Sesshin Talks

Zen Meditation Retreat

A sesshin (接心, or also 摂心/攝心 literally "touching the heart-mind") is a period of intensive meditation (zazen) in a Zen monastery.

While the daily routine in the monastery requires the monks to meditate several hours a day, during a sesshin they devote themselves almost exclusively to zazen practice. The numerous 30- to 50-minute-long meditation periods are interleaved with short rest breaks, meals, and sometimes short periods of work (Japanese: 作務 samu) all performed with the same mindfulness; nightly sleep is kept to a minimum, at six hours or fewer. During the sesshin period, the meditation practice is occasionally interrupted by the master giving public talks (teisho) and individual direction in private meetings (which may be called dokusan, daisan, or sanzen) with a Zen Master.

In modern Buddhist practice in Japan and the West, sesshins are often attended by lay students and are typically one, three, five, or seven days in length. Seven-day sesshins are held several times a year at many Zen centers, especially in commemoration of the Buddha's awakening to full enlightenment (anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi). At this Rohatsu sesshin, practitioners seek to relax and quiet the mind to the point of cessation of mental chatter and emotional impulse, samadhi, kensho, or satori.

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Title Speaker

It Is Actually Buddha's Practice

Sesshin,
Feb 20 1971
Tassajara

Not Sticking to Enlightenment

Serial: SF-05445B

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #26, by Shundo David Haye =====

It's not completely clear how this talk dropped off the radar, as the tape had been copied and...

Sesshin, Sixth Patriarch, Emptiness
Feb 12 1971
B
City Center

Zazen Practice and Listen to the Right Teacher

Serial: SF-05631

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #24, by Shundo David Haye =====

In the last years of Suzuki Roshi's life, very few talks were lost from the collections...

Sesshin, Dogen, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Observe, Precepts, Faith...
Aug 03 1970
City Center

Observation of Precepts and Practice of Zazen is Same Thing

Serial: SF-06049

Sesshin Lecture No. 1
Saturday, August 1, 1970
San Francisco

Sesshin, Precepts, Precepts, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Faith, Ceremony, Ordination, Lay,...
Aug 01 1970
City Center

Open Your Intuition

Serial: SF-05587-B

Sesshin Meeting
Friday, July 31, 1970
San Francisco

Sesshin, Intuition, Instruction, Beginners
Jul 31 1970
City Center

Way-Seeking Mind

Serial: SF-05361

Saturday Lecture Of March Sesshin
Saturday, March 28, 1970
San Francisco

Way-Seeking Mind, Sesshin, Monastic Practice, Peace
Mar 28 1970
City Center

Stand Up By The Ground

Serial: SF-05209

Protection Master "Suzuki Roshi summer sesshin 1969 2nd night lecture

Sesshin, Second Night Lecture
September, 1969
Tassajara

Sesshin, Dogen, Time, Continuous, Freedom, Doubt
Sep 1969
Tassajara

Sesshin, Third Night Lecture

Serial: SR-00130

Tassajara
September, 1969

Sesshin, Emptiness, reality, Passions, Intuition, Bell, Forms, American, difficulty...
Sep 1969
Tassajara

Because I Was Not Well

Serial: 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

Shosan Ceremony

Serial: SF-05143B

SR023 Track 1 to 1/3 of other side Suzuki Roshi Question and Answer ceremony - copied 2 tapes [there are also photographs of hand-written notes on missing portions of Q&A...

Sesshin, Shosan, Echo, Emptiness, Attachment, Hate, Faith, Interview, Enemies, Evil,...
Apr 23 1968
B
Tassajara

Shuso Ceremony

Serial: SF-05143C

SR023 Last 2/3 side 2 Philip's discussion ceremony - copied 2 tapes [there are also photographs of hand-written notes on missing portions of Q&A - per tape operator...

Sesshin, Shuso Ceremony, Big Mind, Bell, Bodhidharma, Gratitude, Buddha Nature,...
Apr 23 1968
C
Tassajara

OLD - Shosan Ceremony

Serial: SF-05347

Copy - tape 2 of 2 Suzuki Roshi Q&A ceremony - no date (Spring '68?) - copy of o/r 68-04-23 - duplicate

Sesshin, Shosan, Right Effort, Emptiness, Interview
Apr 23 1968
B
Tassajara

Shuso Ceremony

Serial: SF-05779

SR-68-04-23-C (complete) Philip Wilson's shuso ceremony, followed by SR near end of side A - duplicate

Sesshin, Shuso Ceremony, Big Mind, Gratitude, Commitment, Precepts, Faith
Apr 23 1968
C
Tassajara

Shosan Ceremony

Serial: SF-05985-A

Shosan Ceremony, Sesshin, Feb 1968
Tassajara

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

Everything Itself Is Buddha

Serial: SF-05140A

SR20 - Reel #5 Suzuki track 1 - Roshi's lecture sesshin #7 12/6/67 Afternoon - copied

(This audio is only the first part of the talk)

Sesshin, Buddha Nature, Buddha Nature, Observe, Hate, Faith
Dec 06 1967
B
Tassajara

Good and Bad Feeling

Serial: SF-05141-A

Tuesday, December 5, 1967
Afternoon Sesshin Lecture, Lecture A
Tassajara

Sesshin, Attachment, Discrimination, Separation, Liberation, Freedom, Doubt, Faith...
Dec 05 1967
A
Tassajara

Nature of Our Practice

Serial: SF-05141-B

Tuesday, December 5, 1967, Lecture B
Evening Sesshin Lecture
Tassajara

Sesshin, Dogen, Fukanzazengi, Dragons, Daily Life, Observe, Freedom, training,...
Dec 05 1967
B
Tassajara

The More We Study Our Way, The More Difficult It Is To Explain It

Serial: SF-05142

SR018 - Track 1 - Roshi's Lecture sesshin #4 12/4/67 Evening - copied

Sesshin, Dogen, Observe, Ceremony
Dec 04 1967
Evening
Tassajara

Think the Unthinkable

Serial: SF-05137B

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #20, by Shundo David Haye ===== 

This talk comes from the middle of the second sesshin at Tassajara, in December...

Sesshin, Fukanzazengi, Buddha Mind, training, Sanctuary, Beginners, Echo, Duality,...
Dec 04 1967
Afternoon
Tassajara

Inner Power of Practice

Serial: SF-05137A

SR017 - Track 1 - slow - Roshi Lecture - 12/2/67 - afternoon - copied

Sesshin, Blue Cliff Record, Concentration, Precepts, Monastic Practice, New Year,...
Dec 02 1967
Tassajara

Putting Power In Your Hara

Serial: SF-05133-A

Afternoon Sesshin Lecture
Friday, December 1, 1967, Lecture A
Zen Mountain Center

Sesshin, Dogen, Fukanzazengi, Buddha Mind, Big Mind, Separation, New Year,...
Dec 01 1967
A
Tassajara

True Practice

Serial: SF-05133-B

Evening Sesshin Lecture
Friday Evening, December 1, 1967, Lecture B
Zen Mountain Center

Sesshin, Zuigan, Fox, Gratitude, Fox, Buddha Nature, Addiction, Discrimination,...
Dec 01 1967
B
Tassajara

Shosan Ceremony

August Sesshin, 1967
August 24, 1967
Tassajara

[Opening sentences of Introduction missed.]

Sesshin, Shosan,
Aug 24 1967
B
Tassajara

Genjo Koan no 4

Serial: SF-05136

Track 1 17/8 - Suzuki lectures - beginning missed, one or two sentences; beginning: This is the last lecture of sesshin. We have talked of emptiness and form, but have not...

Sesshin, Dogen, Genjokoan, Time, Faith, Emptiness, Continuous, Dragons
Aug 24 1967
A
Tassajara

Reflections on the Prajna Paramita Sutra

Serial: SF-05135A

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #19, by Shundo David Haye =====

This is the talk that was chosen by the...

Sesshin, Sengai, Time, Emptiness, Ego, Continuous, Evil, Nirvana, Concentration,...
Aug 24 1967
Tassajara

Buddhism Is Not a Special Teaching; Enlightenment Is Not a Particular Stage

Serial: 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

To Polish A Tile Is Our Practice Actually

Serial: SF-05135B

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #18, by Shundo David Haye =====

Further to the date confusion and missing talks discussed last time, it seems that even Suzuki Roshi...

Sesshin, Prajna Paramita, Shobogenzo, Discrimination, Silence
Aug 23 1967
Tassajara

Genjo Koan no 2

Serial: SF-05134C

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #16, by Shundo David Haye =====

This third talk from the historic inaugural sesshin at Tassajara in 1967, given the day after the...

Sesshin, Dogen, Priest, Emptiness, Dragons, Describe, confusion, Hate
Aug 21 1967
Tassajara

Genjo Koan

Serial: SF-05134A

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #14, by Shundo David Haye =====

The acquisition of Tassajara in 1967 was a huge leap for Zen Center. Suzuki Roshi had long been...

Genjokoan, Dogen, Sesshin, Emptiness, New Year, Interview, Freedom
Aug 20 1967
Morning
Tassajara

When You Have A New Experience

Serial: SF-05134B

===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #15, by Shundo David Haye =====

This talk was given later on the same day of the first Tassajara sesshin as the last one discussed (...

Sesshin, Faith, Doubt
Aug 20 1967
Evening
Tassajara

This Sesshin Was Wonderfully Done

Serial: SF-05100-C

Saturday, April 22, 1967
Sesshin Lecture B
San Francisco

Sesshin, Priest, Evil, Doubt, training
Apr 22 1967
B
Sokoji

In the first instruction of ten instructions in Gakudō-yōjin-shū

Sesshin, Dogen, Shobogenzo, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra, training, Instruction,...
Dec 17 1966
A
Sokoji

The Need for Training in Buddhism without Self-Seeking Mind

Serial: SF-05121B

Original recording

Sesshin, Dogen, training, Buddha Nature, Hate, Observe, Instruction, Doubt
Dec 17 1966
B
Sokoji

Blue Cliff Records Case 45

Serial: SF-05097-E

Friday, August 19, 1966
Sesshin Lecture: Friday Evening, Lecture D
Sokoji, San Francisco

Blue Cliff Record, Sesshin, Joshu, Eiheiji, Observe, Diversity, Duality
Aug 19 1966
D
Sokoji

OLD - Blue Cliff Records Case 45

Serial: SF-05097E

Sesshin Lecture 1966 Tape #2 Track 3 Suzuki 7:30pm lecture Friday night ending sesshin

Sesshin, Blue Cliff Record, Eiheiji, Joshu, Duality, Observe, Describe
Aug 19 1966
D
Sokoji

This Fascicle of Shobogenzo

Serial: SF-05097-F

Sesshin Lecture 1966 Tape #2 Track 2: Suzuki 1pm lecture Friday

Sesshin, Dogen, Shobogenzo, Blue Cliff Record, Attachment, Instruction, Freedom,...
Aug 19 1966
C
Sokoji

Don't Be Attached To Your Attainment

Serial: SF-05097-H

Sesshin Lecture 1966 Tape #2 Track 4 Friday lecture by Suzuki during morning zazen Friday

Sesshin, Instruction, Attachment
Aug 19 1966
B
Sokoji

Shōbōgenzō

Serial: SF-05093-F

Thursday, August 18, 1966
SESSHIN LECTURE: Thursday, 1:00 pm, Lecture B
Sokoji, San Francisco

Sesshin, Buddha Mind, Birth-and-Death, Dana, Fasting, Interdependence
Aug 18 1966
B
Sokoji

This is the Fourth Day of our Sesshin

Serial: SF-05097-C

Reconstruction of Lecture from Second Zazen Period (Before Morning Service)
Thursday Morning, August 18, 1966, Lecture A
Sokoji, San Francisco

[This tape...

Sesshin, Suzuki Roshi
Aug 18 1966
A
Sokoji

OLD - This is the Fourth Day of our Sesshin

Serial: SF-05097C

Sesshin Lecture 1966 Tape #2 ; Track 1 My reconstruction from memory and notes of Suzuki Roshi's beautiful lecture Thursday morning during 2nd period of zazen before morning...

Sesshin, Suzuki Roshi
Aug 18 1966
A
Sokoji

Shobogenzo

Serial: SF-05097-D

Sesshin Lecture 1966 Tape #2
Track 1 contd: Most of Suzuki's 6pm Lecture, Thursday evening continued on track 4
Track 4 continuation and finish of 6pm lecture of...

Sesshin, Sixth Patriarch, Dogen, Subject-and-Object, Attachment, Buddha Nature,...
Aug 18 1966
C
Sokoji

Causality

Serial: SF-05093-J

Suzuki lecture 6pm Weds Track 2, continued on Track 3

Sesshin, Time, Freedom, Happiness, Fox, Oneness, Enemies, Offering, Evil, Lay...
Aug 17 1966
6:00pm
Sokoji

Our Mind Should Be Calm

Serial: SF-05093-L

Tuesday, August 16, 1966
Sesshin: Zazen short instruction
Sokoji, San Francisco

Sesshin, Instruction,
Aug 16 1966
Sokoji

The first day of the sesshin is almost finished

Serial: SF-05093-K

Monday, August 15, 1966
Sesshin: Evening Lecture, Lecture D
Sokoji, San Francisco

Sesshin, Freedom, causation, Composure, Posture
Aug 15 1966
D
Sokoji

You Cannot Appreciate Our Teaching In Its True Sense

Serial: SF-05093-B

Monday, August 15, 1966
Sesshin: Lunch Lecture, Lecture B
Sokoji, San Francisco

Sesshin, Oryoki, Instruction,
Aug 15 1966
B
Sokoji

Think Everything Out

Serial: SF-05093-C

Monday, August 15, 1966, Lecture C
Sokoji, San Francisco

Sesshin, causation, Attachment, Hate, Intuition, Concentration, Evil, Instruction,...
Aug 15 1966
C
Sokoji

Genjo Koan

Serial: SF-05111C

This is the bulk of the talk attributed to this date. It sounds distinct from the earlier fragment, and the date may not be accurate, though the subject is appropriate for the...

Sesshin, Attachment, Instruction, Freedom, Doubt
Aug 15 1966
C
Sokoji

Talk on Shobogenzo

Serial: SF-05111B

Other Japanese lecture [case replaced 12/95. Case notes transcribed verbatim]

Sesshin, Happiness
Aug 15 1966
B
Sokoji

We Are Not Perfect

Serial: SF-05080-A

Sesshin talk. At the beginning, Suzuki Roshi is drawing from Dogen's "Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance." The methods are also in Shushogi.

Sesshin, Paramitas, Bodhisattva, Shushogi, Happiness, Enemies
Jul 23 1966
Sokoji

Sesshin Lecture: Genjo-Koan, Paragraphs 1–2

Serial: SF-05096-B

May Sesshin (25 26 added later) 1 or 6pm lecture plus lecture the following morning.
SR 009

Sesshin, Dogen, Genjokoan, Precepts, Mahayana, Freedom, Observe, Balance, Attachment...
May 26 1966
Sokoji

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