Religion Talks
Religion is a range of social-cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements—although there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine, sacredness, faith, and a supernatural being or beings.
The origin of religious belief is an open question, with possible explanations including awareness of individual death, a sense of community, and dreams. Religions have sacred histories, narratives, and mythologies, preserved in oral traditions, sacred texts, symbols, and holy places, that may attempt to explain the origin of life, the universe, and other phenomena.
Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, matrimonial and funerary services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, or public service.
There are an estimated 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, though nearly all of them have regionally based, relatively small followings. Four religions—Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—account for over 77% of the world's population, and 92% of the world either follows one of those four religions or identifies as nonreligious, meaning that the remaining 9,000+ faiths account for only 8% of the population combined. The religiously unaffiliated demographic includes those who do not identify with any particular religion, atheists, and agnostics, although many in the demographic still have various religious beliefs.
Many world religions are also organized religions, most definitively including the Abrahamic religions Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, while others are arguably less so, in particular folk religions, indigenous religions, and some Eastern religions. A portion of the world's population are members of new religious movements. Scholars have indicated that global religiosity may be increasing due to religious countries having generally higher birth rates.
The study of religion comprises a wide variety of academic disciplines, including theology, philosophy of religion, comparative religion, and social scientific studies. Theories of religion offer various explanations for its origins and workings, including the ontological foundations of religious being and belief.
Title | Speaker | |
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Buddhism Is Not a Special Teaching; Enlightenment Is Not a Particular StageSerial: SF-05134D ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #17, by Shundo David Haye ===== About half way through this sesshin talk, you can start to hear crickets in the background, getting... Sesshin, Dogen, Genjokoan, Enemies, Continuous, Doubt, Religion, Peace |
Aug 23 1967 Tassajara |
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If Our Teaching Is A Special TeachingSerial: SF-05130B SR013 date? Fall 1967 Tassajara III - Side 2 2nd half - Part of Suzuki lecture copied Religion |
Sep 1967 Tassajara |
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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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Become More Direct and HonestSerial: SF-05276 Protection Master: re-recording from cassette marked "Suzuki Roshi talk with background music: no date, original copied" (Sony C60 side A); recorded: 7 1/2 ips, bias... Posture, Observe, Instruction, Religion |
1968 Unknown |
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Shosan CeremonySerial: SF-05985-A Shosan Ceremony, Sesshin, Feb 1968 This ceremony is re-edited from the original cassette, with non-SR (Bishop Sumi) sections removed, and the speed... Shosan, Sesshin, First Principle, Beginner’s Mind, First Principle, Lotus Sutra,... |
Feb 1968 Tassajara |
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Because I Was Not WellSerial: SF-05143A SR023 Track 1 Suzuki Roshi's afternoon sesshin 4-23-68 copied [there are also photographs of hand-written notes on missing portions of Q&A - per tape operator's... Sesshin, Koan, Ordinary Mind, everyday mind, Faith, Composure, Doubt, Religion... |
Apr 23 1968 A Tassajara |
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What is Soto and what is Rinzai?Serial: SF-05144A SR024 Tass July 26/68 Roshi Sectarianism copied; July 21 Chino Sensei; July 24 Chino Sensei - also many handwritten notes on the content Soto Zen, Rinzai, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Evil, Bowing, Mahayana, Gratitude, Ego... |
Jul 26 1968 Tassajara |
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Shosan CeremonySerial: SF-05964 Friday, December 5, 1969 Previously described as intranscribable - now clearer File name: 69-12-05N: untitled level low. [Verbatim transcript not... Ceremony, Shosan, Sixth Patriarch, Big Mind, Letting Go, Separation, Attachment,... |
Dec 05 1969 Tassajara |
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Observation of Precepts and Practice of Zazen is Same ThingSerial: SF-06049 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 Sesshin, Precepts, Precepts, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Faith, Ceremony, Ordination, Lay,... |
Aug 01 1970 City Center |
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Priest Ordination Ceremony: Paul Discoe and Reb AndersonSerial: SR-00069-A Reprocessed version may allow for clarification of transcript. Priest, Ceremony, Precepts, Don't Know Mind, Delusion, Greed, Interview,... |
Aug 09 1970 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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Allen Ginsberg and MusiciansSerial: SF-00105 Musical event. Attachment, Instruction, Obstacles, Offering, Vows, Anger, Religion |
Feb 22 1972 1 City Center |
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1973, Serial No. 03044Serial: SF-03044 Commercially produced tape: MEA Box 303 Sausalito CA 94965 P. 1973 Religion, Evil, Impermanence, Attachment, Ego, Priest, realization |
1973 Unknown |
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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00022 Myths and legends in religious traditions; natural and supernatural language. Attachment, Heart Sutra, Religion, Emptiness, Buddha Nature, Transmission, Enemies,... |
Feb 22 1973 |
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The Monastic TraditionSerial: SF-00132 Monastic experience across religious traditions. Silence, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Emptiness, Echo, Religion, Bell,... |
Feb 26 1973 2 |
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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00023 The Three Bodies of Buddha; comparison between Eastern and Western thought; Greek tradition and Puritan tradition. Faith, Mahayana, confusion, Religion, Passions, Doubt |
Mar 09 1973 1 |
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SF SeminarSerial: SF-00024 The problems with celibacy Current Events, Politics, Fasting, Demons, Obstacles, Patience, Attachment, Religion... |
Mar 09 1973 2 |
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May 12th, 1973, Serial No. 00995Serial: SF-00995 "First 30 mins of 70 min lecture" Freedom, Concentration, Balance, Mindfulness, Liberation, Attachment, Karma, Doubt,... |
May 12 1973 Tassajara |
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Discussions Freedom, Liberation, Emptiness, Duality, Attachment, Religion |
May 13 1973 Tassajara |
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1973.07.18-serial.00124Serial: SF-00124 Differences between exoteric and esoteric religious traditions. Religion, Evil, Suzuki Roshi, Subject-and-Object, Intuition, Nirvana, Separation,... |
Jul 18 1973 1 |
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1973.07.18-serial.00125Serial: SF-00125 The third great religious awakening in America. Emptiness, Religion, Manjushri, Interview, Conversation, Karma |
Jul 18 1973 2 |
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May 26th, 1975, Serial No. 02740 First Principle, Sanctuary, Intuition, Dragons, Passions, Religion |
May 26 1975 Green Gulch |
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March 15th, 1976, Serial No. 01824 Dependent Origination, Daily Life, Transmission, Faith, Nirvana, Mindfulness,... |
Mar 15 1976 SFZC |
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On Kechimyaku, Inka and RobesSerial: SF-00028 Interviewed by Kazuaki Tanahashi; brief history of studies in Rinzai dojo; nature of being a roshi. Hate, Dana, Religion, Intuition, Lineage, Evil, Happiness, Freedom, Doubt |
Jan 09 1977 |
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Lama Govinda’s PaperSerial: SF-00010 AIBS Religion, Emptiness, Sanctuary, Dragons, Birth-and-Death, Lovingkindness, Passions,... |
Aug 05 1978 |
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The Four Truths Happiness, Four Noble Truths, Religion, New Year, Don't Know Mind, Gratitude,... |
Oct 21 1979 |
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January 27th, 1980, Serial No. 01856 Balance, Separation, Equanimity, Priest, Religion, Peace, Lay, Doubt, Ordination,... |
Jan 27 1980 SFZC |
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January 27th, 1980, Serial No. 01857 Subject-and-Object, Observe, Balance, confusion, training, Religion, Intuition,... |
Jan 27 1980 SFZC |
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January 27th, 1980, Serial No. 01839 Liberation, Politics, Nirvana, Passions, Renewal, Freedom, Intimacy, Commitment, Bell... |
Jan 27 1980 SFZC |
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Browning's Sordello Religion, Current Events, Enthusiasm, Lay, Faith, Peace, Intuition, Demons, Dragons,... |
Feb 10 1980 SFZC |
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Browning's Sordello Politics, Describe, Religion, Peace |
Feb 10 1980 SFZC |
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Browning's Sordello Beginners, Lay, Emotions, Doubt, Religion |
Feb 18 1980 SFZC |
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March 2nd, 1980, Serial No. 01842 Dragons, Religion, Renunciation, Intuition, Liberation, Freedom |
Mar 02 1980 SFZC |
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March 2nd, 1980, Serial No. 01841 Dragons, Freedom, Demons, Religion, Evil, Liberation, Balance, resistance, Enemies,... |
Mar 02 1980 SFZC |
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March 2nd, 1980, Serial No. 01840 Balance, Religion, Equanimity, Priest, Ordinary Mind, Nirvana, Liberation, Doubt,... |
Mar 02 1980 SFZC |
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March 9th, 1980, Serial No. 01884 Instruction, Greed, Doubt, Religion, Sanctuary, Intuition, Politics, Evil, Emotions... |
Mar 09 1980 SFZC |
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March 9th, 1980, Serial No. 01883 Continuous, Silence, Balance, Conversation, Lay, confusion, Hate, Religion |
Mar 09 1980 SFZC |
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May 11th, 1980, Serial No. 01814 Evil, Obstacles, Passions, Balance, Emotions, Anger, Religion, Duality, Interview,... |
May 11 1980 SFZC |
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Dining Room class Silence, Current Events, Religion, Monastic Practice, Faith, Sanctuary, Fox, Patience... |
Jun 14 1981 1 Tassajara |
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Children's Talk Religion, Priest |
Oct 06 1981 Green Gulch |
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The Third Grave Precept: Do Not Misuse Sex Precepts, Teacher-and-Student, Sangha, Commitment, training, Rinzai, Attachment,... |
Aug 08 1983 SFZC |
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1987.07.11-serial.00005 Gratitude, Religion, Doubt, Balance, Suzuki Roshi, Nirvana, Enemies, Attachment, Evil... |
Jul 11 1987 |
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September 1988 talk, Serial No. 01943Serial: SF-01943 Labor Day Religion, Attachment, Doubt |
1988 SFZC |
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Dzögchen Happiness, confusion, realization, Emotions, Liberation, Karma, Continuous,... |
Mar 28 1988 SFZC |
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April 3rd, 1988, Serial No. 01807 Religion, Aspects of Practice, New Year, Hate, Lovingkindness, Attachment, Happiness... |
Apr 03 1988 SFZC |
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YontenzotSerial: SF-01832 "Chhoje Tulku" realization, Beginners, Nirvana Sutra, Emotions, Bodhisattva Vow, Religion, Obstacles... |
Apr 24 1988 SFZC |
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April 25th, 1988, Serial No. 01893 Bodhidharma, Monastic Practice, Ordination, Doubt, Religion, Mahayana, Interview,... |
Apr 25 1988 Unknown |
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1989.05.07-serial.00049Serial: SF-00049 Sunday lecture Suzuki Roshi, Religion, Emptiness, Observe, Heart Sutra, Liberation, Vows, Zendo,... |
May 07 1989 Green Gulch Farm |
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Dzogchen Teachings Emptiness, realization, Transmission, Lineage, Mandala, training, Religion,... |
Oct 08 1989 4 San Jose |
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Dzögchen TeachingsSerial: SF-02717 Commercially produced cassette Gratitude, Nirvana, Peace, Offering, Religion, realization, Mandala, Non-violence,... |
Oct 09 1989 San Jose |