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 | |
---|---|---|
Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03549 Dining Room Class Lotus Sutra, Ceremony, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Zazen, Practice Period... |
Nov 03 2004 Tassajara |
|
Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01098 #shuso-talk Book of Serenity, Diversity, Practice Period, Happiness, Tassajara, Ordination, Karma... |
Nov 10 2004 Green Gulch |
|
Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01900 #shuso-talk Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Bodhisattva Way, Practice Period, Buddha Mind... |
Dec 01 2004 Tassajara |
|
The Art of Zen: True ConcentrationSerial: SF-03666 Sesshin 1 Day 1 Concentration, Freedom, resistance, Zazen, Big Mind, Harmonizing, Duality,... |
Jan 25 2005 Tassajara |
|
February 19th, 2005, Serial No. 01010 Suzuki Roshi, practicing generosity, Commitment, Practice Period, Koan, Letting Go,... |
Feb 19 2005 Unknown |
|
Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-01929 Sesshin 2 Day 4 Karma, Funeral, Tassajara, Global Warming, Practice Period, Echo, Chanting, Bell, Don... |
Feb 23 2005 Tassajara |
|
2005.03.13-serial.00177 Heart Sutra, lecture, Describe, Impermanence, Politics, Funeral, Zazen, Samadhi, Vows... |
Mar 13 2005 |
|
Sitting ZazenSerial: BZ-00596 Sesshin Day 1 Zazen, Posture, Concentration, resistance, Building, Patience, Instruction |
Mar 23 2005 |
|
Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-01931 Sesshin 3 Day 7 Practice Period, Tassajara, Freedom, Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Zendo, Faith... |
Mar 29 2005 Tassajara |
|
May 28th, 2005, Serial No. 01115 Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Karma, Monastic Practice... |
May 28 2005 Unknown |
|
Sesshin: Tips on Serving, Eating, Kinhin, ZazenSerial: BZ-01329 Sesshin Day 1 Sesshin, Oryoki, Kinhin, Zazen, Instruction, Bell, Posture, Passions, Concentration,... |
Jun 22 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Zazen TipsSerial: BZ-01330 Dealing with Pain and Sitting in a Chair, Sesshin Day 2 Zazen, Pain, Posture, Discrimination, resistance, Don't Know Mind, Judgement,... |
Jun 23 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Dining Room Lecture Birth-and-Death, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Separation, Tassajara, Happiness, Hate, Doubt... |
Jun 24 2005 Tassajara |
|
July 16th, 2005, Serial No. 03502 Delusion, Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Precepts, Zazen, Obstacles, Buddha Nature,... |
Jul 16 2005 Tassajara |
|
Dining Room Lecture Posture, Zendo, Mindfulness, training, Big Mind, Bell, Bowing, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen,... |
Aug 31 2005 Tassajara |
|
Zendo Lecture Precepts, Suzuki Roshi, Observe, Teacher-and-Student, Non-duality, Ego, training,... |
Sep 01 2005 Tassajara |
|
November 19th, 2005, Serial No. 00975 Conversation, Letting Go, Instruction, Tassajara, Zendo, Vows, Posture, Suzuki Roshi... |
Nov 19 2005 Unknown |
|
January 25th, 2006, Serial No. 04101 Practice Period, Tassajara, Lay Practice, Faith, Commitment, Priest, Zazen, Ceremony... |
Jan 25 2006 Unknown |
|
Practice PeriodSerial: SF-00034 Origins of PP, meaning of 'ango'; Dogen's essay; resistance; hermit Jim; Rumi poems. Practice Period, Buddha Ancestors, Zazen, Tassajara, resistance, Bell, Duality,... |
Feb 19 2006 |
|
Yes!Serial: SF-01100 Sesshin Lecture: just sitting with no technique or theme; monk: what about when not carrying anything? Zhaozhou: put it down; Shakyamuni holding up the flower; zazen in... uchiyama, Zazen, Freedom, Duality, Impermanence, Practice Period, Tassajara, Delusion... |
Apr 02 2006 Green Gulch |
|
Right SpeechSerial: SF-00037 The eight-fold path and its relationship to the precepts. Right Speech, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Heart Sutra, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Precepts... |
Sep 16 2006 |
|
Alignment With The Great WaySerial: SF-00944 Sunday Lecture - Children's Lecture: waging peace; taking up a practice Buddha Mind, Peace, Ordinary Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Lineage, Posture, Delusion,... |
Mar 04 2007 Green Gulch |
|
Being UncomfortableSerial: SF-01092 Sunday Lecture: What do we do when we become uncomfortable?; comfort - in body, mind, relationships - are focus of our consumerism; suffering = constant need to be fed;... Tassajara, Practice Period, Silence, Zendo, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Religion, Humility,... |
Mar 25 2007 Green Gulch |
|
Sesshin as a Koan for the BodySerial: SF-00990 Sesshin Lecture: Easter/Buddha's Birthday; enlightenment experiences; dharmakaya; not doing anything; nirmanakaya; this is your life Buddha's Birthday, Birth-and-Death, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Mill Valley,... |
Apr 08 2007 Green Gulch |
|
Six Factors of ZazenSerial: BZ-01431 One-Day Sitting Zazen, Concentration, Birth-and-Death, Daily Life, Emotions, Samadhi, Posture,... |
Apr 15 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Intensive Lecture Big Mind, Four Noble Truths, realization, Suzuki Roshi, Transmission, Zazen,... |
Jul 10 2007 City Center |
|
Illumination of ZazenSerial: BZ-01099 Absorption in the Treasury of Light, Rohatsu Day 1 Zazen, BCR-, Silent Illumination, Light-and-Darkness, Samadhi, Manjushri, Intuition,... |
Dec 02 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Our Sphere of PracticeSerial: BZ-01103 Nonseparation of Zazen and Worldly Activity, Rohatsu Day 5 Practice, Politics, Zazen, War, SER-12, War, Diversity, Evil, Religion, Building,... |
Dec 06 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
2008.01.19-serial.00112B Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Vows, true dharma, Daily Life, Culture, Subject-and-... |
Jan 19 2008 |
|
2008.01.20-serial.00112C Dependent Origination, Zendo, Teacher-and-Student, Ego, Happiness, Demons, Observe,... |
Jan 20 2008 |
|
2008.01.23-serial.00113A Four Noble Truths, Don't Know Mind, Samsara, Buddha Ancestors, difficulty, Fox,... |
Jan 23 2008 |
|
Zazen, Sanshimopo, and Doshin: Foundations of PracticeSerial: BZ-01112 Shikantaza, Guidance, and Way-Seeking Mind, Saturday Lecture Shikantaza, Zazen, Way-Seeking Mind, Ego, Continuous, Teacher-and-Student, Gaining... |
Feb 02 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Zazen InstructionSerial: BZ-01134 Bansan Zazen, Instruction, Posture, Aspects of Practice, Instruction, Ego |
May 23 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Precepts and ZazenSerial: BZ-01158 Harmonizing Buddha Nature, Instincts, and Desires, Saturday Lecture Precepts, Zazen, Desires, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Concentration, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 13 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Beginner's Sitting; Serial No. 01163Serial: BZ-01163 Beginners' Sesshin Zazen, Monastic Practice, Soto Zen, Religion, Don't Know Mind, Priest, soto,... |
Oct 05 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Revealing the Intention of the BuddhaSamdhinirmochana Mahayana Sutra Chapter 1 resistance, Zazen, Community, Mahayana |
Mar 21 2009 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
|
Zazen InstructionSerial: BZ-02031 Bansan BCR-, Zazen, Posture, Building, Emotions, Beginners, resistance, Religion |
May 15 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Zazen is the true reference pointSerial: BZ-02047 Put your behind on the cushion, Saturday Lecture Drama of life, Thoughts = dream world
Zazen, Ordinary Mind, Instruction, resistance, Precepts, Interview, confusion,... |
Jun 27 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Joshu's 'Wash your Bowl'Serial: BZ-02049 Open, unassuming mind, One-Day Sitting, standing up from zazen Zazen, Don't Know Mind, Renunciation, Don't Know Mind, Religion, Greed,... |
Jul 18 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Hokyo Zammai IIISerial: BZ-02056 100 Circles, Sesshin Day 2 Issan, Zazen, Jewel Mirror Samadhi, Five Ranks, Continuous, Discrimination, Daily... |
Sep 07 2009 Part 1 of Berkeley Zen Center |
|
On Enlightenment and Delusion Bowing, Zazen, Gratitude, American, Buddha Nature |
Dec 02 2009 The Yoga Room |
|
We Always Practice Under RestrictionSerial: BZ-02072 Ability and Disability, Rohatsu Day 5 Zazen, confusion, Observe, Funeral, Posture, Instruction, Karma, Forgiveness,... |
Dec 10 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Training for the Selfless Heart zen meditation, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Fox, Zazen |
Mar 18 2010 The Yoga Room |
|
On the Eve of Going for Refuge in the Triple Treasure Confession and Repentance, Precepts, Zazen, Commitment, Nirvana |
Apr 17 2010 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
|
Commentary on True ConcentrationSerial: BZ-02148 Not Always So, Rohatsu Day 6 Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Mudra, Posture, Concentration, Four Noble Truths, Posture,... |
Dec 10 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Conscious and Unconscious Obstructions of the Buddha Way Karmic Consciousness, Faith, Intuition, Obstacles, Zazen |
Apr 16 2011 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
|
Zazen and the Seven Factors of EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-02227 Beneficial Attachment, One-Day Sitting Passive and Active Zazen
Shikantaza, Posture, Breath, Zazen, Monkey Mind, Concentration, Big Mind, Mindfulness... |
Jan 21 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Family PracticeSerial: BZ-02245 Saturday Lecture Zazen, Family Practice, Practice Period, Intuition, Observe, Bell, Tassajara,... |
Jun 16 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
2012.07.30-serial.00140 Subject-and-Object, training, Dharma Transmission, Birth-and-Death, Oneness,... |
Jul 30 2012 |
|
Six Qualities from the AbhidhammaSerial: BZ-02289 Tranquility, Agility, Pliancy, Workableness, Proficiency, Saturday Lecture No-Self, Abhidharma, Zazen, Daily Life, Composure, Nirvana, Hindrances, Attachment,... |
Feb 02 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |