Zazen Talks
Zazen is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition.
The generalized Japanese term for meditation is 瞑想 (meisō); however, zazen has been used informally to include all forms of seated Buddhist meditation. The term zuòchán can be found in early Chinese Buddhist sources, such as the Dhyāna sutras. For example, the famous translator Kumārajīva (344–413) translated a work termed Zuòchán sān mēi jīng (A Manual on the Samādhi of Sitting Meditation) and the Chinese Tiantai master Zhiyi (538–597 CE) wrote some very influential works on sitting meditation.
The meaning and method of zazen varies from school to school, but in general it is a quiet type of Buddhist meditation done in a sitting posture like the lotus position. The practice can be done with various methods, such as following the breath (anapanasati), mentally repeating a phrase (which could be a koan, a mantra, a huatou or nianfo) and a kind of open monitoring in which one is aware of whatever comes to our attention (sometimes called shikantaza or silent illumination). Repeating a huatou, a short meditation phrase, is a common method in Chinese Chan and Korean Seon. Meanwhile, nianfo, the practice of silently reciting the Buddha Amitabha's name, is common in the traditions influenced by Pure Land practice, and was also taught by Chan masters like Zongmi.
In the Japanese Buddhist Rinzai school, zazen is usually combined with the study of koans. The Japanese Sōtō school makes less or no use of koans, preferring an approach known as shikantaza where the mind has no object at all.
Title | Speaker | |
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Calmness of MindSerial: SR-00151 Sesshin Lecture No. 2 Practice is to expose yourself as you are, express yourself fully. Accepting your teacher's words.... Sesshin, Zazen, Breath, Community, Emptiness, Priest, Pain, Community, heart, Hate,... |
Jun 07 1971 City Center |
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Freedom from EverythingSerial: SR-00150 Sesshin Lecture, Day 5 Sesshin, Happiness, Demons, Precepts, Perfect Wisdom, Attachment, New Year, zen,... |
Jun 09 1971 City Center |
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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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Why Then Is It Necessary To Accept PreceptsPrecepts, Precepts, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, training, Religion, Observe, Priest,... |
Jul 17 1971 City Center |
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Universal Practice for Laymen and MonksSerial: SR-00175 Whatever you do is practice; be careful not to practice for the sake of the self. Zazen as a way to find realization and get used to realization. Whether priest or layperson,... Practice, Zazen, Bodhisattva, Dogen, Sixth Patriarch, Buddha Mind, Faith, Truth,... |
Jul 25 1971 Tassajara |
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The Self Ego, realization, Transmission, Echo, Sangha, Nirvana, Delusion, Zazen, Doubt,... |
May 17 1980 City Center |
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Breathing Concentration, Subject-and-Object, Posture, Mindfulness, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen,... |
Jul 1980 Unknown |
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Ideal versus Actual PracticeSerial: BZ-00022A Rohatsu Day 6 Zazen, Effort, Chanting, Emotions, Building, Anger, Observe, Conversation, Religion,... |
Dec 1981 Part 2 of 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Participating CompletelySerial: BZ-00019B Posture, Breath, Body, Mind, Zazen, Kinhin, Eating, One-Day Sitting Zazen, Kinhin, Oryoki, Schedule, Posture, Harmonizing, Fox, Concentration,... |
Jan 16 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #17Serial: BZ-00029B "Sitting Long and Getting Tired", Sesshin Day 5 BCR-17
Composure, Zazen, Koan, First Principle, Ordinary Mind, Samadhi, Composure,... |
May 23 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1982.09.DD-serial.00107 Daily Life, causation, Intimacy, Liberation, Don't Know Mind, Meditation,... |
Sep 1982 |
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1982.09.18-serial.00109 Birth-and-Death, Daily Life, Zazen, Gratitude, Oneness, zen, Happiness, Culture... |
Sep 18 1982 |
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Posture and Breathing in ZazenSerial: BZ-00400A Saturday Lecture Zazen, Posture, Harmonizing, Concentration, Instruction |
Jul 16 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Breathing and Posture in ZazenSerial: BZ-00402B One-Day Sitting Zazen, Posture, Repentance, Patience, Oneness, Concentration, Bell, Karma |
Sep 17 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Wanting to Sit/Should SitSerial: BZ-00434A Sesshin Day 1 Zazen, Daily Life, Posture, Concentration, Separation, Lay |
May 19 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mind in ZazenSerial: BZ-00405A Rohatsu Ordinary Mind, Buddha Mind, Zazen, Building, Sixth Patriarch, Concentration, Enemies... |
Dec 03 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Breathing in ZazenSerial: BZ-00405B Rohatsu Zazen, Breath, Zazen Mind, confusion, Discrimination, Big Mind, Birth-and-Death,... |
Dec 04 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Introductory Sesshin: Zazen QuestionsSerial: BZ-00409B Carrying the Stick, Beginners' Sitting Zazen, Posture, Concentration, Kyosaku, Birth-and-Death, Describe, Anger, Harmonizing... |
Feb 09 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sitting Sesshin as a BeginnerSerial: BZ-00425B Sesshin Day 1 Sesshin, Zazen, Peace, Intuition, Hate, Posture, Anger, Silence, Concentration, Bell... |
Mar 16 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zazen and ShikantazaSerial: BZ-00415B Saturday Lecture Zazen, Shikantaza, zen meditation, Instruction, Posture, Concentration, Building,... |
Jun 15 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sutra Study: The Meaning of Zazen and KinhinSerial: BZ-00413B Saturday Lecture Zazen, Kinhin, Lotus Sutra, Posture, Daily Life, Sixth Patriarch, Mindfulness, Bell,... |
Aug 10 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Free Sitting vs. Forty Minute Periods: Dogen's WaySerial: BZ-00411A Saturday Lecture Zazen, Dogen, Daily Life, Lay Practice, training, Bell, Practice Period, Beginners,... |
Sep 01 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Fundamentals of ZazenSerial: BZ-00885A Saturday Lecture Zazen, Posture, Instruction, Beginners, Dream World, Commitment, Enemies,... |
Feb 07 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1987.05.03-serial.00031Mantra, Buddha Nature, Lotus Sutra, Soto Zen, Zazen, Bowing, soto, Chanting, Posture... |
May 03 1987 Green Gulch Farm |
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Sunday Lecture Mindfulness, Daily Life, Posture, Half-Smile, Non-violence, Cultivation, Precepts,... |
May 24 1987 SFZC |
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Sunday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Impermanence, Daily Life, Oneness, resistance, Nirvana, Tassajara,... |
Sep 27 1987 Green Gulch |
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April 9th, 1988, Serial No. 01068 Posture, Anger, Emptiness, Discrimination, Mindfulness, Liberation, Instruction,... |
Apr 09 1988 SFZC |
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Contemplative Prayer in the Modern WorldSerial: NC-00266 Contemplative Prayer in the Modern World Emptiness, Breath, Don't Know Mind, Zazen |
May 28 1988 1 of 3 San Luis Obispo |
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1989.05.18-serial.00054 Renunciation, Zazen Mind, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Concentration, Suzuki Roshi, Ceremony... |
May 18 1989 Tassajara |
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Sunday Lecture Mill Valley, Blue Cliff Record, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Liberation, Harmonizing, Zendo... |
Jul 09 1989 Green Gulch |
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Mumonkan Case #25 Mahayana, realization, Samadhi, Blue Cliff Record, Rinzai, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Oct 03 1989 Unknown |
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June 23rd, 1990, Serial No. 01074 Right Effort, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Letting Go, realization, Separation, Bowing,... |
Jun 23 1990 Unknown |
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Gratitude and GenerositySerial: SF-03928 Sunday Lecture Gratitude, Obstacles, Hindrances, Daily Life, Offering, Zazen, Continuous, Posture,... |
Oct 26 1990 Green Gulch |
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Shuso Way-Seeking Mind TalkSerial: SF-01077 #shuso-talk Zendo, Suzuki Roshi, Bell, Tassajara, zen meditation, Zazen, Conversation, Practice... |
Feb 20 1991 Unknown |
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1991.03.02-serial.00150 Fundraising, Offering, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Mindfulness, Lineage, Tassajara, Describe... |
Mar 02 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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Form and Inanimate Objects Teaching the DharmaSerial: SF-00947 Sesshin Day 2 #shuso-talk Ceremony, Bowing, Ordination, Bell, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, soto, Concentration, Lineage... |
Apr 11 1991 Unknown |
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Fundamentals and Practicality of ZazenSerial: BZ-00700B One-Day Sitting Zazen, Harmonizing, Posture, Buddha Nature, Peace, resistance, confusion, Instruction... |
Apr 21 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan Case 10Serial: SF-00046 Seizei lonely and destitute. Enthusiasm, Priest, Sanctuary, Sangha, Buddha Nature, Faith, soto, Balance, Zazen... |
Apr 28 1991 Green Gulch Farm |
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Mindfulness Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Concentration, Bodhisattva Vow, Zazen, Impermanence,... |
Jun 15 1991 City Center |
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World Peace and HealthSerial: SF-04063 Copyright California Diamond Sangha: "2 tape set $12.00" Peace, realization, Ego, Intimacy, zen meditation, Sangha, Zazen, Soto Zen, Precepts... |
Aug 21 1991 Unknown |
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World Peace and HealthSerial: SF-04064 Copyright California Diamond Sangha Right Speech, Mahayana, Attachment, Right Effort, Zazen, Daily Life, Vows, training,... |
Aug 21 1991 Unknown |
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Why Do We Do Zazen?Serial: BZ-00714B Just Say "Yes!", Sesshin Day 3 Zazen, Offering, Birth-and-Death, Ego, Ordinary Mind, Fox, Doubt, Priest, Demons,... |
Sep 02 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1991.09.18-serial.00092 Practice Period, Zendo, Suzuki Roshi, Intimacy, Posture, Aspects of Practice, Zazen,... |
Sep 18 1991 |
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Saturday Lecture Precepts, Tassajara, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Ceremony, Zendo, confusion, Zazen... |
Sep 21 1991 Unknown |
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1991.10.19-serial.00093 true dharma, Sangha, Gratitude, Zazen, Letting Go, Vows, Anger, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 19 1991 |
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Patience, Posture, and PracticeSerial: BZ-00693A Rohatsu Day 5 Posture, Zazen, Patience, Buddha Nature, Instruction, Non-duality, Silence, Building... |
Dec 05 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, Aspects of... |
Dec 06 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zazen InstructionSerial: BZ-00682B Instruction Zazen, Instruction, Priest, Bowing, Posture, Passions, Concentration, Anger,... |
Jan 09 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Continuous ZazenSerial: BZ-00684B Saturday Lecture Zazen, Priest, Daily Life, Mindfulness, Intimacy, Instruction, Liberation, Equanimity... |
Feb 01 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |