Soto Zen Talks

Sōtō Zen or the Sōtō school (曹洞宗, Sōtō-shū) is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngshān Liánjiè. It emphasizes Shikantaza, meditation with no objects, anchors, or content. The meditator strives to be aware of the stream of thoughts, allowing them to arise and pass away without interference.

The Japanese brand of the sect was imported in the 13th century by Dōgen Zenji, who studied Cáodòng Buddhism (Chinese: 曹洞宗; pinyin: Cáodòng Zōng) abroad in China. Dōgen is remembered today as the ancestor of Sōtō Zen in Japan along with Keizan Jōkin.

With about 14,000 temples, Sōtō is one of the largest Japanese Buddhist organizations. Sōtō Zen is now also popular in the West, and in 1996 priests of the Sōtō Zen tradition formed the Soto Zen Buddhist Association based in North America.

From Sōtō on Wikipedia

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Title	Speaker	Date
Early Days: Maezumi-rôshi & Suzuki-rôshi Serial: BZ-00977A Saturday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Maezumi Roshi, Teacher-and-Student, Zoom, Priest, Soto Zen, New Year,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	May 27 1995 Berkeley Zen Center
Tassajara Practice Period Serial: BZ-00909B Saturday Lecture Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Dharma Transmission, American, Practice Period,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Apr 15 1995 Berkeley Zen Center
Takubetsu Sesshin Serial: BZ-00743 Sesshin Dharma Transmission, Transmission, American, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Priest,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Apr 05 1995 Green Gulch Farm
Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Transformative States of Consciousness Serial: BZ-00762 Class 7 of 10 Discrimination, Absolute-and-Relative, Soto Zen, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Mar 09 1995 7 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Chiji Shingi Serial: BZ-00758 Class 3 of 10 Fox, true dharma, Priest, Instruction, Lay, Transmission, Demons, Chanting, Sixth...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Jan 24 1995 3 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Chiji Shingi and Metta Sutta: Chiji Shingi Serial: BZ-00756 Class 1 of 10 Priest, Soto Zen, Bell, Monastic Practice, Sixth Patriarch, Precepts, Aspects of...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Jan 16 1995 1 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Heart Sutra Serial: BZ-00951A Rohatsu Day 5 Heart Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Big Mind, Duality, Soto Zen, Building, Happiness,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Dec 08 1994 Berkeley Zen Center
Blue Cliff Record: Case #69 Cont. Serial: BZ-00935A And Nyogen Senzaki's Commentary, Sesshin Day 3 BCR-69, Building, Lineage, Bell, Soto Zen, Bowing, confusion, Doubt, Rinzai,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Sep 05 1994 Berkeley Zen Center
Hakuin’s Critique of Soto versus Rinzai Serial: BZ-00943A Sesshin Day 4 Silent Illumination, Mindfulness, Concentration, Practice Period, Offering, Four...	Ron Nestor	Jun 11 1994 Berkeley Zen Center
Platform Sutra: Commentary Serial: BZ-00552 Class 10 of 10 Sixth Patriarch, Culture, Mahayana, Religion, Four Noble Truths, Soto Zen, Lay...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Mar 31 1994 10 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Platform Sutra: Monk FaTa; Life and Death Serial: BZ-00551 Class 9 of 10 Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Happiness, Soto Zen, Karmic Consciousness, Karma,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Mar 22 1994 9 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Platform Sutra Serial: BZ-00557 Class 7 of 10 Evil, Big Mind, Discrimination, Buddha Nature, Hindrances, Five Ranks, Nirvana, Soto...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Mar 04 1994 7 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Parinirvana Sutra and Suzuki Roshi’s Legacy Serial: BZ-00980B Lecture Nirvana Sutra, Buddha Nature, Precepts, Nirvana, Impermanence, Daily Life, Tassajara...	Zenkei Blanche Hartman	Feb 12 1994 Berkeley Zen Center
Mumonkan Case 15: Seeing Truth; Ordination and Dharma Transmission—Ordinariness Serial: BZ-00981B Lecture Ordination, Berkeley Zen Center, Soto Zen, Culture, Mill Valley, Heart Sutra,...	Myogen Steve Stücky	Jan 29 1994 Berkeley Zen Center
Mountain Practice, City Practice; Renunciation Serial: BZ-00959B Leaving for Tassajara, Saturday Lecture Monastic Practice, Daily Life, Renunciation, Cultivation, Soto Zen, Aspects of...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Jan 08 1994 Berkeley Zen Center
Refining Your Life Serial: BZ-01497A Rohatsu Day 3 Tenzo Kyokun, Bell, Sanctuary, Emotions, Book of Serenity, Soto Zen, Discrimination,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Dec 01 1993 Berkeley Zen Center
Innumerable People’s Labors who Helped the Spread of Buddhism Throughout History Serial: BZ-00656A Lecture Diversity, Religion, Politics, Culture, American, Priest, Vinaya, Ordination,...	Rebecca Mayeno	Oct 02 1993 Berkeley Zen Center
You’re OK as You Are: Dogen’s Tenno Kyokun Serial: BZ-00655A Lecture Subject-and-Object, Separation, Instruction, Greed, Soto Zen, Hate, Dragons, Silence...	Zenkei Blanche Hartman	Aug 07 1993 Berkeley Zen Center
Fukan Zazen-gi: Dust and Cataracts are the Flowers of Emptiness Serial: BZ-00654A Lecture Anger, Instruction, Emotions, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Concentration,...	Gil Fronsdal	Jul 24 1993 Berkeley Zen Center
Practice and Boredom Serial: BZ-00670A Sesshin Day 5 Zazen, Stillness, Daily Life, Pure Existence, Doubt, Posture, Soto Zen, Separation,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Jun 13 1993 Berkeley Zen Center
Transmission of Light Serial: BZ-00214 Class 3 of 5 Attachment, Passions, Four Noble Truths, Offering, Buddha Nature, Lineage, Don't...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	May 20 1993 3 Berkeley Zen Center
Transmission of Light Serial: BZ-00212 Class 1 of 5 true dharma, Monastic Practice, Transmission, Buddha Nature, Teacher-and-Student,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	May 06 1993 1 Berkeley Zen Center
Introduction to Buddhism Serial: BZ-00269 Class 3 of 6 Precepts, Concentration, Mindfulness, Soto Zen, Impermanence, zen meditation,...	Ron Nestor	Mar 25 1993 3 Berkeley Zen Center
Early Zen: Dogen Serial: BZ-00605 Class 6 of 6 Lotus Sutra, Silent Illumination, Doubt, Rinzai, Instruction, Six Realms, true dharma...	Maylie Scott	Apr 09 1992 6 Berkeley Zen Center
Early Zen: Sixth Patriarch, Sudden and Gradual Enlightenment Serial: BZ-00603 Class 4 of 6 Platform Sutra, Branching Streams, Four Noble Truths, Perfect Wisdom, Sixth Patriarch...	Hozan Alan Senauke	Mar 26 1992 4 Berkeley Zen Center
Early Zen: Bodhidharma to the Fifth Ancestor Serial: BZ-00602 Class 3 of 6 Bodhidharma, Lineage, Transmission, First Principle, Karma, Book of Serenity, Buddha...	Hozan Alan Senauke	Mar 19 1992 3 Berkeley Zen Center
Title Unknown Serial: BZ-00109 Saturday Lecture Soto Zen, Lotus Sutra, Liberation, Ego, Buddha Nature, Mahayana, Duality	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Mar 07 1992 Unknown Location
Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi Serial: BZ-00734 Sesshin Day 7 Absolute-and-Relative, confusion, Five Ranks, Sixth Patriarch, Discrimination,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Dec 19 1991
Transmission of Light Eka, Bodhidharma, Four Noble Truths, Buddha Ancestors, Soto Zen, Greed, Birth-and-...	Fran Tribe	Dec 14 1991 Berkeley Zen Center
Meaning of Dokusan Serial: BZ-00707B Relationship to Teacher and Zazen, Rohatsu Day 6 Teacher-and-Student, Dokusan, Zazen, Soto Zen, Teacher-and-Student, Aspects of...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Dec 06 1991 Berkeley Zen Center
Avatamsaka Sutra: The Ten Stages; Awareness and Acceptance Serial: BZ-00272 Class 3 of 4 Soto Zen, Concentration, Liberation, Karma, Obstacles, Four Noble Truths, Commitment...	Zoketsu Norman Fischer	Nov 21 1991 3 Berkeley Zen Center
Tozan's Five Ranks Serial: BZ-00626 Class One, Class Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative, Heart Sutra, Lineage, Lay, Beginners, Soto Zen,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Nov 13 1991
Tozan's Five Ranks Serial: BZ-00625 Lecture Gratitude, Five Ranks, Sixth Patriarch, Absolute-and-Relative, Manjushri, Dharma...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Oct 19 1991 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Talk to Tokubetsu Sesshin Serial: BZ-00624 Sesshin Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Building, Gratitude, confusion,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Oct 13 1991
“Engaged”: Webster’s as a Buddhist Text Serial: BZ-00972B Lecture Fox, Four Noble Truths, Priest, Right Speech, Right Effort, Funeral, Vow, Soto Zen,...	Lin Zenki	Aug 17 1991 Berkeley Zen Center
Mumonkan: Case #10 Serial: BZ-00701A Sesai is "Poor" and Asks Sozan for Help, Saturday Lecture MM-10, Culture, Teacher-and-Student, resistance, Birth-and-Death, Priest, Soto Zen,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Apr 27 1991 Berkeley Zen Center
Shikantaza: Being Present Serial: BZ-00699A Lecture Concentration, Soto Zen, Instruction, Anger, Hate, Family Practice, Posture, Emotions...	Gil Fronsdal	Dec 15 1990 Berkeley Zen Center
October 6th, 1990, Serial No. 01479 Silent Illumination, true dharma, Soto Zen, Daily Life, Samadhi, Book of Serenity,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Oct 06 1990 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Three Worlds: Living Forward with Courage and Buddhanature Serial: BZ-00492A Lecture Buddha Nature, Building, Aspects of Practice, Separation, Culture, Fox, Rinzai, Soto...	Bob Yanasak	Sep 15 1990 Berkeley Zen Center
Dharma Positions and Preference I Conversation, Soto Zen, Aspects of Practice, Mindfulness, Emotions, Lay, Enthusiasm,...	Ryushin Paul Haller	May 05 1990 I Berkeley Zen Center
Tenzo Kyokun by Dogen: Monastic Life in Everyday Life Serial: BZ-00507A Lecture Monastic Practice, Family Practice, Offering, Soto Zen, uchiyama, Daily Life,...	Zoketsu Norman Fischer	Apr 28 1990 Berkeley Zen Center
Remembrances of Maurine Stuart Serial: BZ-00510B Lecture Lotus Sutra, Berkeley Zen Center, Anger, Buddha Nature, Transmission, Gratitude,...	Maylie Scott	Mar 25 1990 Berkeley Zen Center
Abbot's Zuisse Ceremony in Japan Serial: BZ-00385 Saturday Lecture Zuisse, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Study Period,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Oct 28 1989 Berkeley Zen Center
Boddhisatva Practice: Four Methods Serial: BZ-00366B Saturday Lecture Anger, Pure Existence, Priest, Equanimity, Daily Life, Non-attachment, Emotions, Ego...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Sep 17 1988 Berkeley Zen Center
Teacher and Student Serial: BZ-00893A Saturday Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Teacher-and-Student, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Buddha...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Aug 27 1988 Berkeley Zen Center
On Bowing and Chanting Serial: BZ-01491 Morning talk. Offering, Diversity, Heart Sutra, Passions, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Lineage,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Jun 27 1988 Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
June 12th, 1988, Serial No. 00299 Serial: BZ-00299 Sunday Lecture Ordinary Mind, Doubt, Attachment, Koan, Daily Life, Intuition, Soto Zen, confusion,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Jun 12 1988
February 26th, 1988, Serial No. 01535 Serial: BZ-01535 Sixth day of sesshin at Green Gulch Farm. Lineage, Dharma Transmission, Soto Zen, Chanting, Platform Sutra, Rinzai, Priest,...	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Feb 26 1988 6 of 7 Green Gulch Farm
Transmission Serial: BZ-00899A Lecture Transmission, Soto Zen, Priest, Dharma Transmission, Precepts, Rinzai, Bowing, Study...	Ananda Dalenberg	Feb 13 1988 Berkeley Zen Center
August 16th, 1987, Serial No. 00312 Serial: BZ-00312 Sesshin Day 2 Nirvana, Birth-and-Death, training, Soto Zen, Lineage, Instruction, Peace	Sojun Mel Weitsman	Aug 16 1987

Soto Zen Talks

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