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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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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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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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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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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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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Okesa CeremonySerial: SR-00146 Ceremony of the okesa: chanting the fascicle Shobogenzo Kesa Kudoku; ten virtues of the okesa. What is practice of zazen and practice of the okesa. Truth is beyond priest or... Priest, Ceremony, Okesa, Zazen, Dragons, Priest, Greed, Demons, Gratitude, Happiness... |
Jun 06 1971 City Center |
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The Teaching Just for YouSerial: SR-00147 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 Sesshin, Precepts, Dragons, Bodhidharma, Truth, sitting, Buddha Nature, Politics,... |
Jun 05 1971 City Center |
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Be Kind with YourselfSerial: SR-00112 Warm-hearted practice. Breathing and posture in zazen. We all have different circumstances, but in the monastery, we have one practice. Rules give freedom to practice. ...Dogen, Zazen, Tatsugami, Freedom, Instruction, Monks, Posture, Priest, American... |
Feb 23 1971 Tassajara |
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1971.02.20-serial.00115Serial: SR-00115 Initial speaker in Japanese - Tatsugami? Translated by Katagiri? Three speakers listed for this date. War, New Year, Wisdom, Zoom, Obstacles, Zazen, Religion, Community, Evil, zen... |
Feb 20 1971 Tassajara |
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Resuming Big MindSerial: SR-00272 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 [”For this seven-day sesshin, there are only transcriptions for lectures given on Days 1, 3, 5,... Sesshin, Big Mind, Hate, stubbornness, Zoom, sitting, Zazen, Anger, Ceremony, heart,... |
Feb 05 1971 City Center |
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The Boss of EverythingZazen, Big Mind, confusion, Precepts, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Suffering, Observe... |
Jan 16 1971 City Center |
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Walk like an Elephant and Sitting like a FrogSerial: SR-00066 True Practice As Expression Of Buddha-Nature Sesshin, Sengai, Buddha Nature, Family Practice, War, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Monks... |
Aug 02 1970 City Center |
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OLD - 1970.06.25-serial.00219Serial: SR-00219 Second part of talk from this date. Zazen, Hate |
Jun 25 1970 |
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Today We May Be Very HappySerial: SR-00057 Sandokai Lecture VI [This lecture is concerned with the following lines of the Sandokai: Shiki moto shitsuzo wo... Branching Streams, Sandokai, Happiness, Zazen, Suffering, Pain, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 10 1970 Tassajara |
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How To Observe PreceptsSerial: SR-00047 Sunday Morning, May 17, 1970 Precepts, Precepts, Chanting, Observe, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Mahayana, Posture,... |
May 17 1970 City Center |
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Lecture To Prof. Lewis R. Lancaster's Visiting ClassSerial: SR-00259 Practice and enlightnment as forgetting and letting go of everything. Even if we don't know what real practice is, continuing and allowing it to reveal itself. Answering... Buddha, Emptiness, Zazen, Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Building, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Mar 01 1970 Tassajara |
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Fundamental Buddhist Point: To Adjust Ourselves To Our SurroundingsSerial: SR-00192 Adjusting to life at City Center. Cleaning and zazen. Do we need furniture to practice? Dogen, Eiheiji, Zazen, Culture, Building, sitting |
Dec 21 1969 City Center |
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Practice Should Not Be Perfect, So Descendants Have Something To DoSerial: SR-00203 Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 4 Sesshin, Dogen, Building, difficulty, Monastic Practice, Transmission, Zazen, Breath... |
Dec 02 1969 Tassajara |
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Pinch HitterSerial: SR-00268 Tuesday, November 25, 1969 Evening Lecture [Katagiri spoke before Suzuki. SR portion starts at 42:52. Wisdom, zen, Truth, Zazen, Priest, American, Delusion, Meditation, Greed, heart... |
Nov 25 1969 City Center |
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Pure Silk, Sharp IronSerial: SR-00246 Sitting cross-legged - and then what? Having the right state of mind. Chinese and Japanese culture. His absent-mindedness, impatience. Virtue of endurance. Zazen, Dogen, Culture, Ego, Transmission, training, Patience, Forms, Pain, War,... |
Sep 14 1969 |
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Sesshin, Sixth Night LectureSerial: SR-00129 Tassajara Sesshin, Don't Know Mind, Posture, Ceremony, Addiction, Duality, Beginners,... |
Sep 1969 Tassajara |
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I have nothing in my mind Emptiness, Forms, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Passions, Interview, Beginners,... |
Jul 15 1969 Sokoji |
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Question And Answer SessionSerial: SR-00025 Tuesday, July 8, 1969 Question-and-Answer, Don't Know Mind, Anger, Greed, Emotions, Zazen, Culture,... |
Jul 08 1969 Sokoji |
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How should we establish our system of practice in San FranciscoSerial: SR-00019 Tuesday Evening, June 17, 1969 Just sit, and follow the teacher's instruction. Story of four kinds of horse. Humans go to the moon, but don't... Rinzai, Soto Zen, Dogen, Zazen, New Year, Concentration, Big Mind, Priest, Pain,... |
Jun 17 1969 Sokoji |
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Find Out for YourselfSerial: SR-00011 Find out what "buddha-nature" and "enlightenment" mean. Study without purpose. How his teacher in Japan treated him; trying to discover the right thing to do. Sesshin, Zazen, Eiheiji, Suffering, Buddha Nature, Freedom, Beginners, Posture, zen,... |
Mar 15 1969 Sokoji |
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OLD - Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-6Serial: 68-10-00-E Hidden as we had a misdated reel that corresponded to this transcript - SDH October 1968 Precepts, Wisdom, War, Zazen, Ceremony, Sutra, sitting |
Oct 30 1968 Series 2, Talk 6 Tassajara |
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The True DragonDogen, Baso, Dragons, Freedom, Soto Zen, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, Instruction, Zazen... |
Oct 12 1968 B Sokoji |
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Practice Zazen With Your Whole Mind And BodySerial: SF-05131B This is lecture D from these notes on the reel boxes (05132-B was added to this) Instruction, Zazen, Posture, Beginners, Funeral, Religion, Instruction, Emotions,... |
Sep 08 1967 Morning Tassajara |
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OLD - The Need for Training in Buddhism without Self-Seeking MindSerial: SF-05838 This had been labeled as A - transript matches B. temporary audio from this date hidden - SDH Saturday, December 17, 1966 DECEMBER ONE-DAY SESSHIN LECTURE:... Sesshin, Dogen, training, New Year, Don't Know Mind, Buddha Nature, Practice... |
Dec 17 1966 B Sokoji |
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OLD - The Need for Training in Buddhism without Self-Seeking MindSerial: 66-12-17-B Hidden as we had a reel that corresponded to this transcript - SDH Saturday, December 17, 1966 DECEMBER ONE-DAY SESSHIN LECTURE: Saturday Evening Sesshin, Dogen, training, Compassion, zen, Patience, Zazen, Instruction, Building,... |
Dec 17 1966 B Sokoji |
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OLD - Don't Be Attached To Your AttainmentSerial: 66-08-19-B Sesshin Lecture: Friday Morning during Zazen, Lecture B Sesshin, Zazen, Attachment, lecture |
Aug 19 1966 B Sokoji |
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Genjo-Koan: Paragraphs 1–11Serial: SF-05098-D Sunday morning lecture by Suzuki Roshi Other notes on box: Dogen, Genjokoan, Family Practice, Observe, Doubt, Discrimination, Attachment, Hate,... |
Jun 19 1966 A Sokoji |
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OLD - In the Prajnaparamita SutraHeart Sutra, Emptiness, Wisdom, Perfect Wisdom, Beginners, Politics, Balance,... |
Jan 21 1966 BN |
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CalmnessSerial: SF-05123A ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #3, by Shundo David Haye ===== In this talk, which became the Calmness chapter of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (p121), Suzuki Roshi... Dogen, Zazen, Composure |
Aug 26 1965 Los Altos |
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OLD - Become More Honest and DirectSerial: SF-05766 SR-68-00-00-B (complete) - duplicate Posture, Observe, Evil, Instruction, Zazen |
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