Zazen Talks

Zazen (literally "seated meditation"; Japanese: 座禅; simplified Chinese: 坐禅; traditional Chinese: 坐禪; pinyin: zuò chán; Wade–Giles: tso4-ch'an2, pronounced [tswô ʈʂʰǎn]) 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 earliest manual on sitting meditation from an author of the Zen tradition is the Zuòchán Yí which dates to the Northern Song dynasty (CE 960 - 1126).
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, 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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Finding Our Real Seat In ZazenSerial: SF-03217 One-day sitting Zazen, Posture, Balance, Vows, Dragons, Observe, Instruction, Avalokiteshvara,... |
Nov 18 1995 Green Gulch |
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Karma and Family PlaceSerial: SF-02689A From the BZC archive Transmission, Karma, Offering, Lineage, Hindrances, Religion, Gratitude, Zazen,... |
Nov 12 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddhism and ScienceSerial: SF-02689B From the BZC archive Suzuki Roshi, Heart Sutra, Zazen, Tassajara, training, Transmission, Silence, Posture... |
Nov 11 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03626 Our practice and our efforts that we make towards peace within ourselves and within our lives Practice Period, Birth-and-Death, Karma, Emptiness, Giving-and-Taking, Zazen,... |
Nov 05 1995 Green Gulch |
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1995.11.01-serial.00003 Suzuki Roshi, Daily Life, Big Mind, Letting Go, Zazen Mind, Zazen, Ego, Enthusiasm,... |
Nov 01 1995 |
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October 25th, 1995, Serial No. 02702 Hsin Hsin Ming, Composure, Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, Faith, Daily Life, Hate, Zazen,... |
Oct 25 1995 Unknown |
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Bowing, Sleepiness and RestlessnessSerial: SF-00152 Wednesday dharma talk. Chanting, Bowing, Heart Sutra, Posture, Ceremony, Zendo, Hindrances, Vows, Suzuki... |
Oct 04 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Meanings of the Word DharmaSerial: SF-03094 Sunday Lecture Birth-and-Death, Humility, Buddha's Birthday, Soto Zen, Zendo, Zazen, Family... |
Sep 24 1995 Green Gulch |
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Putting Our Effort Into SittingSerial: SF-03607 One-day sitting realization, Posture, Mindfulness, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Emptiness, Harmonizing,... |
Sep 16 1995 Green Gulch |
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July 26th, 1995, Serial No. 00919 Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Echo, Tassajara, Zazen, Global Warming, Letting Go, Practice... |
Jul 26 1995 Unknown |
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Emptying Yourself To Receive The Gift To Give It Away AgainSerial: SF-03096 Sunday Lecture Interview, Humility, Emotions, Concentration, Posture, Soto Zen, Describe, Teacher-... |
Jun 25 1995 Green Gulch |
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Studying Yourself through Zazen and OryokiSerial: SF-03672 One-day sitting Posture, Forgiveness, Zazen, Bell, Letting Go, Zendo, Emotions, Rinzai, Offering,... |
Jun 17 1995 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Ceremony, Religion, Suzuki Roshi, Commitment, Evil, Priest, Right... |
Jun 04 1995 Green Gulch |
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Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01118 #shuso-talk Heart Sutra, Manjushri, Bell, Zazen, Daily Life, Letting Go, Zendo, realization,... |
May 24 1995 Unknown |
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Shantideva ClassSerial: SF-03203 Practice of Wisdom Interdependence, Emotions, Attachment, Emptiness, Zazen, Posture, Ego, Describe,... |
May 23 1995 Unknown |
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Shantideva ClassSerial: SF-03204 Practice of Concentration Obstacles, Concentration, Faith, Family Practice, Instruction, Absolute-and-Relative... |
May 16 1995 Unknown |
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Shantideva Class Anger, Patience, Enthusiasm, Emotions, Letting Go, Right Speech, Happiness, Zazen,... |
May 09 1995 Unknown |
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Tokubetsu Sesshin Transmission, Posture, Delusion, Right Effort, Zazen, Daily Life, Observe, Silence,... |
Mar 27 1995 |
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January 7th, 1995, Serial No. 02687 New Year, Observe, Rumi, Chanting, training, Echo, Ego, Offering, confusion, Zazen... |
Jan 07 1995 Unknown |
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1995.01.04-serial.00065 Tassajara, Teacher-and-Student, Priest, Practice Period, Ceremony, Zazen,... |
Jan 04 1995 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Commitment, Letting Go, Suzuki Roshi, training, Greed, Emotions,... |
Nov 27 1994 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Hate, Mindfulness, Letting Go, Happiness, Zazen, Patience, resistance, Commitment,... |
Aug 28 1994 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture causation, Zazen, Balance, Letting Go, Separation, Liberation, Posture, Precepts,... |
Apr 24 1994 Green Gulch |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03675 Includes Q&A and discussion Big Mind, Emptiness, Bell, Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Instruction, Zazen,... |
Mar 13 1994 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Zendo, Posture, Demons, Suzuki Roshi, Delusion, Precepts, Zazen, Conversation, Vows,... |
Oct 24 1993 Green Gulch |
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October 9th, 1993, Serial No. 02688 Freedom, Rumi, Instruction, Zazen, Doubt, Religion, Sanctuary, Funeral, Passions,... |
Oct 09 1993 Unknown |
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Shakyamuni's Enlightenment as a Guide to PracticeSerial: SF-00075 Saturday Lecture Fasting, Hate, Chanting, Concentration, Delusion, Vows, confusion, Zazen |
Apr 24 1993 |
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Sesshin Talk Separation, Delusion, Oneness, Posture, Freedom, Practice Period, Six Realms, New... |
Apr 01 1993 Tassajara |
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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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Saturday Lecture Precepts, Tassajara, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Ceremony, Zendo, confusion, Zazen... |
Sep 21 1991 Unknown |
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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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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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Mindfulness Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Concentration, Bodhisattva Vow, Zazen, Impermanence,... |
Jun 15 1991 City 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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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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Shuso LectureSerial: SF-00949 #shuso-talk Equanimity, Six Realms, Peace, Balance, Delusion, Happiness, Emotions, Zazen,... |
Mar 27 1991 Unknown |
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1991.03.02-serial.00150 Fundraising, Offering, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Mindfulness, Lineage, Tassajara, Describe... |
Mar 02 1991 |