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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Lay Practice in Malaysia: Mindfulness and Loving KindnessSerial: BZ-00655B Lecture Monastic Practice, Precepts, Religion, American, Emotions, Mindfulness, Daily Life,... |
Aug 14 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Spiritual Life is Not Separate from the MundaneSerial: BZ-00668B Saturday Lecture Emptiness, Happiness, Mundane Life, Greed, Teacher-and-Student, Religion,... |
Jul 18 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Chaos Theory, Hierarchy TheorySerial: BZ-01515B Lecture Mill Valley, Observe, Culture, Mindfulness, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center,... |
Jul 03 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1993.06.30-serial.00282 Blue Cliff Record, Sutra, Sesshin, Offering, Religion |
Jun 30 1993 |
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1993.05.14-serial.00114 Thich Nhat Hanh, Practice Period, Don't Know Mind, Greed, Religion |
May 14 1993 |
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Prajapati and the Ordination of Women: Respecting the Life of the UnbornSerial: BZ-00285B Women's Sitting Priest, Ordination, Happiness, Precepts, Culture, Religion, War, Lay |
Mar 21 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Introduction to BuddhismSerial: BZ-00263 Class 1 of 6 Four Noble Truths, Culture, Nirvana, Religion, Karma, Enthusiasm, Anger, Hindrances,... |
Mar 11 1993 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Shakyamuni BuddhaSerial: BZ-00645B Lecture Concentration, Nirvana, Culture, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Beginners, Posture,... |
Dec 12 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00645A Rohatsu Day 7 resistance, Doubt, stubbornness, Duality, Fundraising, Harmonizing, Obstacles,... |
Dec 06 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Women in Japanese Soto ZenSerial: SF-00097 Author reading from her book on the subject. Soto Zen, training, Monastic Practice, Ordination, Ceremony, Religion, Lay, Emptiness... |
Nov 25 1992 |
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The ParamitasSerial: BZ-00639A One day sitting Happiness, Right Effort, Offering, Enthusiasm, Mindfulness, Patience, Heart Sutra,... |
Oct 03 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Path of Purification: The Dynamic, Not Static Nature of Virtue in BuddhamindSerial: BZ-00637B Lecture Buddha Mind, Religion, Politics, Non-violence, Doubt, Concentration, American, Peace... |
Sep 12 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Family, Friends, and PracticeSerial: BZ-00636A Sesshin Day 1 Family Practice, Mundane Life, Family Practice, Daily Life, American, Anger,... |
Sep 05 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Genjokoan: Manifesting Larger Being Through Small BeingSerial: BZ-00635A Lecture Subject-and-Object, Big Mind, Absolute-and-Relative, Duality, Religion, Impermanence... |
Aug 22 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #45: Who Is that Other?Serial: BZ-00711B Buddha and Maitreya Are Servants to Another, Saturday Lecture Buddha, Maitreya, MM-45, Ego, Anger, Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative, Bodhisattva... |
Jun 13 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #19Serial: BZ-00711A Ordinary Mind Is the Way, Saturday Lecture Ordinary Mind, MM-19, Ordinary Mind, Doubt, confusion, Religion, Hate, Culture,... |
Jun 07 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00713B Sesshin Day 2 American, Monastic Practice, Demons, Culture, Silence, Lineage, Religion |
May 18 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00686A Women's Sitting Posture, Right Effort, Culture, Lineage, training, Beginners, Vow, Religion |
Mar 01 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Is Buddhism a Religion? Yes, NoSerial: BZ-00684A Saturday Lecture Religion, Buddhism, Religion, Subject-and-Object, Pure Existence, Discrimination, zen... |
Jan 25 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Introduction to Buddhism: Three Treasures; Tripitaka, 4 Noble Truths, 8-fold PathSerial: BZ-00281 Clas 2 of 5 Four Noble Truths, Impermanence, Heart Sutra, Lay, Sangha, Karma, Buddha Mind,... |
Jan 23 1992 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Introduction to Buddhism: Personal HistorySerial: BZ-00282 Class 1 of 5 Four Noble Truths, Lay, Renunciation, Religion, Lineage, Fasting, Dependent... |
Jan 16 1992 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Personal History, Trappist Monkdom, Hospice CenterSerial: BZ-00683A Lecture training, Religion, New Year, War, Chanting, Priest, Forgiveness, Demons, Commitment... |
Jan 11 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Images of FireSerial: SF-01848 Commercially Produced cassette: Sounds True, PO Box 8010, Boulder CO 80306 Faith, Passions, Silence, Religion |
1992 Unknown |
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Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi, Tozan's Five RanksSerial: BZ-00732 Sesshin Day 4 Concentration, Religion, Absolute-and-Relative, Doubt, Mindfulness, Transmission,... |
Dec 16 1991 |
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Transmission of Light Eka, Bodhidharma, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Ancestors, Soto Zen, Greed, Birth-and-... |
Dec 14 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00693B Rohatsu Day 7 Religion, Ordinary Mind, Discrimination, Duality, Don't Know Mind, Greed,... |
Dec 07 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Wonderful Ramblings on Zen in AmericaSerial: BZ-00703B Lecture American, Building, Heart Sutra, Interview, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Posture,... |
Nov 09 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Talk to Tokubetsu SesshinSerial: BZ-00624 Sesshin Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Building, Gratitude, confusion,... |
Oct 13 1991 |
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World Peace and HealthSerial: SF-04064 Copyright California Diamond Sangha Right Speech, Mahayana, Attachment, Right Effort, Zazen, Daily Life, Vow, training,... |
Aug 21 1991 Unknown |
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NaturalnessSerial: BZ-00970B Lecture true dharma, Religion, Composure, resistance, Heart Sutra, Concentration, Daily Life... |
Jul 19 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Suffering and IntentionSerial: BZ-00968A Sesshin Day 5 Suffering, Intention, Emotions, Karma, Don't Know Mind, Religion, Lay, Tassajara... |
Jun 30 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dogen’s “Zenki”: Undivided ActivitySerial: BZ-00276 Class 2 of 3 Birth-and-Death, Subject-and-Object, Interview, Duality, Religion, War, Emotions,... |
Jun 06 1991 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dogen’s “Zenki”: Undivided ActivitySerial: BZ-00277 Class 1 of 3 Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Thoroughness, Religion, Separation, Obstacles, Lay,... |
May 23 1991 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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World Peace Through Compassion and Non-Violence Non-violence, Peace, Religion, Happiness, Freedom, Politics, Hate, Patience, Greed,... |
Apr 09 1991 |
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Shuso LectureSerial: SF-00949 #shuso-talk Equanimity, Six Realms, Peace, Balance, Delusion, Happiness, Emotions, Zazen,... |
Mar 27 1991 Unknown |
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All Being and Our Sense of SelfSerial: BZ-00691A Sesshin Day 1 Birth-and-Death, Impermanence, Buddha Nature, Ego, Platform Sutra, Priest, Religion,... |
Mar 16 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Fundamentalism, Prayer, Orthodoxy: Science and ReligionSerial: BZ-00690A Lecture Hate, Religion, First Principle, Evil, Doubt, Samsara, Mahayana, Politics,... |
Mar 02 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Appreciating the Different Religions of the WorldSerial: BZ-00699B Saturday Lecture Religion, Religion, Separation, New Year, Subject-and-Object, Tassajara Zen Mountain... |
Dec 22 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-00698B Enlightenment, Rohatsu Day 7 Enlightenment, Religion, Peace, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Diversity, Hindrances, Lay... |
Dec 08 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-00697B Rohatsu Day 5 Transmission, Birth-and-Death, Separation, Dragons, Hindrances, Religion, Peace,... |
Dec 06 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Still Looking for HomeSerial: BZ-00695B Saturday Lecture Religion, Bell, Building, Karma, Enthusiasm, Fox, Politics, Interview, Bowing,... |
Nov 17 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Heart SutraSerial: BZ-00494A Lecture Heart Sutra, Chanting, Doubt, Hindrances, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Posture,... |
Oct 13 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Three Worlds: Living Forward with Courage and BuddhanatureSerial: BZ-00492A Lecture Buddha Nature, Building, Aspects of Practice, Separation, Culture, Fox, Rinzai, Soto... |
Sep 15 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Vinaya: Rules of OrderSerial: BZ-00504 Saturday Lecture Vinaya, Precepts, Zazen Mind, Vinaya, Non-violence, Sangha, Priest, Hindrances,... |
Jun 02 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Triple TreasureSerial: BZ-00499 Saturday Lecture Three Treasures, Three Treasures, Sangha, Big Mind, Teacher-and-Student, Buddha... |
Feb 03 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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January 27th, 1990, Serial No. 00089 Building, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Bodhisattva Vow, Religion, Priest |
Jan 27 1990 |
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1990.01.27-serial.00071 Religion, zen meditation, Demons, Liberation, Lovingkindness |
Jan 27 1990 |
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January 10th, 1990, Serial No. 00065 Passions, Consciousness, Religion |
Jan 10 1990 Mt. Saviour Monastery |
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1990.MM.DD-serial.00075 Way-Seeking Mind, realization, Thich Nhat Hanh, Religion |
1990 |
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January 1990 talk, Serial No. 00298, Side A Evil, Freedom, Religion |
Jan 1990 Mt. Saviour Monastery |