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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Be Completely Who You AreSerial: SF-02709B Rohatsu Sesshin Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Happiness, Anger, Emotions, Zazen, Ceremony |
Dec 05 1996 Unknown |
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Willingness To Be With Our Difficulties Hate, Four Noble Truths, Suzuki Roshi, Right Speech, Conversation, resistance,... |
Dec 28 1996 Unknown |
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January 15th, 1997, Serial No. 02685 Priest, Intimacy, Tassajara, Heart Sutra, Zendo, Emotions, Zazen, Ceremony,... |
Jan 15 1997 Unknown |
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Recollections of Early Zen Priest, Rinzai, Peace, Ceremony, New Year, Mahayana, Zazen, Diversity, Funeral,... |
Feb 08 1997 3 of 3 Green Gulch Farm |
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1997.03.15-serial.00101 Hindrances, Heart Sutra, Mahayana, Zazen, Letting Go, Vimalakirti, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Mar 15 1997 |
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1997.04.26-serial.00059 Four Noble Truths, Subject-and-Object, Ego, Non-duality, Duality, Zazen, Religion,... |
Apr 26 1997 |
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Genjo Koan workshopSerial: SF-03185 To carry yourself forward and experience myriad things is delusion, that myriad...' Delusion itself is the agency of my enlightenment; totally enter delusion and embrace it and... Delusion, realization, Precepts, Emotions, Subject-and-Object, Monastic Practice,... |
Jun 14 1997 Green Gulch |
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What Is Our Practice? Zazen InstructionSerial: BZ-00313B Sesshin Day 1 Zazen, Instruction, Practice, Silent Illumination, Posture, Big Mind, Samadhi,... |
Jun 18 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sunday Lecture Delusion, Letting Go, Zendo, Bodhisattva Vow, Freedom, realization, Ego, Don't... |
Jun 22 1997 Green Gulch |
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Jukai: How Do You Manifest The Precepts In Your Life? Precepts, Daily Life, Triple Treasure, Repentance, Zazen, Ceremony, Sangha, Buddha... |
Jun 25 1997 Unknown |
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Sesshin Lecture Harmonizing, Obstacles, Zazen, Bodhidharma, Ego, Posture, Bell, Zendo, realization... |
Aug 11 1997 Green Gulch |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03240 Date on box 10-19-97, date on cassette 10-12-97, not corrected Commitment, Priest, Zazen, Peace, Observe, Concentration, Passions, confusion,... |
Oct 12 1997 Green Gulch |
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Majjhima Nikaya ClassSerial: SF-03195 Middle-length Discourses Attachment, Addiction, Mindfulness, confusion, Four Noble Truths, Emptiness, Zazen,... |
Oct 14 1997 Green Gulch |
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Chao Chou's Four GatesSerial: SF-03239 Sunday Lecture: case 9 of the Blue Cliff Record: "What is Chao Chou?" "East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate" Practice Period, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Blue Cliff Record, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 19 1997 Green Gulch |
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Saturday Lecture Two Truths, Attachment, Non-attachment, Separation, Tassajara, Dana, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 25 1997 City Center |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Zazen, Bodhisattva Vow, Lay, Letting Go, training, Diversity, Nirvana, Posture,... |
Oct 25 1997 Green Gulch |
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Turning Toward The DarkSerial: SF-03641 Sesshin Lecture: The activity is below the ground - the re-enactment of Buddha's enlightenment story Birth-and-Death, Posture, resistance, Dragons, Book of Serenity, Monastic Practice,... |
Dec 01 1997 Green Gulch |
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1998.MM.DD-serial.00137B Posture, Desire, Bowing, confusion, Zazen, Balance, Doubt, Religion, Gratitude,... |
1998 |
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Buddhism at Millennium's Edge - Seminar 2Serial: SF-03053 Copyright 1998 by Peter Matthiessen - Unedited Preview Cassette Describe, Interview, Suzuki Roshi, Evil, Heart Sutra, Hate, Liberation, Bell, Zazen,... |
1998 Unknown |
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Saturday Lecture Bodhidharma, Emotions, Instruction, Daily Life, Concentration, Letting Go, Lay,... |
Feb 28 1998 City Center |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02724 Monday Letting Go, Vows, Separation, Repentance, Soto Zen, Zazen, Manjushri, Practice Period... |
Mar 23 1998 Unknown |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02727 Wednesday Posture, Subject-and-Object, Vows, Instruction, Zendo, Zazen, Chanting, Observe,... |
Mar 25 1998 Unknown |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02728 Thursday Emptiness, Zazen, uchiyama, Letting Go, Anger, Suzuki Roshi, Instruction |
Mar 26 1998 Unknown |
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Sunday Lecture Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Ceremony, Lineage, resistance, Zazen, Bodhisattva Way... |
May 09 1998 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Posture, Precepts, Samsara, Ceremony, Zendo, Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, Freedom,... |
May 16 1998 Green Gulch |
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May 30th, 1998, Serial No. 01820Serial: SF-01820 Gil (Intro) Suzuki Roshi, Tassajara, Conversation, Zazen, Cultivation, Bowing, Chanting,... |
May 30 1998 Sati Center |
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May 30th, 1998, Serial No. 01819Serial: SF-01819 Gil Fronsdal Introduction to both speakers Suzuki Roshi, Priest, Dragons, Silence, Funeral, Lineage, Tassajara, Zazen,... |
May 30 1998 Sati Center |
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May 31st, 1998, Serial No. 03551 Suzuki Roshi, Zazen |
May 31 1998 Sati Center |
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May 31st, 1998, Serial No. 01784Serial: SF-01784 Statements by Students (Part 2 of 2) and Blanche Hartman Suzuki Roshi, Lineage, Lay Ordination, Zazen, Dharma Transmission, Bodhisattva Vow,... |
May 31 1998 Sati Center |
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Saying Yes! training, Soto Zen, Silent Illumination, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Dharma Transmission,... |
Jul 06 1998 |
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Cultivating Good Habits Foundation of SittingSerial: BZ-00356A Saturday Lecture Zazen, Posture, Discrimination, Hindrances, Silent Illumination, Buddha Nature,... |
Aug 15 1998 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Events in the WorldSerial: SF-03134 Sunday Lecture Anger, Hate, Peace, Passions, Greed, Samsara, Funeral, Cultivation, Don't Know... |
Oct 18 1998 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Religion, Priest, Buddha Mind, Vows, Precepts, Zazen, Chanting, Hate, Freedom, soto... |
Nov 22 1998 Green Gulch |
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Rohatsu Teacher-and-Student, Rumi, Bell, Intimacy, Gratitude, Instruction, Zendo, Emotions,... |
Dec 01 1998 City Center |
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To Consider Our Practice CarefullySerial: SF-00954 Sunday Lecture Light-and-Darkness, Darkness and Light, Monastic Practice, Letting Go, Practice... |
Dec 20 1998 Green Gulch |
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About FormsSerial: SF-01038 Wednesday Lecture #shuso-talk Zendo, Tassajara, Bowing, Hate, Suzuki Roshi, Priest, Zazen, Enthusiasm, Continuous,... |
Feb 03 1999 City Center |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03137 Sunday Lecture - first Sunday of practice period Suzuki Roshi, Impermanence, Commitment, Vows, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Faith... |
Feb 21 1999 Green Gulch |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03111 Sunday Lecture - Questions and Answers - duplicate Suzuki Roshi, Impermanence, Commitment, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Faith, Zazen... |
Feb 21 1999 Green Gulch |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03243 Sunday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Posture, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Feb 28 1999 Green Gulch |
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Eight Characteristics of Suzuki Roshi's TeachingSerial: SF-03110 Sunday Lecture - Discussion - duplicate Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Posture, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Feb 28 1999 Green Gulch |
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Father's DaySerial: SF-03233 Sunday Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Suzuki Roshi, Samsara, Intimacy, confusion, Daily Life, Giving-... |
Jun 20 1999 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Faith, Buddha Nature, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Ceremony, Non-duality, Equanimity, Six... |
Jul 17 1999 Green Gulch |
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December 7th, 1999, Serial No. 03951 Letting Go, Emptiness, Zazen, Mindfulness, Karma, Faith, soto, Chanting, Lineage,... |
Dec 07 1999 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Ceremony, Instruction, Letting Go, Practice Period, Delusion, Zazen, Family Practice... |
Feb 20 2000 Green Gulch |
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Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03517 Monday Class Hsin Hsin Ming, Buddha Nature, confusion, Platform Sutra, realization, Bodhisattva... |
Feb 28 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Letting Go, Ceremony, Freedom, Zazen, Bodhidharma, Interview, Mindfulness, Silence,... |
Mar 05 2000 Green Gulch |
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Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03656 Monday Class Posture, Zazen, Monastic Practice, realization, true dharma, Lineage, confusion, Don... |
Mar 13 2000 Green Gulch |
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Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03655 Monday Class Posture, Monkey Mind, Suzuki Roshi, true dharma, Zazen, Branching Streams,... |
Mar 20 2000 Green Gulch |
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Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03654 Monday Class Zazen, Instruction, Soto Zen, Posture, realization, Dragons, Lineage, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Mar 27 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Zazen, Monkey Mind, Chanting, Tassajara, uchiyama,... |
Apr 10 2000 Green Gulch |