topic and offer something new.
Start with the position and context of your topic within Soto Zen. See what Okumura, Uchiyama and Sawaki Roshis, Dogen and the Buddha have had to say. Check the Sotoshu website, particularly the Library and Glossary sections, for relevant information.
Reread familiar texts that you know have some relevance to your topic. Follow up new sources from footnotes and bibliographies.
Do an internet search for key words related to your topic. Find out who’s writing and speaking about it and track down their magazine and journal articles, recorded talks, blogs, books or other materials.
Look up key non-English terms in Buddhist dictionaries or linguistic sources. See where the words came from and look at their component parts for additional meaning.
Recall stories you’ve heard related to your topic, whether from dharma teachers, family members, TV programs, books or other sources. Make note of any of your own relevant experiences that you can relate.
Make use of any relevant artistic or literary productions that provide alternate gateways into or understandings of your topic. Consider historical and modern poetry, plays, paintings, songs, iconography, sculpture or other items.
Consider how your topic may manifest outside of the Buddhist world, especially if your theme is an intersection of dharma and something (dharma and art, dharma and work, dharma and sports, etc.). Check within those industries or communities for conversations related to your topic, remembering that it may show up in different terms and contexts than you are using.
Ask yourself: What three to five key messages do I want the sangha to take away from this talk? What sub-points do I need to make for each? How will I illustrate these subpoints with examples, stories, etc.? What practical tips does the sangha need to practice with this topic?
Draw your own conclusions. Don’t just give a book report and read a bunch of quotes from others. Anyone can do that. You’re now the dharma teacher. Make connections between ideas, show how historical teachings are relevant today, share your own perceptions about your topic and offer something new.
