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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Shuso LectureSerial: SF-00949 #shuso-talk Equanimity, Six Realms, Peace, Balance, Delusion, Happiness, Emotions, Zazen,... |
Mar 27 1991 Unknown |
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World Peace Through Compassion and Non-Violence Non-violence, Peace, Religion, Happiness, Freedom, Politics, Hate, Patience, Greed,... |
Apr 09 1991 |
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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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Images of FireSerial: SF-01848 Commercially Produced cassette: Sounds True, PO Box 8010, Boulder CO 80306 Faith, Passions, Silence, Religion |
1992 Unknown |
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Women in Japanese Soto ZenSerial: SF-00097 Author reading from her book on the subject. Soto Zen, training, Monastic Practice, Ordination, soto, Ceremony, Religion, Lay,... |
Nov 25 1992 |
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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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Tokubetsu Sesshin Priest, New Year, Rinzai, Religion, Ceremony, Tassajara, training, soto, Transmission... |
Mar 25 1995 |
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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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Women in BuddhismSerial: SF-00153 Class Religion, Discrimination, Priest, Ceremony, Bodhisattva Vow, Buddha Nature, Ego,... |
Oct 23 1995 1 of 6 Green Gulch Farm |
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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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Women in Buddhism Class Religion, Ceremony, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Precepts, Priest, Ordination, Suzuki Roshi... |
Oct 30 1995 Unknown |
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Women in Buddhism Class Emptiness, Balance, Liberation, Nirvana, Lay, Heart Sutra, Religion, Mahayana, Birth-... |
Nov 06 1995 Unknown |
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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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Women in Buddhism Class Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, Six Realms, Instruction, Lay, Religion, Balance... |
Nov 13 1995 Unknown |
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Women in Buddhism Class Nirvana, Religion, New Year, Conversation, Lay, causation, Freedom, Intimacy, Demons... |
Nov 27 1995 Unknown |
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December 30th, 1995, Serial No. 04043 New Year, Six Realms, Karma, Religion, Renewal, Fasting, Beginners, Samsara, Chanting... |
Dec 30 1995 Unknown |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03572 Includes Q&A Blue Cliff Record, Evil, Absolute-and-Relative, Religion, Don't Know Mind,... |
Mar 17 1996 Green Gulch |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03193 Chapters 15, 16, 25, 26, 2t Lotus Sutra, Gratitude, Demons, Birth-and-Death, Religion, Manjushri, Faith, Ceremony... |
May 28 1996 Green Gulch |
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Saturday Lecture Passions, Religion, Light-and-Darkness, Suzuki Roshi, Politics, Platform Sutra, Zazen... |
Aug 17 1996 City Center |
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Practicing With Afflictive EmotionsSerial: SF-02722 Antidotes - Shantidvea/Dalai Lama/Hui Hai Forgiveness, Anger, Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, Non-duality, Tassajara, Offering,... |
Oct 09 1996 Unknown |
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Sandokai Class Discrimination, Oneness, Darkness and Light, Letting Go, Branching Streams,... |
Nov 05 1996 Green Gulch |
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Sandokai ClassSerial: SF-03177 Like forward and backwards steps - phenomenon exist like box and cover joining, principle accords like arrows points meeting Oneness, Suzuki Roshi, Absolute-and-Relative, Practice Period, Tassajara, Attachment... |
Nov 19 1996 Green Gulch |
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Sandokai Class Evil, Religion, Funeral, Tassajara, Discrimination, Suzuki Roshi, Emptiness, Oneness... |
Nov 25 1996 Green Gulch |
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Dogen's Life Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Family Practice, training, Monastic Practice, Rinzai,... |
Jan 25 1997 Unknown |
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Recollections of Early Zen Priest, Demons, Vinaya, Funeral, Religion, Ceremony, Lay Practice, Six Realms,... |
Feb 08 1997 2 of 3 Green Gulch Farm |
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Mothers' DaySerial: SF-03101 Sunday Lecture: being born from a mother guarantees two ingredients, a bit of love and suffering, both necessary for enlightenment. The essential point of zen is questioning;... Manjushri, Commitment, Karma, Four Noble Truths, Letting Go, Religion, zen meditation... |
May 11 1997 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Karmic Consciousness, Separation, Fasting, Precepts, Karma, Religion, Balance,... |
Jul 30 1997 Green Gulch |
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Save The Redwoods - Mother Theresa and Lady DianaSerial: SF-00088 Saturday lecture. Vows, Precepts, Interdependence, Gratitude, Enemies, Religion |
Sep 06 1997 City Center |
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Majjhima Nikaya ClassSerial: SF-03192 Middle-length Discourses Evil, Letting Go, Birth-and-Death, Karma, Faith, Precepts, Liberation, Karmic... |
Sep 23 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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Scholarship Conference PaperSerial: SF-03238 Sunday Lecture Heart Sutra, Lineage, Platform Sutra, soto, Religion, Study Period, Emptiness,... |
Nov 16 1997 Green Gulch |
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Buddhism at Millennium's Edge - Seminar 1Serial: SF-03511 Copyright 1998 by Gary Snyder - Unedited Preview Cassette Religion, Conversation, Demons, Peace, resistance, Precepts, Zendo, Non-violence,... |
1998 Unknown |
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Buddhism at Millennium's Edge - Seminar 2Serial: SF-03512 Copyright 1998 by Gary Snyder - Unedited Preview Cassette Sixth Patriarch, Lotus Sutra, Religion, Priest, Mahayana, Samsara, Sangha, Offering,... |
1998 Unknown |
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Buddhism at Millennium's Edge - Poems 1Serial: SF-03521 Copyright 1998 by Gary Snyder - Unedited Preview Cassette Zendo, Continuous, Politics, Religion, Ceremony, Fox, Patience, Mahayana, Chanting,... |
1998 Unknown |
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Buddhism at Millennium's Edge - Seminar 3Serial: SF-03513 Copyright 1998 by Peter Matthiessen - Unedited Preview Cassette Mahayana, Priest, Lay, Commitment, Religion, Mill Valley, Transmission, Monastic... |
1998 Unknown |
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April 26th, 1998, Serial No. 01895 Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Doubt, Faith, New Year, Describe,... |
Apr 26 1998 Unknown |
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Green Gulch History training, Fox, Offering, Lay, Zendo, Priest, Doubt, Religion, realization, Peace... |
May 10 1998 Green Gulch |
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Origins of Zen Faith, Diversity, Lotus Sutra, Don't Know Mind, Daily Life, Religion, Enthusiasm... |
May 16 1998 Unknown |
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Sunday Lecture Heart Sutra, zen meditation, Mindfulness, Religion, Koan, resistance, Letting Go,... |
May 17 1998 Green Gulch |
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May 30th, 1998, Serial No. 01817Serial: SF-01817 Gil (Intro) Soto Zen, soto, Suzuki Roshi, Religion, Lay, training, Five Ranks, Priest, Bell,... |
May 30 1998 Sati Center |
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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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March 13th, 1999, Serial No. 04079 Suzuki Roshi, Posture, Monastic Practice, Lay, Anger, Daily Life, Observe, Religion,... |
Mar 13 1999 Unknown |
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October 23rd, 1999, Serial No. 01114 realization, Blue Cliff Record, Faith, Soto Zen, Religion, Peace, Sangha, resistance... |
Oct 23 1999 Unknown |
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Surangama Sutra Class Emptiness, Manjushri, Karma, Impermanence, Emotions, Nirvana, Lotus Sutra, Religion,... |
May 30 2000 Green Gulch |
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Women Ancestors Class Ceremony, Religion, Teacher-and-Student, Emotions, Sangha, Commitment, Conversation,... |
Jul 25 2000 Unknown |
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The Tenth PreceptSerial: SF-03571 Wednesday Lecture Triple Treasure, Precepts, Sangha, Suzuki Roshi, Priest-and-Lay, Bodhisattva Precepts... |
Aug 09 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Monastic Practice, Zazen, Religion, Commitment, Big Mind, Buddha Ancestors, Soto Zen... |
Aug 20 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Doubt, Don't Know Mind, Religion, Faith, Letting Go... |
Oct 08 2000 Green Gulch |
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December 9th, 2000, Serial No. 04011 Letting Go, Emptiness, Daily Life, Religion, Patience, Impermanence, Birth-and-Death... |
Dec 09 2000 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Enthusiasm, Religion, Priest, Emptiness, Nirvana, Observe, Ego, Posture, Bell,... |
Mar 18 2001 Green Gulch |