Religion Talks
Religion is a range of social-cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements—although there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine, sacredness, faith, and a supernatural being or beings.
The origin of religious belief is an open question, with possible explanations including awareness of individual death, a sense of community, and dreams. Religions have sacred histories, narratives, and mythologies, preserved in oral traditions, sacred texts, symbols, and holy places, that may attempt to explain the origin of life, the universe, and other phenomena.
Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, matrimonial and funerary services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, or public service.
There are an estimated 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, though nearly all of them have regionally based, relatively small followings. Four religions—Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—account for over 77% of the world's population, and 92% of the world either follows one of those four religions or identifies as nonreligious, meaning that the remaining 9,000+ faiths account for only 8% of the population combined. The religiously unaffiliated demographic includes those who do not identify with any particular religion, atheists, and agnostics, although many in the demographic still have various religious beliefs.
Many world religions are also organized religions, most definitively including the Abrahamic religions Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, while others are arguably less so, in particular folk religions, indigenous religions, and some Eastern religions. A portion of the world's population are members of new religious movements. Scholars have indicated that global religiosity may be increasing due to religious countries having generally higher birth rates.
The study of religion comprises a wide variety of academic disciplines, including theology, philosophy of religion, comparative religion, and social scientific studies. Theories of religion offer various explanations for its origins and workings, including the ontological foundations of religious being and belief.
Title | Speaker | |
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August 26th, 1977, Serial No. 00094 realization, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Religion, lecture, Vinaya, Intention... |
Aug 26 1977 |
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On Kechimyaku, Inka and RobesSerial: SF-00028 Interviewed by Kazuaki Tanahashi; brief history of studies in Rinzai dojo; nature of being a roshi. Hate, Dana, Religion, Intuition, Lineage, Evil, Happiness, Freedom, Doubt |
Jan 09 1977 |
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August 4th, 1976, Serial No. 00087 Passions, training, Religion, Pain |
Aug 04 1976 |
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September 5th, 1975, Serial No. 00072 Interdependence, Teacher-and-Student, Religion, Attachment, Interview, American... |
Sep 05 1975 |
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1973.07.18-serial.00124Serial: SF-00124 Differences between exoteric and esoteric religious traditions. Religion, Evil, Suzuki Roshi, Subject-and-Object, Intuition, Nirvana, Separation,... |
Jul 18 1973 1 |
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1973.07.18-serial.00125Serial: SF-00125 The third great religious awakening in America. Emptiness, Religion, Manjushri, Interview, Conversation, Karma |
Jul 18 1973 2 |
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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00023 The Three Bodies of Buddha; comparison between Eastern and Western thought; Greek tradition and Puritan tradition. Faith, Mahayana, confusion, Religion, Passions, Doubt |
Mar 09 1973 1 |
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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00024 The problems with celibacy Current Events, Politics, Fasting, Demons, Obstacles, Patience, Attachment, Religion... |
Mar 09 1973 2 |
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The Monastic TraditionSerial: SF-00132 Monastic experience across religious traditions. Silence, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Echo, Religion, Bell,... |
Feb 26 1973 2 |
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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00022 Myths and legends in religious traditions; natural and supernatural language. Attachment, Heart Sutra, Religion, Emptiness, Buddha Nature, Transmission, Enemies,... |
Feb 22 1973 |
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October 31st, 1972, Serial No. 00344 Discrimination, Ego, Religion, Liberation, Hate, Duality, Building, Patience,... |
Oct 31 1972 |
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October 23rd, 1972, Serial No. 00346 Teacher-and-Student, Subject-and-Object, Discrimination, realization, confusion,... |
Oct 23 1972 |
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October 8th, 1972, Serial No. 00338 Triple Treasure, realization, Religion, Hate, Anger, confusion |
Oct 08 1972 |
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October 1972 talk, Serial No. 00339 Enemies, Religion, American |
Oct 1972 |
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February 1972 talk, Serial No. 00189 Conversation, Soto Zen, Religion, Constancy, Building, Funeral, Fox, soto, Chanting,... |
Apr 1972 |
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April 1972 talk, Serial No. 00240 Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Greed, Liberation, Community, Religion, realization, lecture... |
Apr 1972 |
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Allen Ginsberg and MusiciansSerial: SF-00105 Musical event. Attachment, Instruction, Obstacles, Offering, Vows, Anger, Religion |
Feb 22 1972 1 City Center |
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February 4th, 1972, Serial No. 00193 Attachment, Posture, Anger, Describe, Religion |
Feb 04 1972 |
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February 1972 talk, Serial No. 00185 Birth-and-Death, Subject-and-Object, Liberation, Religion, Happiness, Community,... |
Feb 1972 |
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October 3rd, 1971, Serial No. 00061 Precepts, stubbornness, Four Noble Truths, Observe, Pain, Mindfulness, Greed,... |
Oct 03 1971 |
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October 1971 talk, Serial No. 00310 Birth-and-Death, Consciousness, difficulty, Building, Culture, Religion, American... |
Oct 1971 |
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Wherever You Are, We Have Zen Way Of PracticeDogen, Shobogenzo, Genjokoan, Suffering, Pain, Don't Know Mind, Happiness,... |
Aug 21 1971 City Center |
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Blue Cliff Records 61 - Fuketsu's One Particle Of DustBlue Cliff Record, Breath, Constancy, Freedom, Faith, Diversity, Greed, Religion,... |
Jul 26 1971 Tassajara |
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July 24th, 1971, Serial No. 00262 Consciousness, Passions, Religion, Bell, lecture, Ego, Discrimination, confusion,... |
Jul 24 1971 |
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Why Then Is It Necessary To Accept PreceptsPrecepts, Precepts, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, training, Religion, Observe, Priest,... |
Jul 17 1971 City Center |