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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 Caodong school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dongshan Liangjie. 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 Caodong 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.
| Title | Speaker | |
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Tassajara Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-00909B Saturday Lecture Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Dharma Transmission, Practice Period, Transmission,... |
Apr 15 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Takubetsu SesshinSerial: BZ-00743 Sesshin Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Priest, Monastic... |
Apr 05 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Tokubetsu Sesshin Priest, New Year, Rinzai, Religion, Ceremony, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Soto Zen... |
Mar 25 1995 |
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Importance of ShikantazaSerial: SF-03104 Description of Tokubetsu Sesshin Ceremony, Lotus Sutra, Priest, Letting Go, Buddha's Birthday, Realization, Soto... |
Mar 19 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Tokubetsu Sesshin Soto Zen, Ceremony, Transmission, Precepts, Instruction, Subject-and-Object,... |
Mar 15 1995 |
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Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Transformative States of ConsciousnessSerial: BZ-00762 Class 7 of 10 Discrimination, Absolute-and-Relative, Soto Zen, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Mar 09 1995 7 Tassajara |
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Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Chiji ShingiSerial: BZ-00758 Class 3 of 10 Fox, Priest, Instruction, Lay, Transmission, Demons, Chanting, Sixth Patriarch, Soto... |
Jan 24 1995 3 Tassajara |
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Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Chiji ShingiSerial: BZ-00756 Class 1 of 10 Priest, Soto Zen, Bell, Monastic Practice, Sixth Patriarch, Precepts, Tassajara Zen... |
Jan 16 1995 1 Tassajara |
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Sunday Lecture Vow, Discrimination, Commitment, Patience, Chanting, Soto Zen, Delusion, confusion,... |
Dec 18 1994 Green Gulch Farm |
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Heart SutraSerial: BZ-00951A Rohatsu Day 5 Heart Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Big Mind, Duality, Soto Zen, Building, Happiness,... |
Dec 08 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #69 Cont.Serial: BZ-00935A And Nyogen Senzaki's Commentary, Sesshin Day 3 BCR-69, Building, Lineage, Bell, Soto Zen, Bowing, confusion, Doubt, Rinzai,... |
Sep 05 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hakuin’s Critique of Soto versus RinzaiSerial: BZ-00943A Sesshin Day 4 Silent Illumination, Mindfulness, Concentration, Practice Period, Offering, Four... |
Jun 11 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: CommentarySerial: BZ-00552 Class 10 of 10 Sixth Patriarch, Culture, Mahayana, Religion, Four Noble Truths, Soto Zen, Lay... |
Mar 31 1994 10 Tassajara |
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Platform Sutra: Monk FaTa; Life and DeathSerial: BZ-00551 Class 9 of 10 Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Happiness, Soto Zen, Karmic Consciousness, Karma,... |
Mar 22 1994 9 Tassajara |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00557 Class 7 of 10 Evil, Big Mind, Discrimination, Buddha Nature, Hindrances, Five Ranks, Nirvana, Soto... |
Mar 04 1994 7 Tassajara |
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Parinirvana Sutra and Suzuki Roshi’s LegacySerial: BZ-00980B Lecture Nirvana Sutra, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Nirvana, Impermanence, Daily Life, Tassajara... |
Feb 12 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan Case 15: Seeing Truth; Ordination and Dharma Transmission—OrdinarinessSerial: BZ-00981B Lecture Ordination, Soto Zen, Culture, Mill Valley, Heart Sutra, Conversation, Bodhisattva... |
Jan 29 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mountain Practice, City Practice; RenunciationSerial: BZ-00959B Leaving for Tassajara, Saturday Lecture Monastic Practice, Daily Life, Renunciation, Cultivation, Soto Zen, Four Noble Truths... |
Jan 08 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Paschal Mystery: Dying as the Way to the Fullness of LifeSerial: NC-00025 Part of "The Paschal Mystery: Dying as a Way to the Fullness of Life" Archival Photo OSB Cam, Funeral, Soto Zen, Daily Life |
1994 1 of 4 New Camaldoli Hermitage |
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Refining Your LifeSerial: BZ-01497A Rohatsu Day 3 Tenzo Kyokun, Bell, Sanctuary, Emotions, Book of Serenity, Soto Zen, Discrimination,... |
Dec 01 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Embrace Selfhood Through Zen Practices Breath, Posture, Soto Zen |
Nov 20 1993 |
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Innumerable People’s Labors who Helped the Spread of Buddhism Throughout HistorySerial: BZ-00656A Lecture Diversity, Religion, Politics, Culture, Priest, Vinaya, Ordination, Bodhidharma, Soto... |
Oct 02 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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You’re OK as You Are: Dogen’s Tenno KyokunSerial: BZ-00655A Lecture Subject-and-Object, Separation, Instruction, Greed, Soto Zen, Hate, Dragons, Silence... |
Aug 07 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Fukan Zazen-gi: Dust and Cataracts are the Flowers of EmptinessSerial: BZ-00654A Lecture Anger, Instruction, Emotions, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Concentration,... |
Jul 24 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Practice and BoredomSerial: BZ-00670A Sesshin Day 5 Zazen, Stillness, Daily Life, Pure Existence, Doubt, Posture, Soto Zen, Separation,... |
Jun 13 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of LightSerial: BZ-00214 Class 3 of 5 Attachment, Passions, Four Noble Truths, Offering, Buddha Nature, Lineage, Don't... |
May 20 1993 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of LightSerial: BZ-00212 Class 1 of 5 Monastic Practice, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Teacher-and-Student, Continuous... |
May 06 1993 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Introduction to BuddhismSerial: BZ-00269 Class 3 of 6 Precepts, Concentration, Mindfulness, Soto Zen, Impermanence, Emotions, Four... |
Mar 25 1993 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Embrace the Present: A Zen Path Soto Zen, Evil, Nirvana |
Mar 02 1993 |
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Zen in Every Moment's Action Soto Zen, Evil, Nirvana |
Mar 02 1993 |
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Women in Japanese Soto ZenSerial: SF-00097 Author reading from her book on the subject. Soto Zen, Monastic Practice, Ordination, Ceremony, Religion, Lay, Emptiness |
Nov 25 1992 |
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Unbinding Compassion Through Zazen Practice Zazen, Evil, Soto Zen |
Nov 21 1992 |
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Zen Landscapes and Mindful Communication Blue Cliff Record, Soto Zen, Mindfulness |
Aug 03 1992 |
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Savoring Simplicity: Embracing Imperfection Ordinary Mind, Soto Zen, Dragons, Don't Know Mind |
Jul 05 1992 |
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Early Zen: DogenSerial: BZ-00605 Class 6 of 6 Lotus Sutra, Silent Illumination, Doubt, Rinzai, Instruction, Six Realms, Buddha... |
Apr 09 1992 6 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tosu Gisei 8th Precept Ego, Lineage, Soto Zen, Dragons, Rinzai |
Apr 03 1992 1 of 2 Tassajara |
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7th Precept Ego, War, Buddha Nature, Soto Zen, Silence |
Apr 02 1992 2 of 2 Tassajara |
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Early Zen: Sixth Patriarch, Sudden and Gradual EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-00603 Class 4 of 6 Platform Sutra, Branching Streams, Four Noble Truths, Perfect Wisdom, Sixth Patriarch... |
Mar 26 1992 4 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Class #8: Repression Soto Zen, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Enemies, Patience |
Mar 21 1992 Tassajara |
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Class #8: Repression Soto Zen, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Enemies, Practice Period |
Mar 21 1992 Tassajara |
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Early Zen: Bodhidharma to the Fifth AncestorSerial: BZ-00602 Class 3 of 6 Bodhidharma, Lineage, Transmission, First Principle, Karma, Book of Serenity, Buddha... |
Mar 19 1992 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00109 Saturday Lecture Soto Zen, Lotus Sutra, Liberation, Ego, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, Duality |
Mar 07 1992 Unknown |
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Hokyo Zammai Class Five Ranks, Emptiness, Sixth Patriarch, Rinzai, Soto Zen, Buddha Nature, Evil,... |
Feb 19 1992 2 |
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Song of the Jewel Mirror SamadhiSerial: BZ-00734 Sesshin Day 7 Absolute-and-Relative, confusion, Five Ranks, Sixth Patriarch, Discrimination,... |
Dec 19 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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Meaning of DokusanSerial: BZ-00707B Relationship to Teacher and Zazen, Rohatsu Day 6 Teacher-and-Student, Dokusan, Zazen, Soto Zen, Teacher-and-Student, Daily Life,... |
Dec 06 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Cultivating Compassion Through Zen Presence Bell, Intention, Soto Zen |
Nov 23 1991 |
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Avatamsaka Sutra: The Ten Stages; Awareness and AcceptanceSerial: BZ-00272 Class 3 of 4 Soto Zen, Concentration, Liberation, Karma, Obstacles, Four Noble Truths, Commitment... |
Nov 21 1991 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tozan's Five RanksSerial: BZ-00626 Class One, Class Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative, Heart Sutra, Lineage, Lay, Beginners, Soto Zen,... |
Nov 13 1991 1 Tassajara Zen Center |
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Tozan's Five RanksSerial: BZ-00625 Lecture Gratitude, Five Ranks, Sixth Patriarch, Absolute-and-Relative, Manjushri, Dharma... |
Oct 19 1991 Tassajara |