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Soto Zen Talks

Sōtō Zen or the Sōtō school (曹洞宗, Sōtō-shū) is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngshān Liángjiè. It emphasizes Shikantaza, meditation with no objects, anchors, or content. The meditator strives to be aware of the stream of thoughts, allowing them to arise and pass away without interference.
The Japanese brand of the sect was imported in the 13th century by Dōgen Zenji, who studied Cáodòng Buddhism (Chinese: 曹洞宗; pinyin: Cáodòng Zōng) abroad in China. Dōgen is remembered today as the ancestor of Sōtō Zen in Japan along with Keizan Jōkin.
With about 14,000 temples, Sōtō is one of the largest Japanese Buddhist organizations. Sōtō Zen is now also popular in the West, and in 1996 priests of the Sōtō Zen tradition formed the Soto Zen Buddhist Association based in North America.
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Not Sitting versus Non-Sitting: A Radical Allowing of StillnessSerial: BZ-01362 Saturday Lecture Posture, Bell, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Ego, Soto Zen, Instruction, Equanimity... |
Oct 18 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Religion: A Necessary EvilSerial: BZ-01355 Sesshin Day 3 Religion, Evil, Religion, Fox, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Evil, Intuition, Soto Zen, Lotus... |
Sep 01 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Rituals of Collective Enlightenment Sanctuary, Heart Sutra, Zazen, Soto Zen |
Aug 19 2003 |
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World Loved By Moonlight (Poem): Issues of the Heart Ego, Separation, Heart Sutra, Emotions, Attachment, Soto Zen, Passions, Uchiyama,... |
Jun 22 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Chanting Beyond Words: Embracing Emptiness Soto Zen, japanese, Pain |
Jun 2003 |
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Book of Serenity, Case #21: Yun-Yen Sweeps the Ground, One Thing at a TimeSerial: BZ-00136B Lecture Practice Period, Hate, Book of Serenity, Soto Zen, Vow, Culture, Mindfulness,... |
May 24 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Introduction to Zen: KoansSerial: BZ-00296 Class 3 of 4 Book of Serenity, Silent Illumination, Posture, Practice Period, Rinzai, Dragons,... |
Apr 24 2003 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Beyond Thoughts: Embracing Zen Awareness Zazen, Dragons, Buddha Ancestors, Soto Zen |
Apr 12 2003 |
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Seeing Beyond: Non-Thinking and Awareness Zazen, Dragons, Soto Zen, Lay |
Apr 12 2003 |
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Sitting Buddha: Unveiling Emptiness Insight confusion, Soto Zen, Separation |
Apr 10 2003 |
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Grasping Emptiness Through Conventional Designation confusion, cognitive process, Soto Zen |
Apr 10 2003 |
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2003.01.22-GGF Breath, Soto Zen, Dependent Origination, War, Mindfulness |
Jan 22 2003 |
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2003.01.22-GGF Breath, Soto Zen, Dependent Origination, War, Mindfulness |
Jan 22 2003 |
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2003.01.21-GGF Addiction, Non-thinking, Soto Zen, Lotus Sutra |
Jan 21 2003 |
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2003.01.21-GGF Addiction, Non-thinking, Soto Zen, Lotus Sutra |
Jan 21 2003 |
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Rengetsu and Women Zen Masters New Year, Priest, War, Lineage, Zoom, Soto Zen, Lotus Sutra, Discrimination |
Jan 04 2003 Lecture Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sogen Shaku Scroll and Zen and WarSerial: BZ-00176 Rohatsu Day 6 War, War, Emotions, Priest, Soto Zen, Rinzai, Religion, American, Ego, Bodhidharma... |
Dec 07 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Trip to JapanSerial: BZ-00210B Saturday Lecture Japan, Bell, Soto Zen, American, Heart Sutra, Chanting, Practice Period, Ordination,... |
Sep 28 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2002.08.20-Sesshin 2 Soto Zen, Jewel Mirror Samadhi, Daily Life, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Nature... |
Aug 20 2002 |
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Readings from “Windbell” the BookSerial: BZ-00154B Lecture Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Dragons, Big Mind, Hate, American, Instruction, Soto... |
Jul 20 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Master Hongzhi's Practice InstructionsSerial: BZ-00153B Saturday Lecture Hongzhi, Practice, Birth-and-Death, Darkness-and-Light, Light-and-Darkness, Buddha... |
Jul 13 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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How to Draw Sound From the BellSerial: BZ-00152A Sesshin Day 5 Bell, Bell, Precepts, Soto Zen, Chanting, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Doubt, Lay,... |
Jun 23 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 16th, 2002, Serial No. 01010, Side A Soto Zen, Composure, Daily Life, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Offering, Emotions,... |
May 16 2002 |
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ComplainingSerial: BZ-00145A Women's Sitting Death-and-Dying, Liberation, Vow, Anger, Hate, Rinzai, Enemies, Soto Zen |
Apr 20 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Harmonizing Breath, Body, Mind and FeelingSerial: BZ-00142A Sesshin Day 3 Posture, Zazen, Ordinary Mind, Composure, Harmonizing, Attachment, Soto Zen, Nirvana... |
Mar 17 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Balancing Tradition and Personal Awakening Soto Zen, Posture, Rinzai |
Mar 09 2002 |
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Zazen: It’s Good For Nothing, Thief in an Empty RoomSerial: BZ-00062B Lecture Uchiyama, Peace, Blue Cliff Record, Zazen Mind, Book of Serenity, Soto Zen, Dragons,... |
Feb 09 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Unstained Presence in Zen Practice Soto Zen, Shikantaza, Bell |
Jan 28 2002 |
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FormsSerial: BZ-00095A One Day Sitting Precepts, Repentance, Soto Zen, Observe, Lay Ordination, Birth-and-Death, Fasting,... |
Nov 18 2001 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dogen and Plum BlossomsSerial: BZ-00094A Saturday Lecture Dogen, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Dragons, Priest-and-Lay, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Nov 03 2001 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Aspects of Practice: Suzuki RoshiSerial: BZ-00477 Class 1 of 4 War, Bell, Priest, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Precepts, Posture, Branching... |
Oct 04 2001 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dogen's ZazengiSerial: BZ-00086A Ego and Consciousness, Saturday Lecture Zazengi, Consciousness, Ego, Four Noble Truths, Discrimination, Ego, Concentration,... |
Aug 18 2001 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Being Life: Beyond Success and Duality Suzuki Roshi, Soto Zen, Buddha |
Aug 18 2001 City Center |
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Solitude and Fulfillment in Zen Insight Soto Zen, Five Ranks, Emptiness, Nirvana, Renunciation, Oneness, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Jan 03 2001 |
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Tozan and Aspects of Self Practice Period, Giving-and-Taking, Four Noble Truths, Liberation, Soto Zen, Building... |
Nov 25 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tenzo Kyokun Class Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Don't Know Mind, Mindfulness, Realization, Mill... |
Nov 07 2000 Green Gulch Farm |
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Genjo KoanSerial: SF-00117 Workshop Karma, Five Ranks, Soto Zen, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Politics, Nirvana,... |
Nov 04 2000 1 of 4 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Big Mind, Six Realms, Ceremony, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Ancestors, Soto... |
Oct 29 2000 Green Gulch Farm |
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Tenzo Kyokun Class Practice Period, Instruction, Soto Zen, Suzuki Roshi, Big Mind, Monastic Practice,... |
Oct 24 2000 Green Gulch Farm |
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Unified Path: Zen's Precept Practice Precepts, Lotus Sutra, Soto Zen |
Oct 22 2000 |
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Sunday Lecture Fox, causation, Karma, Nirvana, Soto Zen, Funeral, Heart Sutra, Emptiness, Ceremony,... |
Sep 10 2000 Green Gulch Farm |
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Sunday Lecture Monastic Practice, Zazen, Religion, Commitment, Big Mind, Buddha Ancestors, Soto Zen... |
Aug 20 2000 Green Gulch Farm |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00085B Unity in Diversity, Diversity in Unity, Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Subject-and-Object, Diversity, Bell, Oneness, Precepts,... |
Aug 19 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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From the Beginning, No Surprises, No Lack Instruction, Beginners, Commitment, War, Rinzai, Heart Sutra, Posture, Bodhidharma,... |
Aug 12 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dogen's Shingi, Head GardenerSerial: BZ-00060B Saturday Lecture Shingi, Lay Practice, Cultivation, Soto Zen, Teacher-and-Student, Lay, Daily Life,... |
Aug 05 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Women Ancestors ClassSerial: BZ-00852 Class 3 of 4 Silent Illumination, Lineage, Interview, Soto Zen, Attachment, Chanting, Obstacles,... |
Jul 20 2000 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Evolving Buddhism for Modern Lives Emotions, Delusion, Soto Zen, Greed, Precepts |
Jul 05 2000 Tassajara |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00159 Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Oneness, Branching... |
May 27 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zen Granny Rinzai, Concentration, Heart Sutra, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Buddha Nature,... |
May 20 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Embracing Vulnerability Through Interdependence Soto Zen, Love, Time |
May 14 2000 |