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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. It is an essentially contested concept. 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 practice 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 vast majority of remaining religions 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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Crafting Tradition: Personalizing Buddhist Practice Religion, Ordination, Chanting, Balance, Beginners, Lay, Community, Realization, Pain... |
Jul 25 1970 |
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Observation of Precepts and Practice of Zazen is Same ThingSerial: SF-06049 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 Sesshin, Precepts, Precepts, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Faith, Ceremony, Ordination, Lay,... |
Aug 01 1970 City Center |
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Priest Ordination Ceremony: Paul Discoe and Reb AndersonSerial: SR-00069A Reprocessed version may allow for clarification of transcript. Priest, Ceremony, Precepts, Don't Know Mind, Delusion, Greed, Interview,... |
Aug 09 1970 City Center |
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Embracing the Absolute Self Discrimination, Religion, Patience, Enthusiasm, Chanting, difficulty, Suffering,... |
Aug 18 1970 |
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Consecration Over Proclamation: Redefining Priesthood Priest, Religion, Ego |
Aug 19 1970 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Zazen Harmony Through Emptiness Posture, Hate, Bowing, Mahayana, Ceremony, Religion, Realization, Pain |
Sep 15 1970 |
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Roots of Zen: Unraveling Delusions Birth-and-Death, Vow, Silence, Fasting, Anger, Lay, Community, Delusion, Religion,... |
Sep 27 1970 |
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Living Zen: Embodying Dharma Principles Transmission, Meditation, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Hindrances, Samadhi,... |
Dec 1970 |
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Leaping Beyond Self: Zen Awakening Concentration, Teacher-and-Student, Pain, confusion, Vow, Evil, Monastic Practice,... |
Dec 05 1970 |
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Embodying Enlightenment Through Daily Vows confusion, Vow, Sanctuary, Consciousness, Mahayana, causation, Beginners, Silence,... |
Dec 11 1970 |
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Enlightenment: A Journey Beyond Attainment Discrimination, Pain, Beginners, Buddha Nature, Religion, Interdependence, Lineage,... |
1971 |
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Transcending Duality Through Continuous Practice Discrimination, Liberation, Religion, Building |
Mar 23 1971 |
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Finding Completeness in Each Step Religion |
Mar 27 1971 |
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Rooting Zen: Beyond Ego Illusions Happiness, Consciousness, Don't Know Mind, Buddha Nature, Delusion, Bell,... |
Apr 05 1971 |
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Medieval Instability: Seeds of Renewal War, Peace, Religion |
Apr 19 1971 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Sewing SesshinSerial: SR-00122 Sunday, June 20, 1971 Sesshin, Okesa, Dogen, Attachment, New Year, Freedom, Bodhidharma, Lay, Concentration... |
Jun 20 1971 City Center |
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Interconnected Enlightenment: A Universal Awakening Precepts, Perfect Wisdom, Religion, Demons, Offering, Interview, American |
Jun 20 1971 |
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Transiency and Tranquility Through Mindfulness Constancy, Ego, Evil, Posture, Nirvana, Religion, Hate, Building |
Jul 02 1971 |
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Bridging Wisdom: Buddhism Meets Christianity Monastic Practice, Lotus Sutra, Instruction, Culture, Ceremony, American, Mahayana,... |
Jul 06 1971 |
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Why Then Is It Necessary To Accept PreceptsPrecepts, Precepts, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Religion, Observe, Priest, Zazen,... |
Jul 17 1971 City Center |
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Echoes of Zen: Finding Inner Stillness Consciousness, Passions, Religion, Bell, Ego, Discrimination, confusion, Attachment,... |
Jul 24 1971 |
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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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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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Embracing Reality: Beyond Speculation Birth-and-Death, Consciousness, difficulty, Building, Culture, Religion, American... |
Oct 1971 |
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Transcending Ego: Path to Enlightenment Precepts, Four Noble Truths, Observe, Pain, Mindfulness, Greed, Patience, Anger,... |
Oct 03 1971 |
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Embracing Momentary Zen Impermanence Birth-and-Death, Subject-and-Object, Liberation, Religion, Happiness, Community,... |
Feb 1972 |
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Mind's Maze: Unraveling Zen Reality Attachment, Posture, Anger, Religion |
Feb 04 1972 |
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Living Spirituality Beyond BoundariesSerial: MS-00379B Talk at Watson Homestead Religion, Happiness, Commitment |
Mar 1972 Watson Homestead |
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Silent Paths to Spiritual EnlightenmentSerial: MS-00378 Talk at Watson Homestead Silence, Religion, Politics |
Mar 04 1972 Watson Homestead |
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Timeless Essence of Zen Practice Conversation, Soto Zen, Religion, Constancy, Building, Funeral, Fox, Chanting, Bell... |
Apr 1972 |
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Flowing Through Life and Death Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Greed, Liberation, Community, Religion, Realization,... |
Apr 1972 |
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Shaping Life's Transformative Journey Enemies, Religion, American |
Oct 1972 |
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Sailing Life's Zen Waters Three Treasures, Realization, Religion, Hate, Anger, confusion |
Oct 08 1972 |
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Pathways to Enlightenment: A Zen Journey Teacher-and-Student, Subject-and-Object, Discrimination, Realization, confusion,... |
Oct 23 1972 |
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Emptiness and Enlightenment Unveiled Discrimination, Ego, Religion, Liberation, Hate, Duality, Building, Patience,... |
Oct 31 1972 |
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Unity Beyond Dualistic PerceptionSerial: MS-00417 Zen: The Root of Being (Part 1) Religion, Subject-and-Object, Silence |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Universal Pathways in Christ's NameSerial: MS-00418 Commitment to the Spirit, Convergence of Religions (Part 2) Religion, Consciousness, Concentration |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Beyond Illusion: Experiencing Divine RealitySerial: MS-00426 Unity in Contemplation (Part 2) Evil, Religion, Silence |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Embracing Interconnected Spiritual PathsSerial: MS-00427 Everyday Contemplation, Concluding Observations Religion, Evil, Consciousness |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Guiding Light of Compassionate WisdomSerial: MS-00431 Role of the Guru in Ahimsa Training American, Happiness, Religion |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Harmonizing Through Sacred VibrationsSerial: MS-00434 Mantra Prayer (Part 1) Silence, Religion, Samadhi |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Sufi Mysticism: Path to Divine UnitySerial: MS-00437 Sufism in the Dialogue Between Religions Consciousness, Religion, Samadhi |
1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |
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Sex, Spirit, and the SacredSerial: SF-03044 Commercially produced tape: MEA Box 303 Sausalito CA 94965 P. 1973 Love, Time, Religion |
1973 Unknown |
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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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The Monastic TraditionSerial: SF-00132 Monastic experience across religious traditions. Silence, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Religion, Bell, Anger... |
Feb 26 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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Beyond Belief: Unveiling Hidden TruthsSerial: 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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Pathways to Spiritual EnlightenmentSerial: SF-00125 The third great religious awakening in America. Emptiness, Religion, Manjushri, Interview, Conversation, Karma |
Jul 18 1973 2 |
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Spiritual Synergy Across Borders Religion, Continuous Practice, American |
Dec 05 1973 Mount Saviour Monastery |